 |
Sports
By Miki Fairley Disabled Veterans Broaden Horizons at WSC
Skiers know the exhilaration, freedom, and fast motion the sport brings to them. And a record number of disabled veterans enjoyed the thrill of skiing April 1-6 in Snowmass Village, Colorado, near the world-class Aspen ski resort.
More than 400 veterans from 47 states attended the 21st Winter Sports Clinic (WSC),
about 140 for the first time. More than 90 of the participants are disabled veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. While the focus was on skiing, veterans and family members enjoyed snowmobiling, snowshoeing, scuba diving, fencing, rock climbing, gondola rides, sled hockey, trapshooting, and relaxing soaks at the nearby Glenwood Springs hot springs pool. Two new sports were added this year: curling and biathlon.
Celebrity visits brightened the occasion, too. Actress Bo Derek, who has been supportive of veterans for years, came and chatted with participants. Actor/musician John Corbett of
Northern Exposure
,
Sex and the City,
and
My Big Fat Greek Wedding
fame, attended the Clinic for the third year and gave a concert for participants. Dana Bowman, a bilateral amputee and retired Sergeant First Class with the U.S. Army, where he was a member of the Armys elite parachute team, the Golden Knights, dropped in on the festivities via parachute.
 |
Left: Chad Watson; Right: John Register |
|
Participants ranged from first-time skiers to Paralympians and Paralympic potentials.
The O&P EDGE
spoke with some of the participants.
Chad Watson,
24, a Marine with the 1
st
Battalion, 24
th
Marines, lost his right leg below the knee and suffered other injuries when an improvised explosive device detonated under the Humvee he was driving on patrol with other Marines in Fallujah, Iraq. However, Watson hasnt let that slow him down. While still recovering, he snowboarded in Vail, Colorado, two weeks before the WSC.
Watson has applied for a job with the FBI and said he is excited about the chance to work for the agency. At the WSC, Watson enjoyed getting to know other vets. "There are vets from so many different wars—Vietnam, Korea, World War II. Its so cool that theyre here!"
John Register,
Paralympian and manager of the Paralympic Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado, told
The O&P EDGE
that he was impressed with the "wonderful attitude of the servicemen and the support from the Aspen/Snowmass community." Register, who participated in some of the events, said he was also impressed with the Paralympic potential of some of the skiers.
Staff Sgt. Luke Murphy,
25, lost his left leg above the knee from injuries suffered in Iraq. Murphy said that the WSC clinic was his first time skiing. Murphy is engaged to be married, and as to the future, he said, "Im weighing out options and just seeing whats out there."
The moving force behind the creation of the WSC is Director
Sandy Trombetta
. Nearly 20 years ago, Trombetta, a recreation therapist at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center in Grand Junction, Colorado, took one of his patients skiing at a disabled ski program. Seeing the positive effect on his patient, Trombetta visualized a sports clinic for disabled veterans and started working to make it happen. "We try to offer the whole nine yards—vets can broaden their experiences and really enjoy themselves."
WORLD BRIEFS
|
AAU Names Paralympian Top Athlete Finalist
 Paralympian Jessica Long, Baltimore, Maryland, has been named as one of 15 finalists for the James E. Sullivan Award, presented annually by the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) to the top amateur athlete in the United States.
Long, 15, was nominated for the award after a spectacular year in 2006, which was highlighted by her nine-gold-medal, five-world-record performance at the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Swimming World Championships in Durban, South Africa. She has already been selected as the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) 2006 Paralympian of the Year and
Swimming World Magazine's
2006 Disabled Swimmer of the Year.
DS/USA Named AIG Ski Cup Challenge Charity
 Disabled Sports USA (DS/USA)
, a member of the U.S. Olympic Committee, has been named the designated charity for the 21st annual AIG Ski Cup Challenge and Charity Race March 14-17, 2007, in Stowe, Vermont. The AIG Ski Challenge represents a major insurance industry event which attracts hundreds of risk managers, insurance brokers, and AIG employees, who gather at Stowe Mountain Resort for a series of business meetings, events, and ski races.
As a National Corporate Partner of DS/USA, AIG committed $250,000 to support sports rehabilitation programs, providing opportunities for people with disabilities to lead active, productive lives, DS/USA said. DS/USA ambassadors will be featured throughout the event. AIG will host a DS/USA racing team, which includes a former medal-winning Paralympics racer, service members severely wounded while serving in Iraq, and other outstanding skiers with disabilities.
For more information visit www.dsusa.org or
www.disabledsportsusa.org
or call 301.217.0960. For more information about AIG, visit
www.aig.com
.
|
Table Of Contents - May 2007
|
|
