 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Cptsideways, Good luck to him.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Last November in Tignes I was struggling down the slopes mostly on my bottom, being wowed by a girl with one leg who was race training (!!!)
Just to warn you... my instructor said that most one-legged skiers had skiied before losing a leg.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Cptsideways, wish your friend luck. I'd guess if he's keen enough then there's nothing stopping him from learning.
A couple of years back I was stood at the top of the 'Swiss Wall' in Portes du Soleil, staring nervously at the steep drop-in and icy moguls as big as houses in front of me...when a one-legged guy hopped past and dropped in without pausing. Needless to say he made it down in about a tenth of the time it took me 
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Good luck to him! Wish him all the best from us.
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Nothing but admiration for people who can do this.. all the very best to them.
I have seen blind people ski very well.... I can't get my head around that at all.....
Absolutely amazing
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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This video of E J Poplawski was referenced in another thread a while ago, he is an extreme tele-skier who loses his right leg in an accident.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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youspurs1, yeo he is astonishing- the clips of him skiing alpine are even better.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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ChrisWo, That was probably Mike (the leg) Hammond dropping into the Swiss Wall like a rocket. He learned to ski after losing his leg and is a BASI 1 with the equivalence.
Runs Ski Skills training weeks here in the PDS out of Les Lindarets. Damn fine instructor, have done a couple of his courses.
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DallyPaul, I did a course where Mike Hammond was one of the instructors, though he didn't teach the group I was in. Seriously impressive. At a more junior level there were 8 year olds skiing on one leg all over Tignes a few weeks ago (though they had two, they only had one ski on, which amounts to much the same thing). I don't see why someone with enough determination shouldn't learn to ski on one leg from scratch. But snowboarding is so different - are there any one legged snowboarders? Maybe with a prosthesis. Mike Hammond had a prosthesis but he didn't ski in it - he unscrewed it and put it in his backpack before setting off.
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You know it makes sense.
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Cptsideways,
Drop a line to Michael Milton on his website...
He does a lot of work with kids after losing his leg to cancer. He is current world speed record holder on one leg and also holds the australian record(for all skiers) in speed skiing. He also has a swag(22) of medals in WC and Paralympic competition. Total Legend - and a nice guy!
I'm sure Milto would like to have a "chat"
www.michaelmilton.com
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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I have been skiing with Disability Snowsports for many years and have skied with many 'Three trackers' as we call one legged skiers. One ski and two long riggers for balance. The web address is above but either give me a shout here or visit our website for advice.
What specific questions can we answer?
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Poster: A snowHead
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Great stuff guys, just got the pack through from the snowsport guys, shall be passing the info on. So maybe a session at the indoor UK places to start off might not be a bad idea eh?
I'd really like to do a week or more as a volunteer with these guys, had a bit of experience a couple of years back tagging along & helping a bit for a few days with a bunch of "three trackers", really enjoyed it. Would make a change to the normal ski holiday for sure!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Cutsideways,
Always lots of volunteers opportunities with DSUK! Drop me a PM if you are serious and I could talk you though what is involved and what to expect. A little insite of what I felt first time I volunteered...
_______________________________________________________
First Time Helper's Story
John C: My First Time As A Helper With DSUK
Have you been clicking throught the DSUK website and thinking what an amazing organisation the DSUK is?
Are you wondering “How could I help?”
Are you saying to yourself that being a helper sounds like the sort of thing you feel you want to try, but “What do I have to give? Would I be any good at it?”
Well if you are, you may also be thinking “I have no experience with dealing with people with disabilities and I am a bit unsure how I would feel and cope.”
This is exactly how I felt before my first trip! I was someone who was really curious but too afraid to ask, who wanted to know who was behind the disability but was too afraid to ask, wanted to ask all the questions all curious people want to know but was too afraid to ask.
DSUK solved all this!
A few years back I was on a training course and the trainer was talking about the four stages to learning a new skill:
Unconscious Incompetence
You don’t know how bad you are at something
Conscious Incompetence
You are thrown into a situation and suddenly realise how bad you are at it
Conscious Competence
You have learned the skill and know you can now do it
Unconscious Competence
You no longer have to think about doing the skill, it just happens naturally
What has this to be with being a volunteer helper with DSUK? Well, when you turn up at the airport and meet ten new skiers, and various instructors and other helpers, you are quickly aware of your incompetence! “Erm, what do I do, how can I help, who is the best person to ask?” Very quickly, however, you realise that we’re all in this together and by mucking in we’re eventually on the plane and everyone is looking forward to the trip.
Skiers, helpers and instructors alike give great advice on how to help people with a disability need….. ‘just talk normally’, ‘I’m fine thanks, if I need help I’ll ask’, ‘can you go into my bag and get my ski gloves’. All straightforward - and no mystery once you are there.
Very quickly you get the basics and, as in life, you learn as you go along with, of course, a few surprises on the way.
Was I reaching conscious competence? Perhaps. A few days into the holiday and I was starting to feel much more relaxed about the whole thing and having a really good time.
It was the last stage of learning a new skill which for me was the best part of being on a DSUK trip. Having gone through the ‘what am I going to do?’ to ‘what am I doing!!!’, then ‘I think I know what I am doing!!?!?!’, finally the best bit of the trip happened.
I had been sitting in the bar having a drink with skiers, helpers and instructors for about three hours when something suddenly occurred to me. I couldn’t see instructor badges, I couldn’t see helpers who had given up a week of their time, I couldn’t see wheelchairs, I couldn’t see people with Downs Syndrome, I couldn’t see people with Cerebral Palsy.
What could I see? Friends. Friends - who I was on holiday with. Friends - having a great time. Friends who were all just people, not labels. Friends - who I wanted to be with! Totally unconscious competence.
That is when I realised I wanted to come back for more.
What a way to ski! A great bunch of people, from all walks of life, with a variety of backgrounds, with interesting stories, some funny, some sad, but all with a gritty determination to get the most out of life and enjoy a ski holiday.
So, when reading the DSUK yearbook you think that you want to come and help them, but are unsure how you may cope with the whole thing, don’t worry.
You may have to get through the first three stages of learning a new skill, but when you hit that fourth stage you will realise how much fun you are having, how many new friends you are making, and the enormous fulfillment you are experiencing.
Don’t take my word for it! Get yourself signed up for a trip – I look forward to seeing you there!
John C
Volunteer Helper
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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John C, brilliant.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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John C, do you need to be an excellent skier to help out with DSUK? By the way, I'm a trainer and always cover the Competence Cycle. Glad that other people do too 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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t40ora, dunno if you realised, but this thread is 5 years old....
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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holidayloverxx, whoops. That's what comes of not checking :-/
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Lots of very fast skiers in Panorama BC its the ipc world championships. Competition started today previously they have been practicing. Lots of runs shut though luckily it quite .
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Hi all. I'm the mom of a 10 yr old boy (see my profile pic... and sorry it's sideways) who just finished his first adaptive ski camp. Nathan is a right above knee amputee... and as for skiing, he's hooked! We live near a small ski area but they don't have any adaptive equipment for him to rent. So, I'm looking for used outriggers for him to use. Any suggestions?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@NatesMom, Welcome to SnowHeads. Wishing you and Nathan all the best and hope that he continues to get much enjoyment from his skiing.
Maybe the disabilitysnowsport.org.uk link above could help you find some contacts relevant to where you are.
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@NatesMom, Where are you based? Let me know and I'll have a think about where you might be able to find outriggers nearby.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@NatesMom, did you manage to find some outriggers?
There are not many places to purchase them. I got my 'Superlite' ones from Enabling Technologies in the States. They are $450 plus $75 for shipping. I believe Tessier do a version too, but i've only ever known people to use the Superlite ones. Be aware they need to be bigger than his height. I ordered the Juniors because they are for 4ft7-5ft 2....and although i'm 5ft 1 they are too short. You may wish to get advice from DSUK or someone who knows what they are talking about before you order
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FAQ
