 Poster: A snowHead
|
|
Two years ago our family of five enjoyed a fantastic week skiing in Canada - it was all possible because the resort was able to provide a 'buddy' for my daughter who has Down's syndrome. She is physically very able and she was able to ski at her own pace with her buddy while the rest of the family went off in their various directions at their own paces! Is it just N American resorts who offer such programmes or does anyone know whether there are any resorts in Europe who offer a similar opportunity? She is 16 yrs old and physically able. Thank you so much for any advice you could offer!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
|
|
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?
|
Hi Haley,
The link to Disability Snowsports UK (DSUK) above is a really good starting point. They offer a range of opportunities for anyone to ski who need some form of assistance to get on the snow.
I personally have skied with many people with Down's and most are very physically able... strong as an Ox with buckets of stamina to be honest!
US resorts are particularly good at having ski schools who offer ski buddies given they have had Disability Legislation for much longer than Europe. I can't say specifically how many in Europe have buddies but many will do guiding for any level but that can be expensive.
Your other option is to come on a DSUK trip as a family and get both lessons and buddying for your daughter whilst enjoying the trip either as a family or with the rest of the group.
Sorry not to provide a list of Euro resorts but hopefully the information is useful. Please feel free ask any specific questions you have.
John
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Schladming has a great disabled ski school, check out http://www.freizeit-pso.com/.
Schladming is in Austria, in the Salzburg region of Ski Amade just inside the Styrian border.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
Haley, welcome to snowHeads 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
John C, the downs syndrome lady I skied with needed lots of rests when first starting... things like sidestepping uphill taxed her heavily and I needed to carry a chair around to let her have a rest as needed....
This can be important because congenital heart difficulties can be an issue in downs syndrome... you need to treat each person as they present
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well I have to say, our little boy, now age 7, who happens to have Down's Syndrome, did us all proud during our week in the 3 Valleys this Easter.
This was his 4th attempt at skiing. The first time in Alpe d'Huez 2006 was just for one day where he first wore ski boots and felt the feeling of sliding. At this stage he struggled to stay upright at all, but it introduced him to the equipment and he felt included.
The second time in Saas Grund 2007 he was in ski kindergarten, but really struggled to keep pace with children aged 3 to 4, at this time Fin was age 5. He did have a couple of private lessons and managed to ski down long green runs with his intsructor, holding onto her poles at the side of her. This inspired us and on a day trip to Zermatt I skied with him between my legs from Gornergrat to Riffelberg. Very had work, but he enjoyed it but found it very tiring and he buckled on a couple of occasions. At the magic carpet at Riffelberg he was able to ride the carpet up unaided and then would ski down the 'mini-slalom' holing my poles as he had done with the instructor. But whenever he was alone, i.e not holding onto poles or someone (me) he would just sit back and keel over. But what he had achieved to this point was beyond our expectations.
The third time in Wengen 2008 was compromised by an illness, which left him low and weak. I had bought a harness and reins from Snow&Rock and was hopeful that he would be able to ski down in front of me, but he could not. As before, if he had hold of me or my poles he was fine, but his illness prevented any real progress this year.
This year in Meribel, he started much as before. He joined the Piou Piou club at Chaudanne and after the first morning the instructor felt it necessary to say to us something along the lines of "we have tried to get him to ski but it is not possible". That afternoon at the Altiport area we tried him on the reins but he just sat back every time. We reverted back to the pole technique and he enjoyed skiing down besides me and had a smile on his face. I didn't though, he has clearly put on much weight and it was even harder work. The following day down Truite (from Mottaret to Meribel) we concentrated on getting his weight forward - I used my poles again but this time encouraged him to hold them out in front of him, then gradually, over time, he took more and more control of them to the piont where he was then holding them completey by himself and keeping his weight forward. Towards the bottom of the run I stepped back from him and he was all on his own. He fell over, but I knew this was a milestone. The next day we tried the reins again and it worked! I still gave him my poles at first to keep his weight forward, he was doing really well on smooth areas but would struggle and fall easily when thrown off balance. We would then take the poles away and encourage him stay forward by holding his arms out (cue Mum just in from to demonstrate) or by keeping his hands on his knees. We continued this over the next two days (just one run down Troite each day) - his balance became stronger and stronger and he was able to cope with bumps and mounds of snow. His pace gradually increased, which was a blessing for me as it meant I did not have to snowplough so hard behind him, in fact there were times where his pace was such that I was able to do some proper turns !
On our last day I bought him a 3V pass and we took a trip : Chaudanne to Rhodos, down Altiport, up Loze, down Lac Bleu then Loze est, up Jardin Alpin then back to 1850 before heading to Mottaret via Verdons/Saulire then down in Pas du Lac. After lunch we played then had one final run down Troite where, towards the end, I took the reins off and I am convinced he did some small snowplough turns, but it was too late to go back up for another go. We will now have to wait until next year for the next chapter.
Fin is physically quite strong for a 7 y.o. boy with DS. His main problem is communication, he speaks very few words, of which only those close to him can understand. He speaks mainly with Makaton, again typically only understood by those close to him. So when put in the care of a kindergaten or a private instructor we know it is very difficult for them to 'teach' anything to him. He would almost certainly need one 2 one 'tuition' and then would need a translator with him - this would be prohibitively expensive for us. Through determination though we came away from this week with an overwhelming feeling of achievment and satisfaction. It was beyond our wildest dreams that he could have done what he did on that last day.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thanks for the interesting report. That sounds like great progress and I'm sure it will continue. I have friends with a son with Down's Syndrome and I know he enjoyed skiing for many years and is still proud of various badges and awards. I don't know, though, how old he was when he started. As long as the skiing is fun and satisfying for your son, I'm sure it is good.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
masmith, In Australia you will get both lift passes and private lessons for half price as long as he is registered with Disabled WinterSport Australia. Just inform the ski school in advance that it is a disabled lesson and they should allocate a disabled trained instructor to you who will have access to any gear required. He is also eligible for group introductory lessons with DWA a couple of times a year IIRC these are very cheap and as everyone in the group has similar issues everyone seems to love them.
In the USA you can go to 'special' ski schools (damn I hate that concept) and get very well priced instruction and equipment at a great rate - these are again private lessons. (As an idea Challenge Aspen does full day lesson and equipment for around $120 mark IIRC). Again you can get discount lift tickets. Check places like Vail adaptive for their pass and instruction rates. Breckenridge seems to have a very active program - I keep running into them(not literally) around the slopes.(they are a Vail resort)
I believe there is a program in the UK ... but IIRC from the Donzo thread it is very expensive (he was saying nearly 1000 pounds for a week?) and they were certainly less than helpful in his son's case...
Oh Whistler has an adaptive program similar to the USA ones... again check website or ring them for info as it is a 'special' ski school.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As well as the possibilities little tiger mentions, there are ski schools in Europe which can help skiers with special needs. Some have been mentioned in threads in this forum. I seem to remember Schladming in Austria being mentioned as one possibility (googling I came across this link: http://www.schladming-dachstein.at/en/winter/sport_aktiv/activ_holidays_pso.htm). Similar facilities in France have also been mentioned.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
espri, little tiger, thanks for the info. The Australian model sounds good so let's hope it gets adopted over in Europe at some point.
Until he is older and can communicate better, I am perfectly happy skiing/teaching him myself. It's principally for this reason that I am interested in BASI Level 1, purely to give me some guidance on how to approach teaching - it is something I have never done (teaching), not only with skiing but with anything, I'm a do'er, not a teacher. I know how to ski, reasonably well, but I don't know 'how' to teach it. I get very frustrated, very easily ! Hopefully by this time next year I may be more prepared.
I have looked at the disability snowsports UK trips but they are just way too expensive (understandably so, I'm not criticising) for what we need right now, given that we would all travel as a family. Maybe if/when Fin wants to go off on his own in later years then it would be very worthwhile, but as a young child it is best to keep it in the family right now. I guess the point I was making in my previous post was one of expectations.
If I can gain the required qualifications I would very much like to do some volunteer work for Disability Snowsport or similar, but that is some time off yet.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
masmith, sounds like you are doing a pretty good job teaching him yourself! I'm doing some Adaptive teaching modules in July, I've had one training session on teaching visually impaired people, and the main message was that to teach adaptive skiing you need to think outside the box... sounds like that's pretty much what you've been doing!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
beanie1, good luck with the course in July, I would be interested to know how you get on, maybe drop a PM if you get the opportunity afterwards ?
Back in 1996 we were joined on our trip to Alpe d'Huez by a totally blind guy who I met while working in the Civil Service in Sheffield. He was a real character and skied everyday for 2 hours with a private instructor. by the end of the week he was cruising down the greens and easy blues, simply taking verbal instructions from the instructor behind him. Totally amazing. In the evenings he joined in our games of Jenga .... not so good 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
I believe that most US resorts offer discount passed fro Adaptive skiers and their Volunteer/Helper. Certainly Crested Butte does. Check out www.adaptivesports.org. It's a great programme - then again as I have tought there there I may be biassed!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
masmith, There are a few s doing the course, I'm sure we'll all be writing up on here afterwards!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
Haley, masmith,
Look at Redpoint Holidays www.redpoint.co.uk based in Zillertal, Austria.
They have qualified, experienced adaptive and alpine instructors. The idea behind the adaptive programme is to enable a family or group of friends to go skiing together with their disabled friend or relative, with the ultimate goal of everyone skiing together. This can be achieved by teaching the disabled person to ski independently, and/or teaching a family member to assist as a buddy and so enabling the two people to ski together independent of outside help. Each holiday is tailored to suit your needs including skiing, equipment, accommodation and travel.
If you'd like any further info, just ask.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
Åre (pronounced aura) in Sweden has what I understand to be the largest Adaptive Ski School in Europe and I can personally vouch for their professionalism and inclusive US Marine 'No man left behind' attitude! Expensive and cold early season but a wonderful place. The teenagers and bouncers in the nightclubs could not have been more accomodating to a group of 10 wheelchair users and their helpers.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
Why not try www.skiing4all.com? Our son has autism and was skiing with Anna in Zell am See, Austria last year - but I know she also runs one-to-one sessions for persons with Down's Syndrome (she is a psychologst from Cambridge and a ski instructor in one). It was a fantastic experience, we are returning this year!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
Hello again! As I was double-checking whether Anna is still working in the same resort, I have come across this in the news section of www.wtss.co.uk it looks like Skiing4all is running a competition again this year, offering a ski break for a person with learning difficulty and their family. Good luck!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
Not everyone is blessed by the normal working brain and normal working limbs. Those who have are blessed by normality and those who have lack of or excess of anything in their body’s anatomy are the handicapped.My elder brother is suffering from Down syndrome.It's painful who have any boy,girl or brother,sisters suffering from this. There are people who suffer from Down syndrome. This is the excess of 1 chromosome in these people’s nucleus.You can find some more information here Down Syndrome Facts
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
My son is now 17, and he has received regular instruction from DSUK at Braehead mainly. This year we took an inclusive Crystal ski-holiday for the week before Christmas at Totem hotel, Flaine nr Chamonix, and had a great week at a sensible price. You can ski from the hotel direct onto the piste, and it is a friendly resort, with spectaculr runs from the top of a high ridge overlooking Mt Blanc. A real alpine resort, breathtaking. I purchased three afternoons instruction from a regular French ski-instructor 1:1 for him, partly to give me a break so I could explore the higher runs. They seem to have had some good sessions. By Friday he was able to ski vertically down 900M down a long green and even tackle a couple of short reds: he's a tough guy and very determined. Main thing was we had so much fun together, and we also won the hotel quiz night thanks in no small part to his expert knowledge of Disney & film characters!
Pics here: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150551487907704.440113.655302703&type=1&l=c99ece96d6
Video here:
http://www.facebook.com/v/2138490800302
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Great photos EXCALIBER, looks like fun was had by all.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Much enjoyed your photos! Looks like a great area.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I have a question on this very topic.
A friend of mine has Down Syndrome and she is a very competent skier. She competed in the Australian Championships this year and has qualified for the World Championships in Turkey this year.
Her family have invited me along to coach her in preparation for this trip. We are seeking a resort near Geneva where we can access GS and SL courses for a week or so prior to the comp, during the week of Feb 20th.
Any suggestions of contacts in the region?
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
Can't help you directly but might suggest that you also post your question in the snowSports section, where people into racing are likely to be active.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
West of Scotland ski-loving people with all sorts of disabilities meet every second Monday at Xscape , Braehead, Glasgow, 7:30pm sharp. Next meet is on the 29th October. Contact DS-UK for more info.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Chamwow wrote: |
I have a question on this very topic.
A friend of mine has Down Syndrome and she is a very competent skier. She competed in the Australian Championships this year and has qualified for the World Championships in Turkey this year.
Her family have invited me along to coach her in preparation for this trip. We are seeking a resort near Geneva where we can access GS and SL courses for a week or so prior to the comp, during the week of Feb 20th.
Any suggestions of contacts in the region? |
What is contact for Downs Syndrome snowsports, by the way? Is there a club?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
Excalibur, I'd PM Charlie DSUK, I'm sure he would know, I had reason to PM him recently and he could not have been more helpful. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
