Rockville, MD – Disabled Sports USA (DSUSA), one of the nation’s largest multi-sport, multi-disability organizations, has announced the schedule for its 2012 national SkiTour.
The SkiTour program is the only one of its kind, ensuring opportunities for wounded warriors, youth and adults with disabilities to receive advanced instruction and state-of-the-art adaptive equipment throughout the nation at ski destinations including Breckenridge, Sun Valley, Aspen, Stowe, Park City, and Tahoe.
Events include beginner to elite ski races, race training, learn-to-ski or snowboard, Nordic ski programs and adaptive instructor training. Through April 2012, the DSUSA Winter Series will include more than 100 events hosted by 43 DSUSA chapters and affiliates in 21 states. Programs for the wounded warriors are part of DSUSA’s Warfighter Sports program, which offers sports rehabilitation programs free of cost to severely wounded warriors. Warfighter Sports rebuilds lives through sports by improving self-confidence, promoting independence and uniting families through shared healthy activities.
SkiTour will again be supported by U.S. Paralympics, a division of the U.S. Olympic Committee, through funding provided U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Their support will help provide enhanced sport programming for severely wounded military service members and disabled veterans by increasing opportunities for wounded warriors to participate in physical activity in their home communities and in advanced regional and national Paralympic sport programs.
“By working together, U.S. Paralympics, Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense and Disabled Sports USA can provide greater winter sports opportunities and reach more veterans and service members with physical disabilities in a cost efficient manner,” said Charlie Huebner, Chief of Paralympics, USOC. “SkiTour will have a profound impact on building local programs, and also future generations of Paralympians.”
SkiTour includes internationally sanctioned elite International Paralympic Committee “NorAm” ski races that qualify USA and international ski racers for events worldwide, leading to the Paralympic Winter Games. NorAm is the only national qualifying race series for ski racers attempting to qualify for the U.S. Disabled Alpine Championships. The SkiTour schedule also includes the Diana Golden Level I Race Series for youth with physical disabilities.
“The 2012 DSUSA SkiTour provides skiing, snowboarding, sled hockey, biathlon and Nordic sports opportunities that teach people with disabilities that they can lead full and active lives with their physical challenges,” said Kirk Bauer, executive director of Disabled Sports USA and a disabled Vietnam veteran. “The confidence, dedication and commitment it takes to succeed on the mountain can be applied to other areas of life. They come away from their experience with the attitude embodied in DSUSA’s motto: ‘If I can do this, I can do anything!’”
Additionally, DSUSA works with the Professional Ski Instructors of America – American Association of Snowboard Instructors (PSIA-AASI) to train ski and snowboard instructors in the latest adaptive techniques and learn about advances in adaptive equipment.
DSUSA chapters hosting SkiTour events are highlighted below by state. To view the SkiTour calendar of events, visit www.dsusa.org.
Alabama: Lakeshore Foundation
California: Disabled Sports Eastern Sierra; Disabled Sports USA Far West; San Diego Adaptive Sports Foundation; US Adaptive Recreation Center
Colorado: Adaptive Sports Association; Adaptive Sports Center; Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center; Challenge Aspen; Ignite Adaptive Sports; National Sports Center for the Disabled; Steamboat STARS; Telluride Adaptive Sports Program
Idaho: Sun Valley Adaptive Sports
Illinois: Adaptive Adventures; Great Lakes Adaptive Sports Association
Maine: Central Maine Adaptive Sports; Maine Handicapped Skiing
Maryland: Blue Ridge Adaptive Snow Sports
Minnesota: Courage Center Duluth
Montana: Eagle Mount- Bozeman; Eagle Mount- Great Falls
New Hampshire: Ability Plus; Bretton Woods Adaptive; New England Disabled Sports
New Mexico: Adaptive Ski Program
New York: Adaptive Sports Foundation; Greek Peek Adaptive Snowsports; STRIDE Adaptive Sports
North Carolina: SUDS Diving, Inc.
Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Center for Adapted Sports; Three Rivers Adaptive Sports; Two Top Mountain Adaptive Sports Foundation
North Carolina: DSUSA Chattanooga (SPARC)
Texas: Operation Comfort
Utah: Common Ground Outdoor Adventures; National Ability Center
Vermont: Bart J. Ruggiere Adaptive Sports Center; Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports
Virginia: Wintergreen Adaptive Sports
Washington: Adaptive Action Sports; Outdoors for All
West Virginia: Challenged Athletes of West Virginia