WINDHAM — The Adaptive Sports Foundation (ASF) kicked off its 41st winter of providing life-changing skiing and snowboarding opportunities to people with disabilities this Saturday, Dec. 14 at Windham Mountain Club. “We’re looking forward to another great winter season of empowering lives,” ASF Executive Director John Iannelli said. “This organization is so important to the […]
WINDHAM — The Adaptive Sports Foundation (ASF) kicked off its 41st winter of providing life-changing skiing and snowboarding opportunities to people with disabilities this Saturday, Dec. 14 at Windham Mountain Club.
“We’re looking forward to another great winter season of empowering lives,” ASF Executive Director John Iannelli said. “This organization is so important to the Windham community and the population that we serve. We’ve gotten some early-season snowfall and the folks at Windham Mountain Club have been working extremely hard to create an elevated experience for its guests, so we’re excited to see our students’ smiling faces as they hit the slopes, some for the first time ever.”
From the middle of December to the middle of March, the ASF hosts adaptive ski and snowboard lessons every weekend, while weekday lessons are available beginning in the final week of December.
A student can be signed up for a half-day lesson, choosing between the morning or afternoon session, or a full-day lesson. Lesson availability is based on the availability of the organization’s volunteer instructors. Weekend lesson reservations can be made 30 days in advance on the organization’s website, while midweek lessons can be reserved via phone by calling 518-734-5070.
As well as daily lessons, the ASF offers a competition program and a recreational program, the ASF Sliders, for those adaptive athletes who are more experienced on the slopes.
The ASF’s Competition Program provides coaching, mentoring, technique development and tactics training for athletes with physical disabilities (Paralympic eligible) and intellectual disabilities (Special Olympics/ United States of America Snowboard and Freeski Association). Through hard work and guided coaching, the ASF Race Team athletes earn the opportunity to participate in local, regional and national competitions.
The ASF Sliders program provides a season-long program for skiers and snowboarders whose aspirations are more recreational and social in nature. The Sliders learn how physical activity, good nutritional habits, and a positive outlook impacts their health through a coordinated student-first coaching philosophy shared by the instructors.
Along with the on-snow activities, the ASF has several fundraising events occurring this winter in Windham, including its annual wine tasting and auction on Dec. 27 at the Wintergreen Club and its Awareness Weekend concert, featuring the band, “The Nerds” on Jan. 18 at the Windham Mountain Club base lodge.
More information about these fundraising events will be made available at www.adaptivesportsfoundation.org.
