California skier Darryl Coit took to the slopes at Telluride on Sunday, marking his 21st day on skis. Like many intermediate skiers nearing a breakthrough, Coit experienced a mix of frustration and joy as he battled gravity, soft snow, and the occasional fall while navigating the mountain with his group lesson. “It’s a challenge – […]
California skier Darryl Coit took to the slopes at Telluride on Sunday, marking his 21st day on skis. Like many intermediate skiers nearing a breakthrough, Coit experienced a mix of frustration and joy as he battled gravity, soft snow, and the occasional fall while navigating the mountain with his group lesson.
“It’s a challenge – physically, finding balance on the snow, and getting on and off the chairlifts…but these guys keep you motivated – and you’ve got to match their pace!” he remarked, speaking to the gathering of skiers and advanced instructors at the base of lift 4.
Coit’s journey mirrors that of numerous skiers eager to surpass their intermediate plateau and ascend into the ranks of “advanced.” Even though Coit faces unique challenges as an adaptive skier utilizing a monoski, his experience was largely similar to any other advancing skier hitting the slopes this week.
Sunday kicked off the fifth annual Expand Your Horizons ski camp for individuals with disabilities, organized by the Telluride Adaptive Sports Program. This year’s camp has over twenty skiers registered, making it the largest yet.
“This is the pinnacle event of the year for TASP,” expressed Colleen Trout, TASP’s executive director. “It allows us as educators to connect with a diverse group of skiers and gain valuable insights from their perspectives, while offering the skiers a chance to ski alongside and learn from each other.”
With support from Adaptive Adventures and Disabled Sports/USA, Trout launched the Expand Your Horizons initiative five seasons ago at the Telluride Ski Resort. She mentioned her desire to create “something different,” leading to a camp that was neither equipment-specific nor race-focused. Instead, it evolved into a camp embracing various disciplines and equipment, primarily concentrating on advanced free skiing.
Matt Feeney, co-founder of Adaptive Adventures (an adaptive sports non-profit based in Evergreen, Colo.), collaborated with Trout and TASP to establish this camp in Telluride. “The growth has been incredible” for the Expand Your Horizons ski camp, Feeney asserted.
“For those with disabilities living in this country, there are often chances to ski one-on-one with an adaptive sports instructor,” Feeney pointed out. “However, the opportunity to ski in a social environment with peers, pushing each other, is rare. This camp provides a unique experience that others do not.” Feeney, who has used a wheelchair since 1988, has competed as a monoski racer and served as an instructor. This marks his fifth season coaching at Telluride’s Expand Your Horizons camp.
Disabled skiers attending this week’s camp have come from locations as distant as Seattle, Houston, Southern California, Chicago, Oklahoma, along with several other Colorado resorts. During the camp, they receive skiing tips on groomed runs, bumps, and tree skiing from some of the industry’s most esteemed instructors, including Trout, Feeney, Peter Butrymovich (a 23-year veteran race coach with the National Sports Center for Disabled), Dean Sheppard (a third-year trainer at TASP’s ski camp and former coach for the Australian Disabled Ski Team), and Bill Bowness.
Bowness, a first-time instructor at the Expand Your Horizons ski camp, is this year’s head coach and has recently earned a spot on the Professional Snowsports Instructors of America Alpine Demonstration Team. He is the first monoskier to join this team and boasts an impressive teaching background, including Level III Adaptive and Level II Alpine certifications. He also serves as an examiner for the PSIA Western Division. Bowness works part-time with Tahoe Adaptive Ski School at Alpine Meadows and was part of the 1994 U.S. Disabled Ski Team at the Paralympics in Lillehammer, Norway.
“We’re excited to have Bill as our head coach,” Trout said. “His numerous accomplishments, including making the Demo Team against able-bodied skiers, highlight the extraordinary potential of athletes with disabilities.”
Bowness, who has been a monoskier for 15 years, believes that this week’s Expand Your Horizons camp allows instructors to share their passion for skiing with fellow disabled athletes.
“Introducing someone to something that brings me so much joy is incredibly rewarding,” he remarked. And although his students may seem to face more hurdles than their able-bodied counterparts, Bowness explained that teaching skiing to disabled individuals is fundamentally similar to instructing anyone else.
“It’s truly about assisting someone in achieving their goals and enhancing their technique. Helping individuals elevate their skiing is our main focus,” he stated.
The Expand Your Horizons camp concludes tomorrow with a level one race on the Nastar course, followed by a post-camp celebration. Trout mentioned that the camp’s success relies on the support of numerous organizations, including the Telluride Ski Resort, Town of Mountain Village, Franz Klammer Lodge, Izze, and Disabled Sports USA. For more information, reach TASP at 970/728-7537 or tasp@tellurideadaptivesports.org.
