[Sportsandrec] FW: Blind Athletes Conquer Pico Mountain

[Christella Garcia]

  _____  

From: U.S. Association of Blind Athletes [mailto:etap at usaba.org] 
Sent: Tuesday, January 19, 2010 10:38 AM
To: Christella Garcia
Subject: Blind Athletes Conquer Pico Mountain


 
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Blind athletes conquer Pico

 
By Brent Curtis <mailto:brent.curtis at rutlandherald.com>  Staff Writer,
Rutland Herald
Nineteen years after head injuries from a motorcycle accident robbed Cedric
Hankerson of his sight, the 43-year-old was on a pair of skis at Pico ski
area Saturday looking forward to his first thrill ride in a long time.

"I think it's going to be fun. I'd like a little adrenalin in my life
again," the Atlanta, Ga., resident said while testing out a pair of skis for
the first time in his life.

Learning to ski can be challenging under the best of circumstances, but
Hankerson and more than a dozen other visually impaired skiers were pointing
their skis downhill on the weekend without the ability to see the slopes and
obstacles in their way.

Sound impossible? For the third year in a row, the U.S. Association of Blind
Athletes and the visually impaired people they work with proved that it's
not.

In conjunction with Vermont Adaptive, the Gibney Family Foundation and the
U.S. Paralympics, the USABA offered three days of alpine and Nordic skiing
to 14 people with varying degrees of visual impairment, who traveled from
distant states for free lessons and volunteer assistance on the trails.

While the impaired skiers had little or no sight, their guides informed them
about changes in the terrain or obstacles in their way. With a little help,
some accomplished skiers were tackling challenging terrain on Saturday.

For Hankerson, who said he once had 2-0/18 vision, the first few steps on
skis were a mixture of fear and excitement.

But for Alexis Miller, 4, of Jamestown, R.I., there was no sign of fear,
only a big smile as she alternated between trying to walk and slide on her
skis.

The sight of her daughter on skis also brought a smile to the face of her
mother, Lauren Miller, who was happy to see Alexis expand her horizons.

"She hasn't been able to do much since her eye surgery," she said referring
to a recent cornea transplant for her daughter, who has limited vision in
one eye. "She did do swimming in the past, but with the eye surgery, the
pool became off limits."

Providing new opportunities is what the USABA's ski festival is all about,
according to Mark Lucas, the association's executive director.

"Our mission is to enhance lives," said Lucas, who was putting in some time
on the slopes himself on Saturday. "It's not just about teaching people to
ski. It's also teaching people how to live healthy lifestyles."

Cultivating a winter sport was the main reason why Matt Phalen of Rutland
came to the mountain on Saturday.

The Rutland High School senior said he likes to bowl and play bocce, but he
wanted something else to do during the winter to stay in shape.

While he had never tried skiing before, the 17-year-old, who has very
nearsighted vision, said he wasn't worried about hitting the slopes knowing
that he had a team of guides to help.

"I'm looking forward to it," he said. "I never thought I would do this."
 
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Photo Credit:  Nancy Nutile-McMenemy
 
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Address postal inquiries to:
United States Association of Blind Athletes
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