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Adaptive local ski club is giving everyone the chance to hit the hills

Jan 4, 2019 | 7:00 AM

The Saskatchewan Adaptive Snow Ski Club is making sure everyone gets the chance to hit the slopes this winter.

The Club has been doing stops between Table Mountain and Wapiti Valley, introducing adaptive and para-alpine skiing through their certified instructors, access to sitskis and other adaptive equipment. The Ski club will be making its way to Table Mountain twice in January, starting off on Saturday, January 13.

 Jaimie Smith-Windsor, President of the SASSC and a parent with the ski club, said this is an opportunity which a lot of the parents don’t believe is possible, but when they hit the slopes, the reactions are incredible.

“It really is something that the whole family can do,” she said. “When the family comes out and go down the hill for the first time and are able to do something with everyone involved, it’s an amazing thing.”

The club started three years ago as a small group of parents exploring different options to get their children onto the hill. They decided to form the club, and with recent funding from a para-sport grant, the club has been able to purchase equipment and continue its growth. Smith-Windsor said that the reactions from the youths involved is amazing when they finally get to strap on the equipment and head down the hill.

“(They say that) it’s thrilling, it’s exciting,” she said. “It’s important to be able to go fast and move fast, be physically active and be a part of a club. I know that they have a lot of fun.”

At the end of the season, the club will be sending skiers to the SaskTel Challenge Cup at Mission Ridge in Fort Qu’Appelle. The growth of para-sports in the province over the past years is nice to see, according to Smith-Windsor, and that the multiple adaptive skiing clubs across the province are constantly growing and coming together.

“It’s really great to see a community and club atmosphere happening in various parts of the province, and those programs starting to integrate and support one another,” she said.

Along with January 13, the club will also be hosting another Adaptive Ski Day on January 26. It’s $20 to register, and with limited spots, there is a cap on how many skiers can attend.

The club is also always looking for volunteers for skiing and non-skiing purposes. Most volunteers are parents, but the club is still looking to grow and are looking for help from as many as possible.

 

brady.lang@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @BradyLangCJNB