The Adaptive Ski Program

While returning home from a meeting in Albuquerque last week, I sat next to a couple of Adaptive Ski Program colleagues on the plane.  It was great to catch up and of course our conversation brought back many happy memories for me.

I had the priviledge of volunteering with ASP for eight years. I primarily taught students with congitive injuries at the Santa Fe Ski Basin.

Using Edgie-Wedgie and Reins

It's called adaptive, because we could adapt to the needs of our students.  We had all kinds of great tools to help students experience the freedom of skiing and grow their skills.

Early on I helped out with bi- and mono-ski lessons, did a few cognitive-only seasons then settled into 3- and 4-track.   In the picture above, my student is able to stand and balance on his own, but not able to control his skis, so we used edgie-wedgies to tie the tips of his skis together and reins to guide him down the mountain.

The Adaptive Ski Program provides private ski lessons to people with all kinds of physical and congnitive disabilities and is staffed with over 200 volunteer instructors, equipment managers and coordinators.  The Adaptive Ski Program teaches at Santa Fe Ski Basin and Sandia Peak Ski Area and is celebrating it's 25th anniversary this year.

Ski Instructors, in the US are certified through the Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA).