 Jan
Grant,
ROKKA Race Chairperson
I originally heard about The
Unrecables Ski Club when I heard a presentation at another ski club
meeting in the late ‘80’s or around 1990 by a visually impaired
member of The Unrecables. I was fascinated but didn’t know how to
get involved or who to contact. In 1992, the Far West Ski
Association had its annual ski trip in Vail, Colorado. At the last
moment, I decided to go and heard that a member of The Unrecables
wanted to sell her ticket. I jumped at the chance not only to go to
Vail but to learn more about The Unrecables.
In Vail, four of us shared a
large condo. Kathy Paisley was my roommate who introduced me to
mono-skiing. Phil Minderlein and Kelly Wong also shared the condo
and we had great fun dancing in the Far West party tent and watching
Kathy win a $300 heli-skiing trip in Colorado’s back country.
Having grown up in Montana and
having been exposed to skiing at an early age, it has always been my
primary sport. I gave up tennis for cycling because it was too slow,
and I’m definitely not old enough for golf. I also enjoy camping and
hiking and someday plan to take up cross-country skiing and
who-knows-what-else.
Since joining the Unrecables,
I’ve made many new friends and learned a great deal about various
disabilities. It continues to be a very rewarding experience and I
encourage other skiers in my other ski clubs and at work to come and
join us.
So, c’mon, Unrecables, try the
race course! They’ll let you start anywhere on the course…usually
near the bottom! (And, you’ll race around noon, so you have all
morning to warm up.) It’s a blast! Just ask Kathy Paisley, John
Wiley, Doris Lion, Dee Armstrong, and anyone else who has tried it.
And the ROKKA League doesn’t charge the club for disabled racers, so
it’s FREE! |
