2011-2012 Training Camps and Competitions

Listed below is an Idea of some of the camps and Races that I will be participating this season and there are more dates to be added as they are confirmed.

December 4 - 10, 2011 - Ski Spectacular Race Festival Camp - Breckenridge, CO

January 1-6, 2012 - Training at Windham Mountain

January 9-12, 2012 - Nationals - Waterville Valley, NH

January 29- February 3, 2012 - Training at Windham Mountain

February 21 - 25, 2012 - Training at Windham Mountain

2011 -2012 Sponsors

I would like to say Thank you to all of the following Sponsor's for their generous donations for gym training, new customized equipment seat and my upcoming ski season.

Anytime Fitness - Bennington

Renee J. Jacobs CPA P.C.

Vermont Roofing Company, INC

Anytime Fitness Franchise

Love, Cody & Company CPAs, P.C.

Steven Thomas

Betty Tange

Judy & Jeff Granger
Wheelchair Sports Federation

Ski Spec in Breckendrige Colorado

Yesterday we did a lot of Directed free skiing with the coaches working on turn shape, Initiation of the turns and where your center of balance is.

In the afternoon we practiced what the coaches were saying in the gates and working on different drills as well.

Today was more on the same from yesterday with some different group changes and instructor changes as well. We had a full length GS Course today. The conditions were a lot nicer today then yesterday but it was a lot colder as well.

On Friday is the final day of making my seat insert. When I arrived in the morning, Joe had the Aspen Logo in the bottom of the seat. I got in my bucket for 1 hour and 45 minutes to make sure there was no pressure sores that were going to develop. I helped Joe reposition a couple straps to make things fit better.

Thank you Joe from Aspen Seating for all your hard work and time this week on making my seat.

I am really looking forward to heading up to Breckenridge for the Hartford Ski Spec and being able to ski with my new insert.

Day 2- A Very Long Day

Today was such a long day. We had to make sure that the bubble part of the seat was all set so that there was no sores or anything. Then we started working on the fit for the back. Each step we had to make sure there was no pressure in anywhere it would hurt me. In the process of putting the back and bottom peices we removed all the duct table from the bucket because the new peices are all in one joined together. Tomorrow is the last step for making my seat and back.

Custom Insert Day 1

Today was just amazing being able to get the process of my customized insert started. We started with this blue foam and took an imprint of my seat which will be used to make the bottom mold piece with first a cast mold and then a beaded mold.

Trip to Colorado

Today I went to the gym this morning and had a great workout with Mace doing a wide variety of different machines, and Hand Weights. I really can't wait to start skiing and see how my improvement in the gym these last few months will change my skiing abilitites.

Tomorrow I am off to Denver Colorado to Aspen seating. I am going to be working with Joe on my customized bucket for my Mono Ski. I will hopefully post lost of pictures of him making it. On Saturday we move from Denver up to Breckenridge and start to skiing camp. I am really looking forward to trying my new bucket which will fit a lot better more like a boot and also see how the improvements are in my Praschburger from last season.

I am really looking forward to seeing my friends and fellow team mates at the training camp.

Gym workout

Summer Update

In April 2011, I was awarded a grant from Challenge Athlete Foundation to help in the pursuit of getting a customized bucket from Aspen Seating for my mono ski. In talking with Aspen seating we have come up with a price that will require me to do additional fundraising. I am asking that any additional help possible from my friends and family will be greatly appreciated.

Not only am I fundraising for my bucket, but I am also fundraising for my 2011-2012 race/training season. My racing schedule will come out later in the summer and I will keep everyone up to date. I have been working out in the gym on a pretty regular basis.

February Race Camp

During the week we worked on some drills that helped put us in a better skiing position more down the hill and looking ahead down the hill so that we were prepard for whatwas ahead.
I had a good experience with someone helping me figureing out the best race line by helping to tell me when to start my turn and when to finish it. The person was right behind me in the course as I was going down. That seemed to really help me.

Season Schedule Update

I just found out that I will be attending the following camps and level 1 races this season. I am looking forward to attending both the camps and the races in my new Praschburger ski.

February
23rd - 25 - Windham Race Camp
26th - Diana Golden Level one Race at Windham

March

6th- Bart Center Diana Golden Level 1 race

14 -18th - Stowe Race camp

New Ski out in Colorado. I will have more pictures soon to share with everyone.