JLS Adaptive Snowsports

Posted by Ardie In .

Sam is 16, he is a keen skier, and he has cerebral palsy. His interest in skiing arrived a few years back when a scheme at his local council called Aiming High for Disabled Children was organising a skiing trip to the Alps for disabled young people. The trip was organised after a meeting with a group of young people pointed out that skiing breaks were being organised in many schools, but disabled pupils were often being left out of them.

Keen to try his hand at skiing, Sam went to taster sessions on dry practice slopes in Sunderland and a Snow Dome in Castleford before going on his trip to the Alps, and he took to the sport almost immediately. Sam, like many disabled young people, was often told he couldn’t do things because of his disability, but Sam was now skiing, and he was enjoying it.

After his trip he was now hooked on skiing, and he wanted to share his love of the sport. Encouraged by staff from Sunderland Adaptive Snowsports, Sam applied for support from Live UnLtd and got together with friends Terrie and Dan to set up their own group, JLS Adaptive Snowsports. Their goal was to offer skiing taster sessions to other young disabled people. His project gave these young people a chance to participate in sport, keep active and share fun and challenging experiences.

It also gave Sam a role and responsibility that he hadn’t experienced before, and now he is determined to continue to develop as a mentor and skiing instructor. He plans to get the qualifications needed to teach skiing to more people and he takes just about every chance he can to get on the slopes.

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