Posted by Sudbury Northern Life Reporter Sabrina Byrnes
The Para Nordic Girls ski team, representing the Walden
Cross-Country Fitness Club (WCCFC), brought home some hardware
recently from the Ontario Midget Championships held in Sault
Ste. Marie.
Tanya Quesnel, Jeanie Rochon and Cassie Deschenes each brought
home medals from their first major competition. The girls
had participated in races in North Bay in January. Quesnel came
away with a gold and silver during the two days of
competitions, while Rochon garnered a silver and a gold, and
Deschenes nabbed two bronzes.
"It made me feel really good," Rochon said about her victory.
"I was nervous at the beginning, I had butterflies in my
stomach."
She said the support of her mother - who encouraged her to try
the sport in the first place - and her coach relieved some of
the anxiety.
Patti Kitler, Ontario coaching co-ordinator and para Nordic
development co-ordinator, started the Adaptive Nordic Ski
program back in March, 2008. She said these girls are paving
the way for others to participate, and it has been a real
eye-opener for many.
"Wherever they've gone and raced, they're opening the door for
other kids who want to start. They've done a really amazing
job," said Kitler.
Adaptive Nordic skiing is an opportunity for people with
disabilities to be active in the winter by participating in an
outdoor winter sport. Skiers sit down in a sit-ski, which is
attached to skis, and use the ski poles to propel themselves
forward. In the off-season, the sit-skis are used with roller
skis underneath for dry land training.
The program began with an Adaptive Family Ski day last March as
a way of creating interest, and took off with a formal weekly
training session in September. Currently, there are four girls
between the ages of eight and 14 who participate on a regular
basis.
Kitler said she's blown away with the success of the program,
adding the girls have progressed a great deal from the start of
the program to where they are now. At first, they were only
able to go five minutes on the roller skis before being
exhausted, the coach said. It was a challenge for the girls
once they got on the snow as well, because they weren't used to
the surface. Now they're able to ski for three kilometres.
Rochon's mother, Natasha, said it's great that her daughter is
able to enjoy the outdoors now.
"What's good about this is that she's able to go outside to do
winter activities, because we'd never be outside before. It's
just too hard with a wheelchair and the snow," she said.
Even sliding down hills isn't feasible because the sleds don't
have any back support for her or anything to keep her balanced,
the mother said.
"So that's perfect," she said of the sit-ski "Because it's such
a good sitting position and it's good exercise for the upper
body, which makes her stronger to push that wheelchair around."
Rochon said she likes being competitive, but that isn't the
only reason she enjoys cross-country skiing.
"I like to be competitive, but that doesn't really count for
me. I like seeing some of my friends, the smile on my face
after I've done a whole kilometre," said the recent medalist.
She noted the fresh air is a bonus to the sport as well.
"Usually I'm not really an outside person, so (cross-country
skiing) makes me love going outside."
Rochon has aspirations to make it to the Paralympics for
para-Nordic skiing and said she believes a lot of practice and
hard work will get her there.
The Para Nordic Girls' success aided the WCCFC in earning a
second place overall. Kitler said, while they were the only
girls in their category to compete, they have inspired a
program in Sault Ste. Marie to get in the works.
Kitler said she would like to see more kids involved in the
program.
"I have a goal of 10-12 kids next year, but I have to find more
volunteers to help me that are willing to push the kids ... we
have to push hard to help them reach their goals."
The WCCFC is holding another Adaptive Ski Family Day on March
17 for those with a disability who are interested in trying the
sport.
For more information contact the Walden Cross Country Fitness
Club at 692-2321.
