Adventurous Rehab After the Winter Olympics came and went, and the Paralymics were only a distant memory, 400 of America’s disabled veterans (including nearly 70 recently dispatched veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom) strapped on their skis, snowboards, and fencing gear upon arrival in Snowmass Village in Colorado. It was up there, in the thin air, that our nation’s heroes of past and present wars gathered to seek glory—and a bit of adventure and rehabilitation—at the 20th annual National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic, held in April.
The annual clinic is open to all US military veterans with spinal cord injuries or disease, visual impairments, certain neurological conditions, orthopedic amputations, or other disabilities, who receive care at any Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) health center.
"For 20 years, the Winter Sports Clinic has been a shining example of the VA’s commitment to help disabled veterans recover from their serious injuries and illnesses," says R. James Nicholson, VA secretary. "Also important is that their determination, courage, and achievement become models for other injured people to realize what they can still do with their lives."
The clinic’s history dates back to the 1980s, when its founder and director, Sandy Trombetta, began bringing VA patients to a nearby mountain resort to participate in ski programs for people with disabilities. As a recreation therapist, Trombetta said he recognized the physical and mental healing that skiing and other winter sports provided to disabled veterans. The clinic opened its doors officially for the first time in 1987.
"I think the veterans are special folks in that they have real dedication and commitment to service and pride in their abilities," Trombetta says. "Especially for the recently injured, it’s important that we get them active as soon as we can. It gives them back basic mobility, in addition to speed and quickness. It’s not like being in a clinical environment and doing certain exercises; they’re actually improving their physical well-being by doing different sports and activities. Mentally, it helps because they realize there’s a lot more they can do. Just by being here and doing things, it does so much for their self-confidence and their self-image. It makes them realize the possibilities, not the limitations."
Veterans train in adaptive Alpine (downhill) and Nordic (cross-country) skiing, as well as other activities and sports, including rock climbing, scuba diving, trap shooting, and sled hockey, during the 6-day session. Also, the US Secret Service teaches a course on self-defense that is specially designed for people with disabilities.
The trainers include more than 150 certified ski instructors for the disabled and several current and former members of the US Disabled Ski Team. Trombetta estimates that about 95% of the instructors are certified, and the other 5% have strong experience in organizations that provide adaptive sports. Additionally, a medical team of roughly 25 professionals consisting of rehab physicians, nurses, general practitioners, and internists is on call to supervise in a mini hospital Trombetta refers to as a "wilderness clinic."
The adaptive ski equipment that is used at the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic is modified and updated each year, according to the VA. Additionally, the event integrates skiing with other exploratory activities, such as race training and a development program, to help veterans develop their skiing skills to an elite level.
For the first time in the clinic’s history, the veteran athletes were introduced to racing techniques, and paralympic sports such as wheelchair fencing, due to an agreement between the US Olympic Committee and the VA that was signed in the fall of 2005. Instructors included official US Olympic coaches. Additionally, one alumnus of the very first Winter Sports Clinic, Chris Devlin-Young, is now a Paralympian with four medals to his name (two gold and two silver) and is an instructor of the program.
This year’s events included adaptive skiing with mono-skis and bi-skis; instruction in adaptive Alpine and Nordic skiing for stand-up skiers, including the visually impaired; alternate activities, such as scuba diving, sled hockey, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, rock climbing, trap shooting, fencing, golf, snow cat/gondola rides, and a trip to the Hot Springs; and educational and instructional workshops on self-defense and other related topics.
To maximize their experience, participants should have a history of training before they arrive at Snowmass Village. High altitudes and weak muscles can be a formidable opponent for first-timers. "We try to tell [veterans] and their coaches to have them practicing at home," Trombetta says. "But you don’t really know [what it’s like] until you go through it. What I see happening is that guys come back and they tell me how hard they worked in the off-season to get stronger so they can participate more fully. It’s a real motivating factor." Several of the life changes veterans make include quitting smoking, losing weight, adapting a healthier diet, and, of course, performing more challenging workouts at the gym.
The event was cosponsored by the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) and the VA. Trombetta credits the organizations with making the event a success. "Everything we’ve got going on here would not be possible without the support from the VA nor the funds we get from the DAV," he says. "If we didn’t have that behind us, we couldn’t do this. They gave us that freedom that we make these miracles on the mountain happen."
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