Show Disabilities no barrier to i fun at center near Salt Lake Gary Lee LeeThe The Washington Post Against a background of soft chanting Marla Maria Berkow BerkO instructed the group to spread out on mats across the floor and stretch their limbs legs arms feet and all Let the inner light within you shine she whispered Never mind that Greg Shaw back in the comer corner had no use of his legs Undeterred the year 16 old lay on his back puffing his barrel chest upward and reaching his arms to the edge of the mat Nearby 6 year-old year Morrison Haslock twisted her arms rendered limp by a prenatal disorder behind her back Sam Blakeley 13 snapped off his prosthetic lower leg to i o- o make bending easier The yoga session at Utah's National Ability Center NAC was an exercise in gritty determination Just like everything ever thing else at the NAC A cluster of timber buildings perched on a hill near Park City about 30 miles east of Salt Lake City the center trains all manner and age of disabled sp sports enthusiasts in skiing and other recreational activities including mountain biking and horseback riding From its scrappy start in inthe inthe inthe the mid as a small school teaching locals wilh with disabilities how to maneuver the slopes the complex has grown into one of the country's reaching broadest-reaching nonprofit organizations most of the funding comes 0 r. r t ii 7 from foundations or private donors specializing in sports and therapy for the physically physic lly and mentally ch challenged During my visit last month I wanted to see th the center in jn action particularly since its it's a mecca for disabled travelers-cum- travelers sports enthusiasts But I Iwas Iwas Iwas was also drawn by another feature the opportunity for bodied able-bodied visitors visitors' to inhabit if only briefly the world of the disabled I 1 watched as some horseback riders were blindfolded while skiers had an arm tied to one side The center recommends the exercise for anyone who wants to experience Ability Center Continued on page 9 L t t t Ab Ability Center for all Continued from page 1 I Ithe the viewpoint of the physically or or mentally challenged Relatives or friends of the disabled are especially encouraged to try it As a learning tool its it's invaluable explained White the NAC's founder co-founder and chief executive officer This will explain how I found myself one morning halfway up a climbing wall with my eyes closed experiencing a mild but very real panic After two days of watching training sessions and chatting with participants and staff members I wanted to experience nce sports from the viewpoint of the disabled But Im I'm getting ahead of the story Travelers from outside the region make up a third of the centers center's patrons arriving from flung far-flung corners comers with different agendas Solo skiers and athletes hone their sk skills with personal trainers while groups also partake often survivors of cancer or other life-changing life events who want a place to bond Families come seeking distractions in which every member can participate As she stood in Park City's Olympic Park cheering on the NAC's bobsled team White summed up the centers center's mission We take whoever comes in the door and give them whatever it takes to engage in in a sport on their own or with their families without our assistance In fact some visitors have been so drawn to the place that they've relocated just to be close to the NAC facilities Shaw the year 16 old skier is an example His family first came from Florida on a ski trip a few years ago but when they saw the opportunities at the center they moved here Matt a year 38 old cancer survivor whose right leg was amputated three years ago visited the NAC two years ago on a trip from Delaware to t take ke keski ski lessons The allure of the slopes rock climbing and other sports persuaded him to move One night I caught him in action as a bobsled brakeman the guy who gives the sled a running push and then whooshes downhill The centers center's doors are open year-round year but most travelers come during the ski season I arrived as the first snows of the season were whirling in though the slopes weren't quite ready No matter The NAC campus has so many distractions a lodge with accessible rooms a cafeteria an outdoor obstacle course riding stables mountain bike trails a gym and a climbing wall wall theres there's theres easily enough to fill a multi-day multi stay The calm atmosphere on the acre 40 complex with its stunning views of the Wasatch Mountains belies an impressive multifaceted program The staff of 80 full- full fulland and time part-time trainers supplemented by dozens of volunteers provided more than training sessions sessions last year Kristen Caldwell a sports therapist who oversees the NAC ski program led this skier non-skier on a tour of the ski center The lodge was packed with equipment retrofitted for the disabled including outriggers ski poles with a sliding platform especially designed for those with agility challenges mono skis which resemble small sleds and are used by those who have difficulty standing and tethers which trainers attach to skiers to help guide them downhill be amazed how many folks come to us with no hope that they could ever ski and end up after some training managing the slopes quite well on their own Caldwell said Some trainers specialize in therapies for those with more severe challenges Kim Desautels an occupational therapist from North Carolina is an expert in a treatment in which a horse is used to elicit movements in patients Its It's sometimes prescribed for those with neuromuscular problems With the help of two trainers Desautels propped d her patients in various positions on a bareback horse including backward ward sideways and standing up Eventually the patients adjust to the horses horse's gait gaitand gaitand and other movements Salt Lake City resident Jerry Green 59 who has difficulty walking because of multiple sclerosis told me the treatment had helped him regain feeling in his legs Following an long hour-long session riding backward and sideways on Captain one of the NAC's horses he explained why Somehow after a long time in a wheelchair I forgot how to walk he said The horse helps my body recall what a gait feels like After a couple of months of this treatment I can already stand far longer than I ever thought I would be able to Reflecting on these sagas made me curious about how disabled athletes cope with challenges So when Desautels s the expert invited me to try a therapy mini-therapy I jumped jumpe d at the chance It seemed d like an easy place to start With the help of Desautels i and a couple of trainers I i mounted one of the horses 1 backward I later switched toa to toa toa a sideways mount allowing i my legs to dangle along the side of the horse For a few i minutes Desautels guided i me and the horse around the stable Back on my feet I i could feel fee the rhythm of the horses horse's gait in my legs The next day I went further After watching several others ascend the indoor climbing wall I decided to try it with my eyes closed Strapped into a halter I ran my hands along the ridges ridges' and began to feel my way up Grabbing for crevices with my hands hands' and then feet I worked my way up slowly Trainers I standing be below w urged me on A few minutes later I grappled but could not find anything to grab onto My hands went numb one of my legs dangled out Cold feet Take your time came a voice from below You can do it Gradually I found something to grasp And after a couple more minutes I touched the top |