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Pursue Your Competitive Dreams
"A Passion for Running! -- A Passion for Skiing! "
By Dan Sowder
Why do we have sporting events? I believe participation in sports serves to improve our physical abilities; sports also challenge us and builds a competitive spirit. The thrills and benefits associated with competition offers both children and adults alike a chance to shape our lives in many positive ways. Whatever sport in which we choose to participate, we are developing the building blocks for our future, the ability to deal with adversity. As athletes we must learn to deal with the excitement of competition and winning as well as the acceptance of the agony of defeat. Sports are great for everyone regardless of age or gender, even those with physical and developmental limitations.
Now let's go back to my childhood life. My parents were wonderful! I had two brothers, we were and still are a close knit family. We put our faith in the one and only living God. Without God, we have nothing. Sports have always been important to me. As a teenager, my passion was for running - I was a distance runner and really loved it. More about that later. . .
I also played other sports. After trying out for little league football and making the team, I succeeded at being kicked from one end of the football field to the other. I struck out at baseball tryouts, so I didn't make that team. They let me on the junior high basketball team, but then everyone made the team.
During my freshman year in high school, the basketball coach suggested, of all things, the track team. My comment was - "too slow!" and then I laughed about it. My coach agreed but suggested that I try distance running because my stamina was so strong. The results--I did quite well. I ended up with several track ribbons, one school record and one conference record. Not bad for a guy who struck out at little league tryouts. At the end of my sophomore year, age sixteen, I became more serious about the sport. I had won a lot of races. I loved winning and the recognition it gave me. By this time, my desires had become more ambitious, By mid summer, I was running approximately ten miles per day, also, my time had reached approximately ten seconds from the West Virginia State Record for the mile run. Regardless of the weather or what was going on, I ran. Running had become my number one priority. The game plan was twenty miles per day by the end of the summer. And of course, I set my sites to break the state record for the mile run in my junior year. I had dreams to then go to the 76' Olympics so I could break the world record. Was that obtainable? Probably not, but what was important was that I believed it was!
My life was about to take a dramatic change. It was summer and my parents took us on a very wonderful vacation that year. Dad took a month off of work so we could see the western part of the United States. On July 11th, 1971, at the age of sixteen, I was riding on a motorcycle through the residential section of Clarkston, Washington. As we entered the intersection, an automobile came flying through and ran a stop sign. I screamed, "Oh my God, he is going to hit us!" Then the next thing, I was laying on the ground with a broken leg. The tibia and fibula were severely fractured.
This tragic accident definitely changed my life. On July 27th, the doctor informed my parents that he would have to amputate my leg or I would die. . . The amputation was performed the next day. Fortunately, due to a lot a prayers, God's will, and the support I received from my family, I recovered a lot better than most other amputees.
The first and biggest adjustment for an amputee is learning to walk with your prosthesis and accepting the changes in your life. But you just accept them! For me, one of the hardest things to accept was that I would never run like I used to. For a long time, I could not let go of the desire, however, eventually I accepted it. Many amputees, especially young children, have a difficult time adjusting - they find it hard to understand why they cannot do the things other kids can do. Once they learn to change their expectations, they do fine.
Shortly after graduating from high school I moved to Boston, Massachusetts for a while. While living there, my minister's wife knew a gentleman named Larry Buchine who was involved in an organization called the New England Handicapped Sportsman's Association (NEHSA), which is still in existence. Larry was an above knee amputee and a ski instructor. During the winter months they skied at Mt. Sunapee in New Hampshire. The NEHSA provided ski instruction for amputees, and the blind.
My attitude was very simple, I cannot run, perhaps I can ski. Needless to say, I loved it and have been skiing ever since. The words are not there to explain how I felt when I began to ski. After the amputation, I thought competitive sports were over. Obviously, I was wrong. My first instructor was Fran Rebstead; she is an amputee and a ski instructor. She was very patient with me. I did not pick it up real fast. I fell a lot and was very clumsy and a little scared. But, I did not quit! I have been skiing ever since.
Because I now live in Richmond, Virginia, my winter trips primarily take me to ski the slopes of Virginia and West Virginia. Today, I ski mostly at Massanutten Resort in Harrisonburg, Virginia, which is about one and a half-hours from Richmond. I like the philosophy, the creed, and the unique approach to teaching provided by the Adaptive Snow Sports program at Massanutten. MASS a well established program, has a twenty year history of providing instruction for all ages and types of disabled skiers. They have had more than 1000 adaptive skiers go through the program. Their client focused approach to helping adaptive skiers achieve functional independence is consistent with my beliefs. Learning to ski has influenced the way I feel, as well as the way I have adjusted and accepted my amputation. It has improved my self-confidence and given me a positive attitude.
By the way, I am happy to report that I am also running again! In 1999, I purchased a new high-tech prosthesis. It was needed very badly. Gil Mejia, the prosthetist, at J E Hanger in Richmond fitted me. He is a short Colombian man, very dynamic, very helpful, friendly, truly, a very sincere man. Gil asked me, "How much running are you planning on doing with your new prosthesis?" My only comment, while laughing - "At my age, most likely not very much, but if I can also play a little basketball every once in a while I will happy." It was in November of 99' that I discovered I could run again. First thing I did was call my parents from my cellular phone, huffing and puffing. When my mother answered the phone, she thought something was wrong. "I'm running again!" Tears of joy! Needless to say, I've been running ever since that day. I was so glad it brought tears to my eyes too.
In conclusion, if you are an individual with some type of physical limitation, do not let it get you down. Use your inconvenience as a challenge. Never give up on your highest aspirations. You can be a winner and overcome the challenges associated with your limitations. Find a sport that will allow you to excel and be competitive. It will build you up even more. Strive to go to the top of the world, perhaps snow skiing can serve as this vehicle. If I can help in any way, perhaps finding an adaptive ski program in your area, or just some words of encouragement, feel free to contact me, my e-mail address is AmputeeSkier@aol.com. And of course, I look forward to seeing you on the slopes.
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