Bill
participates as a Mono-skier in the
Canadian National Disabled Alpine
Ski Racing Championships, Eastern
(Quebec) and Ontario Championships
plus in the inaugural Ontario Winter
Paralympics collecting Medals and
Trophies. The Canadian championships
have international participants. "I
am a proud member of the Ontario
Disabled Alpine Racing Team that
trains at most of Ontario Ski
Resorts for Downhill, Super G,
Slalom and Giant Slalom skiing. The
knowledge I gain at these events is
priceless rubbing shoulders with the
best Mono-skiers, able and disable
skiers, coaches and guides in the
business."
Having
been involved in wheelchair sports for
over 37 years collecting many Medals,
Trophy's and Awards Provincially,
Nationally, and International; Competing
all over the United States, Canada and
Mexico in Wheelchair racing, Swimming,
Wheelchair Basketball, on our Canadian
and Ontario teams and was a member of
the Kitchener Twin City Spinners and
Sled Hockey with the K.W. Sidewinders.
Bill also has a 24 speed Hand cycle and
participats in many other aerobic
exercises to ensure a quality lifestyle
he desires. Bill says "there is nothing
that compares to the freedom and
independence that Mono-skiing provides
when surging down a Mountain or ski
hill". Sit skiing provides the
participant the perspective of "no
limitations or
barriers" an important part of a
disabled persons life or mental freedom.
Water sit-skiing is a close second.
None of these activities could have
taken place if it were not for his Dad
having an open mind to train him to find
ways around obstacles that were
presented to him when he was just 17
years old after a car accident. His Dad
taught him that chairs could be made
faster by modifying what was then a very
crude wheelchair some 37 years ago. "He
and my family were my inspiration. My
friends past and present have also lent
a hand in allowing me to focus on what I
can do and not what I can't or it's the
ability not the disability".
Bill has
skied a state of the art Praschberger
Mono-ski from Austria for the last 5
years with a stress free loading system
for easy access to chair lifts. "I have
made a few modifications to it; by
raising the seating position by 4 inches
now being able to control more of the
ski mainly from the tip of the ski to
the back and have replaced the shock
with an Elka shock that has a longer
travel with 50 compression 35 rebound
high speed and 20 low speed settings on
the shock compared to 7 compression and
11 rebound settings on the original
monoski shock. This is my second
Mono-ski my first Mono-ski only had a
shock with compression settings on it
and there was no rebound so sometimes
you may have been launched down the
hill!".
Bill's Mono-ski allows him to transfer
the movement of his upper body directly
through the shock to the shaped Ski
below. Bill's teammate and close friend
Jeff Penner, a Level 3 sit ski
instructor, taught him to mono-ski over
8 years ago at his local ski hill
Chicopee Ski Club in Kitchener. Wanting
to give back to society Bill holds a
Track 3 Level II Ski instructor, and
teaches sit skiing to kids up to 16
years old. Bill is also a CADS (Canadian
Association for Disable Skiing) member
and volunteer.
"I would like to thank my family and
friends who have made me who I am. I
also would encourage everyone to be
active and support disabled sports as
the devices necessary are extremely
expensive and many potential
participants are on fixed budgets. Our
Head-Coach David Hackett of ODART
Ontario Disable Alpine Racing Team and
former member of the Canadian National
Disable Alpine Racing Ski Team for many
years".
