Dot staff and students have strong ties with the club, Aldershot Snowsports for the Disabled (ASD). On the weekend of the 6th and 7th August, in sweltering summer temperatures, several of us both Deaf and hearing, attended a training session. The training gave us an awareness of what it is like to learn to ski with a wide range of disabilities. We also learnt a little about how we can help disabled skiers.

Kathleen feels what it is like to teach the basics to a class of Deaf skiers without using BSL or voice commands. She had to use visual methods only!

Paul discovers what its like to ski as a Deafblind skier and finds out what adaptive equipment can be used to teach these skiers. Its very scary depending so much on your instructor!

We all had a go at using a sit-ski which is designed for skiers who are unable to use their legs. This is alot harder than it looks, especially when the sit-ski starts moving. That’s not a smile on Kathleen’s face it’s fear!

Val, one of our Level 4 students is skiing a sit-ski in great style…has she done this before we wonder?

We even had a written test at the end of the course to see how much we had learnt…we all passed!!! Before we can gain this Grade 3 qualification we have to log 10 hours helping disabled skiers and show that our skiing is of a 3 star standard.

A great weekend training course but very hard work!