Dear
families,
The
winter sports season is right around the corner! We are excited to
announce a new partnership that will benefit Chittenden athletes who
train and compete in alpine skiing and snowboarding. Special Olympics
Vermont and Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports are joining forces to
better serve our athletes.
Similar
to the Special Olympics mission, Vermont Adaptive is committed to
empowering individuals with disabilities through access to and
instruction in a variety of sports throughout the year. The
organization is a national leader in sports and recreation for all
ages and serves people with any disability. Vermont Adaptive has
built a network of more than 400 highly trained volunteer
instructors.
The
basic structure of the Special Olympics Vermont alpine and
snowboarding program will stay the same. Below are some details about
changes and improvements:
-
Practice for Chittenden athletes will take place on Sundays at Sugarbush Mt. Ellen from 1-3:30pm beginning the first week of January (1/8/2017). Transportation is tentatively planned to depart from the Special Olympics Vermont office in South Burlington at 10:30 AM and return by 5:00 PM. Complimentary equipment rental from the Alpine Shop will be available to all athletes. The Special Olympics Vermont Winter Games will take place March 3-5, 2017 at Suicide Six.
-
Athletes will experience a lower coach-to-athlete ratio. Vermont Adaptive is typically able to provide a 1:1 ratio which will improve safety and direct sports instruction.
-
Special Olympics Vermont is now accepting novice skiers and riders! Thanks to this partnership with Vermont Adaptive, we are now equipped to welcome beginners (ages 8+) to the program.
-
Chittenden alpine and snowboard coaches will now be completely managed under the direction of Vermont Adaptive and benefit from their robust classroom and on-snow training to improve their skills and knowledge.
-
As with all Special Olympics Vermont programs, alpine and snowboard training will be available to athletes at no cost.
Special
Olympics is dedicated to providing high quality, authentic sports
experiences for athletes with intellectual disabilities. We look
forward to this pilot year and the opportunity to partner with
Vermont Adaptive. If you have any questions or concerns about the
program, please feel free to contact one of us.
Sincerely,
Justin
Graham David C. Bogdan
Special Olympics Vermont Chittenden Program Coordinator
Sports
and Competition Manager dbogdan@ieee.org
jgraham@vtso.org
