True Inspiration in Adaptive Sport

This is a personal observation on being an "inspiration".

Sport and recreation is some thing that everyone regardless of ability level should get involved in.  I make this bold statement because its true.  There are multiply benefits such as for your health, for fun, it's social, do it for someone you love, it is a great way to spend an afternoon, etc...  Being involved in adaptive sport and rec for several years I have been the fly on the wall to many conversations between persons with disabilities and the general public.  To sum up several of these conversations:

Spectator at the bottom of the hill: "I saw you flying down the trail, is that hard?"

Guy in a mono ski: "It takes a lot of practice, but it is a ton of fun"

Spectator at the bottom of the hill: "What do you call one of those?"

Guy in a mono ski: "It's called a mono ski"

Spectator at the bottom of the hill: "I have not skied in about 10 years, I have sore knees. What your doing is incredible.  Your an inspiration."

Guy in a mono ski: "Thanks?"

An inspiration you say?  The dictionary does say that an inspiration is something or someone who inspires.  Does the guy in the mono ski really feel that he is an inspiration?  Will the Spectator who has sore knees be inspired to get back on the slopes?  Maybe yes maybe no in both instances. I do know some people with disabilities who cringe when anybody uses the word inspiration to describe them.  To them they are just out doing what they do.  The fact that a mono ski enables an individual with a disability to literally fly down the ski slope is pretty impressive to an innocent by standard. One would hope that inspiration comes in the form of changed perceptions about individual ability.

Now the real inspiration happens when these same ripping mono skiers have that effect on an individual who is in there similar situation.  Maybe someone who is new to using a wheelchair or a parent who might have thought that their kid was never going to be "normal".  When this happens now that is inspiring.  Getting it to click in someones head that you don't have to walk or see or have both legs to ski, swim or play basketball is an amazing feeling.  Watching people come off the sidelines and get into the game is the goal.  This style of inspiration is what it is all about.  

Now if we could only convince the guy with sore knees that with a few adaptations he too could be getting after it on the ski slope... 

Knowledge is Empowerment.

-RAM