The Idaho Challenged Athletes Foundation is hosting a winter sports weekend in the Boise area as adaptive athletes will participate in downhill skiing, Nordic skiing and sled hockey.
Idaho News 6 caught up with the team at Bogus Basin on Thursday for the downhill skiing portion with adaptive athletes teaching adaptive athletes.
"I love skiing a lot, it is one of the sports where I feel free versus when I’m walking around I’m a little limited on where I can go and my physical abilities," said Matthew Krumwiede, one of the coaches. "When I am skiing I can be as good as anyone else who is standing up."
Krumwiede is representing Higher Ground out of Sun Valley as he came down to the clinic to help others learn how to ski and improve on the slopes. There were also volunteers from Base helping out the athletes.
"It’s just a freeing experience and being able to share that with other adaptive athletes is a blessing," said Krumwiede. "Having them experience joy as they are sliding down the snow and that is what I liked to see, the smiles on their faces."
Corby Hutchinson was grinning from ear to ear as he got in his sit ski. Corby suffered a tragic car accident in the summer of 2022.
"I used to snowboard all the time before the accident so I’m just really excited to try this again out on the snow again you know," said Corby.
Corby took one run down the small magic carpet and decided he was ready for the larger carpet. He crashed a lot as he expected, but the entire time he had a team of volunteers helping him and cheering him on. I'm sure by the end of the day he was ripping it.
The winter sports weekend continues with both downhill skiing and sled hockey at Ice World on Friday. On Saturday it will be Nordic skiing at Bogus Basin hosted by the Idaho Challenged Athletes Foundation.
"I love these guys they have helped my self-esteem after the accident by getting me out and showing me everything I can do," said Corby. "It is pretty amazing."
