Adaptive water skiing

 I experienced an amazing adaptive water skiing group. Expand Beyond. My best friend, Melanie Pearl, took me to the Boulder Res and we road a boat and were able to watch the amazing process in action. We watched a double amputee stand up on a wakeboard and hold on the rope with just one hand. She was amazingly strong. 

The great thing about the program is that they have several different types of boards and skis so you can work your way up safely. Each rider is followed by a jet ski so if the rider goes down a person on the jet ski will immediately dive into the water to make sure the rider is able to keep their head above water. New skiers will be started on a board with additional skis on either side and the rope fits in the board so first timers can just go for a ride and not have to do anything! Check out the website for amazing videos, www.expandbeyondinc.com.

I’m always amazed at how many volunteers want to help people with disabilities to enjoy adaptive sports. All the boats are provided by volunteers.  The leaders said they never have trouble recruiting volunteers but they do have trouble recruiting skiers. Spread the word so more individuals with disabilities can experience adaptive water skiing! I’ve included an awesome video below.