“Keep coming back” is exactly what
McTiernan did over the years as she discovered the benefits of skiing with STRIDE. Te slopes of Catamount have provided her with an arena to regain the active lifestyle she used to hold dear before her diagnosis. “Adaptive skiing has given me winter, in a way I never had before,” she says. With devotion to the sport and constant hard
work, McTiernan was encouraged to attend the Disabled Sports USA Ski Spectacular, a national adaptive snowsports academy held each December in Breckenridge, Colorado. Tere, she made groundbreaking realizations about her ability to be independent as a skier. Previously, McTiernan felt she heavily relied on instructors to assist her in loading and unloading the chairlifts, and recovery from falls. Now, she has learned techniques and, more importantly, how to trust herself in order to be self-reliant. Tis aids her in lift- loading and unloading, however she still relies on others to help recover. “While I have gained tremendous independence, the disease may trump some of my freedom, and that is just fine; it doesn’t diminish me,” says McTeirnan.
INSPIRED TO BECOME AN INSTRUCTOR Having found freedom and acceptance in skiing – with the encouragement of peers and instructors – has now allowed her to pursue a new dream: instructing others in adaptive skiing. Moving beyond goals of challenging herself and focusing on her own ski abilities, she now can actively and meaningfully contribute, both on an individual level and by educating the public. “It isn’t just about me anymore” she
declares. “Now, it’s about giving back to the organization that gave me so much.” In years past, the focus of attention was
on her. Friends concerned themselves with her needs; if she needed help or a hand with her gear. Now that she dons an instructor’s jacket, instructors no longer linger to assist her, they trust her as she has trusted them. Tis unspoken trust and reliance proves that she is a successful component of the program. For McTiernan, this fosters a sense of fierce independence and steadfast resolve to focus on her new goal of making a difference in others’ lives. She says being an instructor “gets me outside of myself,” something that has
94 | 32 DEGREES • FALL 2016
“People who are already interested in pursuing an adaptive sport are the kind of people who crave a FKDOOHQJH DQG FDQ PRVW EHQHfiW IURP LW
McTiernan gets ready to set sail down the slope with fellow adaptive athletes.
helped with skiing skills and undoubtedly will do the same with her teaching ability. Her ability to create a positive impact goes beyond instructing lessons. She views her position as a unique way to help in a bigger picture: educating the public. Most adaptive lessons require two
instructors and McTiernan’s lessons are no different; she teaches with a second instructor who can physically assist a student if needed, or assist her if she falls and doesn’t have the strength to get up on her own. Tis doesn’t diminish her independence, and neither do her outriggers. She believes there is a definite value in people seeing an instructor with outriggers, and not a single day passes without someone asking about them. Interestingly, McTiernan’s response to these questions has changed over time. She used to explain that she has MS, but now she simply remarks that her legs are a little weaker, that’s all. “After all, it’s about the ability, not the disability” she cheerily states. For her, the outriggers have become an extension of her skiing self. “I just need something different to balance,” she adds. “No big deal!” She hopes that others will adopt the same attitude as they witness her skiing as efficiently as any other competent skier on the mountain.
PROMOTING A MANTRA OF ‘JUST DO IT’ Going forward, McTiernan would like to continue to better her skiing, and be more comfortable as an instructor. She also wants to spend time reaching out to adults with special needs and encourage them to get involved with anything that fuels their passions. When asked if she has any advice for people considering adaptive sports, she describes something that rings very true and moving. “People who are already interested in pursuing an adaptive sport are the kind of people who crave a challenge and can most benefit from it. If you’re considering this at all, as Nike says, just do it.” With remarkable ability to see positive opportunities within the difficulties of her diagnosis, McTiernan truly embodies the spirit of adaptive recreation and has incredible potential as a skier, instructor, and public advocate.
Derek Nunner is a registered PSIA-AASI member and served as a Skidmore College intern with STRIDE Adaptive Sports at the time of this writing. He now resides in Colorado and works at the Telluride Adaptive Program. Mary Ellen Whitney is an Adaptive Level
III and Alpine Level II instructor, as well as an adaptive examiner with PSIA-AASI’s Eastern Division. She is CEO and Founder of STRIDE Adaptive Sports in upstate New York.
MARY ELLEN WHITNEY
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