Disabled Sports Eastern Sierra

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Disabled Sports Eastern Sierra | DSES

Chapter

Disabled Sports Eastern Sierra is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization providing adaptive sports and therapeutic outdoor recreation for people with disabilities. Our Board of Directors oversees the Executive Director who manages day-to-day operations and strategic growth. Alongside our professional year-round and seasonal staff, our dedicated volunteers are the key to the success of our summer and winter programs.

Our programs provide opportunities for people of all ages with physical and/ or intellectual disabilities to have fun, healthy, inspiring experiences outdoors in the beautiful Eastern Sierra. In winter, our athletes alpine ski, Nordic ski, and snowboard at Mammoth Mountain Ski Area and Tamarack Cross Country Ski Center. In summer, we teach a variety of sports throughout the Eastern Sierra including road cycling, mountain biking, kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding, rock climbing, hiking, fishing, and camping. In addition to daily lessons, we offer a variety of multi-day camps including programs for Wounded Warriors and families.

We offer state-of-the-art adaptive equipment and specialized teaching methodologies to empower people with special needs to learn and achieve their outdoor recreation goals. Whether a student wants to pursue competition in a given sport or simply feel the sensation of sliding down a snow-covered slope, DSES provides customized, one-on-one lessons for each athlete.

Activities

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Alpine/Downhill Skiing

Alpine skiing, or downhill skiing, is the pastime of sliding down snow-covered slopes on skis. There are tons of disabled skiers flying down the slopes across the country. Experienced skiers make it look easy as they swoosh and cut their way through powdery (and sometimes not so powdery) snow. While it takes some practice to refine…

There is a lot to the sport – more than numbers on the scoreboard, the human side to this is a very powerful experience and I think all the para-athletes can appreciate that they are working to help each other. It brings countries and people together in a marvelous way.Jan Whitaker, President of Paralympic Sport…

Rain, sleet, snow, or hail … it seems that no matter the weather, you can always see a cyclist biking for pleasure, on an errand, or keeping fit. The love of bike riding is rapidly growing across nearly every demographic. Cycling has always been a great way to enjoy the outdoors, socialize with fellow bikers,…

Horseback riding is naturally therapeutic. Whether they have physical, cognitive, sensory or emotional disabilities, participants benefit from riding or working with horses. Nicole Budden, Founder and Director of Happy Trails Riding Center All About Equestrian Getting Started Equine-assisted therapy, hippotherapy, therapeutic riding…These are all terms that have specific definitions, but they share a common…

Flyfishing made a real big difference in my recovery and helped flip that switch from thinking about negative things to positive things. There is a lot of peace and a lot of connecting with nature involved with fishing. – David Folkerts, Chief Operations Officer of Project Healing Waters Fishing 101 Photo Credits: Matt Romero,…

Take a Hike! Outdoor Adventure Awaits Everyone is concerned with fitness these days. Many people are also concerned with watching their personal budget, too. So what activity offers fun and fitness as well as being easy on the wallet? The answer is hiking, and almost everybody can do it, whether it’s simply utilizing community park…

When you go skiing, you need to find a mountain and cold weather. You don’t need anything special to start kayaking. Kayaking is just down the road. -Joe Mornini, Executive Director of Team River Runner Getting Started Looking to spend a quiet afternoon enjoying the outdoors and scenery? Perhaps you’re more of a thrill…

Downhill is for those who want the rush. It’s high-speed and exhilarating. – Sandy Olney Mountain Biking 101 Rollin’ Down the Mountain If you like nurturing your independence, appreciate the outdoors and enjoy an adrenalin rush, then downhill mountain biking may be the sport for you. Downhill mountain biking is exactly what the…

One of the things I like about rock climbing is that it always gives you little triumphs. You can reach new levels, you are never out of challenges, and you can do it pretty much anywhere. – Jarem Frye, Climbing Enthusiast and K12 Prosthetics founder Becoming Familiar with Adaptive Climbing For a full body…

Getting Started Start Slow to Go Fast Just because you have never run farther than the bus stop, is not a reason to ignore the pleasures of recreational and competitive running. The sport provides many benefits. Besides improving overall health, cholesterol levels, and lung function, running is a confidence booster, a stress reliever,…

All About Snowboarding History Thank you to Lindsay Schultz for contributing information to this article. Pipelines, shredding, jibbers, and boardercross are all part of the colorful trappings of what’s attracting winter sports lovers to the country’s newest and most popular pursuit of things-that-go-bump-in-the-snow. Otherwise known as snowboarding….. Originally embraced by preteen and adolescent males who…

Snowshoeing 101 Getting Started It’s time for the fresh, chilly air and peaceful scenery offered by winter sports. If you’re looking for a way to improve balance and spatial awareness, and to get exercise at a level that you can set for yourself, consider adaptive snowshoeing this season. Snowshoeing is the “quiet” snow sport, according…

The people you meet through tennis are friendly, happy, optimistic and outgoing, They just want to have a good time and want others to have a good time. – Steve Kappes, Director of the San Diego Wounded Warrior Tennis Program and Director of Military Outreach for the San Diego District Tennis Association All About…

Getting Started Get Out and TriThank you to Dare2tri for contributing information and photos for this article. Paratriathlon made its Paralympic competition debut in Rio 2016. The sport, which combines swimming, running and biking into one race, has been rapidly growing in the U.S. and abroad among athletes at all age ranges and ability levels. From…