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You Can helP these If you’ve been on a ski hill, you’ve see the skiers
wearing the bright orange ABSF (American Blind Skiing
grouPs helP others! Foundation) vests, with an experienced guide leading a
visually impaired skier or boarder. ABSF is committed
to serving blind and visually impaired children and adults, and offers guide training and
The CMSC has a long history of supporting the Norge Ski Club, American Blind lessons for the visually impaired. Alpine or downhill skiing and snowboarding is open to
Skiing Foundation, and the SouthEastern Wisconsin Adaptive Ski Program. In all levels of blind and visually impaired children and adults through the American Blind
the past years we have done everything from providing equipment to sponsor- Skiing Foundation. For more information, visit the ABSF website at absf.org. While
ship, volunteering to donations. This year we helped sponsor the Jr. Nationals you’re there click on the large donation link in the upper right corner.
at Norge, and we’re once again doing a matching donation drive with SEWASP
- up to a total of $2500! Please join us in supporting these amazing groups. Providing adaptive alpine skiing and snowboard
lessons for people with disabilities, SEWASP operates in
Hidden away in Fox River Grove, IL, the Norge southeastern Wisconsin and surrounding areas. “Adaptive” refers to the modified
Ski Club has been training ski jumpers for over equipment and teaching techniques used to enable skiers and snowboarders to
100 years, and teaches everyone from kids to participate safely and as independently as possible. Adaptive lessons for children
adults to fly. Norge is one of the top learning through adults, instruction is generally provided at Alpine Valley Ski Resort near East
centers for Olympic ski jumping in the USA. With Troy, Wisconsin (southwest of Milwaukee on I-43), on Thursday evenings from January
5 different jumps (you can see them on the through mid-March. Training instructors is expensive, so CMSC is holding a matching
magazine cover!) available all year. They teach everything from the funda- donation program to help send two SEWASP members to the instructor program. In
mentals to tournament training. They have sent jumpers to the Fly Girls (the addition, we’re also helping to send four veterans to the 2018 Colorado Winter Sports
Women’s Ski Jumping jr. program), FIS ski jumping World Cup and the Clinic (for sports therapy and rehabilitation). Visit sewasp.org for information and use
Olympics. Simply visit the Norge website at norgeskiclub.com and click on the the donation button at the lower left of the web pages. Remember to click on “Add
“Donate” button at the lower left of any screen. Special Instructions to the SEWASP” and then enter “CMSC SEWASP Challenge” so the
CMSC can match your donation!

the olYMPians’ JourneY (Cont. from p. 5)
the world. It’s these competitions that build never lost sight of their Kevin Bickner
qualifying points that can lead to the Olympics. ultimate goal: The
During this lengthy time training and competing, Olympics. To qualify,
every jumper experiences “that moment” that each had to meet
really stands out: exacting criteria and be
the best their country
Glasder: “After thousands of jumps in my career has to offer. The
there are a few that stick out such as winning the Olympic ski jumping
continental cup in Iron Mountain, Michigan and team is selected
winning the US Olympic Trials in Park City, Utah based on points competing in World Cup and Continental Cup events throughout
cementing my spot on the 2018 Olympic Team.” the year. Glasder qualified after coming in first at the U.S. Team trials in Park City,
Utah. When Larson qualified he became the 100,000 male athlete to compete in
Casey Larson
Larson: “My jumps at the Olympics were incredible. the Olympics. Not only did Bickner qualify, but
Nothing has come close to that but ski flying is the highlight of every year. “ he also holds the American record for Ski Flying
distance – over 2 ½ football fields. Their long
Bickner: “My most memorable jump is when I set the US distance record of 244.5 journey to the Olympics took years of training
meters in Vikersund, Norway in March of 2017. There is really no way to describe and practice, followed by even more training
flying over 2 and a half football fields on a pair of skis. Aside from the whole Olympic and practice.
experience it’s the
highlight of my career, After competing in the 2018 Winter Olympics,
however, I hope to break all three were inducted into the American
that record again. Ski Jumping hall of fame. Whats next? They
All three ski jumpers have their eyes set on Beijing, China in 2022.
have traveled the world Meanwhile, it’s more training and more
attending ski jump competition, but it all started with three little
competitions, and trained kids’ dreams in a Northwest Chicago suburb.
in various locations to
Michael Glasder improve their skills. They

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