What makes participation possible?
Eileen Carey has spent her professional life helping others discover their potential on a pair of skis. Over the last decade her focus has been on working with adaptive skiers, serving as the Director Adaptive Programs at NENSA in New England and then the head coach with U.S. Paralympics Nordic Team. In her time in this role she transformed the program into an athlete-centered model that built from 3 medals in Sochi to 16 medals in Pyeong Chang. Eileen was awarded the Team USA Paralympic coach of the year in 2017.
Eileen now serves as the Director of the U.S. Paralympics Nordic Team. Her focus has been on sustaining competitive excellence and building the development of the sport across the country from first time experiences to podium finishes.
This month we’re sitting down with Eileen to talk about the world of adaptive winter sports, and what her experience has taught her about improving inclusivity and participation in the outdoors.
Join us as we discuss questions such as…
What does the pathway to participation look like for adaptive skiers?
What is an athlete-centered model, and how can we use these principles to improve non-competitive community-based programs?
What are the most common barriers and challenges she has seen to making winter sports more accessible and inclusive?
What can the development of para-athletes teach us about improving access and participation to outdoor sports for all ages and abilities in our communities?
This interview is free and open to all. Sign up below and you’ll receive the link to join via Zoom.
The Outdoor Sport Institute & The OSI Community
Our goal is to provide education, resources, and support that helps people use outdoor sport to create resilient, thriving lives and communities wherever they live. We are a 501c3 non-profit organization.
The OSI Community is for individuals whose interest in outdoor sport fits into one or more of the following areas –
Pursuing outdoor sport personally
Instructing and mentoring others
Building capacity for outdoor sports in their community
Through the OSI Community members can access online and in-person instruction, a growing online resource library, and a network of peers to connect with and share ideas.