Bow News : skiing

Three years after leg amputation, Bow teen overcomes disability

Bow Editor — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 20:29:00 GMT

Faced with the decision to amputate his right leg or struggle to walk without the use a cane for the rest of his life, Jon Parker took some time to weigh his options – about five seconds.

The Bow resident, then 15, had been cut off by a skier on his last ski run of the day at Burke Mountain Academy in Vermont, when he was sent out of control into a tree.

Laying face down in the snow, Parker dug a hole so he could breath long enough to yell to passing skiers for help.

After seven surgeries on his leg, Parker’s parents came to him with what they thought was a difficult decision, prepared with therapists ready to talk through the options.

“I looked it up online and saw that people can run with prosthetics and do anything with it. I was excited for it,” said Parker. “I immediately went with that decision (to amputate).”

That was January 2005. Now, three years after the accident, Parker has done exactly what he hoped. With the help of a prosthetic leg, he now is able to water ski, golf, dirt bike and get back to the slopes to continue his passion for downhill ski racing.

Jake Manseau, who has known and coached Parker for about five years, was shocked when he heard the news.

“I couldn’t believe it was happening. Within hours I was in my car rushing up to Dartmouth Hospital. It was terrifying to see any athlete or friend in that state,” he said.

Manseau said he has developed more than a coaching relationship with Parker.

“He’s a tough SOB. He’s tough and determined and is willing to do anything to exceed to the next level,” said Manseau. “He’s loyal and a genuine person. I’ve grown close with him since his accident. We really have developed a friendship through ski racing.”

Parker said he has gained a new perspective since the accident.

“I had to be positive about the whole situation. I was lucky to be alive. I started caring more about the little things in life like having breaths of fresh air instead of lying in the bed,” said Parker. “Sometimes I miss my leg, but it was in such bad condition that I knew it was the best thing to do. I had to be confident with my decision.”

Parker is working with Next Step Orthotics and Prosthetics in Manchester, where he met Jason Lalla, who lost his leg in a motorcycle accident. Lalla said he believes his own past helps him relate to clients.

“Right off the bat there’s a sense of camaraderie and trust. People look at you as a believable, credible source,” said Lalla. “You’ve been there yourself and have that experience how things work and feel. The other side of it is that it is a mental adjustment. People respect that you’ve been through the same mental process as you’ve been through.”

Lalla, a former U.S. Disabled Ski Team gold medalist, has also been working to get Parker back to the level of ski racing he was at before the accident.

“I admire him in the sense that I know it’s frustrating for him. He was an excellent ski racer prior to his accident. It’s going back and learning to do something that he knows how to do,” said Lalla.

Parker now cruises down the slopes on one ski with two poles that also have skis attached to the bottom. He said learning to do things again has been frustrating.

“The level I was at before the accident, I’m not quite there yet. From going to an elite level to back toward the bottom of the charts is pretty hard,” he said. “Doing things for the first time can be challenging, even like going on rollercoasters and getting in the cart. “

Parker, who hopes to get a spot on the UNH ski team next year, said the most important lesson he’s learned over the past three years is perseverance.

“When you set your mind to do something, anything is possible,” he said. “You can overcome anything from lying in the hospital to a year later skiing and water skiing. It really shows that you can do whatever you set your mind to. Just not to give up has been the biggest thing.”

Six Bow skiiers enjoy the Meet Of Champions – not the difficult conditions

Bow Editor — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 01:06:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

Not everyone finished, and not everyone placed as high as they hoped, but for those who competed at the NHIAA Alpine Meet of Champions, the experience was nonetheless worthwhile.

“It’s quite an honor for those who were qualified to go to this completion,” said Bow High School coach Joe Poole. “It’s really a unique event to be able to compete with the best in every division, and regardless of the outcome, it’s fun for everybody.”

Skiers from Divisions I, II, III and IV congregated at Gunstock Mountain in Gilford on Thursday, Feb. 21, and for one local athlete, it was another year, another successful tale.

Bow senior Ian Hanson reached his fourth consecutive Eastern High School Alpine Championships and represents New Hampshire as one of 12 Granite Staters at Cranmore Mountain from March 14 to 16 when the best from up and down the Atlantic seaboard head to North Conway to test their mettle.

Hanson took runner-up in the event as a sophomore. At this year’s MOC, Hanson placed sixth in the giant slalom with runs of 43.03 seconds and 43.30 second for a two-run total of 1 minute, 26.33 seconds.

In the afternoon slalom event he completed his first run in 52.53 seconds, 22nd best, but fell on his second run and finished in 1:22.30. He still placed among the top 25 in the event.

Not just Hanson, but practically every competitor was slipping and sliding during the afternoon runs.

“The slalom course was fairly technical and challenging, and the conditions, just because of the nature of the ice surface … we were basically skiing on the scraped-down leftovers of the previous rainstorm,” said Poole. “It was something the Manchester Monarchs would appreciate, but the skiers certainly didn’t care much for the course.”

One Bow skier didn’t have the opportunity to compete in the slalom, though she has three more years to return.

Freshman Jordan Bibeau, after completing a 51.22-second giant slalom run, fell and hurt her knee on the second run.

“Sure, she was disappointed, but she had told me she had some prior injury to that left knee, so in a way she was not totally surprised,” said Poole. “I know she was excited just to be there.”

Other Falcons competing at the event included Jake Hughes, who finished 17th in the giant slalom with a two-run total of 1:30.15. He took 11th in the slalom, finishing his second run in 47.77 second for a two-run total of 1 minute, 41.84 seconds.

Krystal Cummings finished the two giant slalom runs in 1:33.71, good for 17th among the girls, and took 18th in slalom in 1:45.98.

Emile Hatem took 17th in slalom in 1:47.80 and 30th in giant slalom in 1:34.23.

Matt Raffio, in his second trip to Meet of Champions, also competed.

“As far as Bow goes, this was the most we’ve ever sent to the Meet of Champions with our four boys and two girls,” said Poole. “Overall, it’s been a great season for us.”

Well-balanced Bow boys take first state skiing title

Bow Editor — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 01:02:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

Putting a team accomplishment above personal glory couldn’t have been easy, said Falcons ski coach Joe Poole, but Ian Hanson did just that and was rewarded with the one accomplishment that had alluded him throughout his four years at Bow High School.

The senior captain went against every competitive bone in his body and took a more conservative approach on the slopes during the Division III championship meet on Thursday, Feb. 12. And the Bow boys took home their first state title.

“He’s one of the best skiers we’ve ever had, and he purposely made sure he finished the races,” said Poole. “In other years, he would have pushed it to the edge, and he may have finished or may not have. But this year he did just enough to make sure we got our team points.”

Hanson, had he “pushed it,” likely would have won both races, but ended up finishing second in slalom, with a two-run total of 63.3 seconds, and third in giant slalom, with a two-run time of 71.49 seconds.

Even with Hanson’s sacrifice, however, the Falcons didn’t know they had won until the final results were announced.

“It was just a feeling of extreme delight, or maybe a high sigh of relief,” said Poole. “It was a nail-biter of a day, so it was good to come out on top.”

Indeed, Poole’s Falcons raced in the morning session, putting up a score of 752, then sat back and watched … and waited … for the rest of the teams to compete.

Of particular interest was rival Kearsarge. But when the final scores were tallied, Kearsarge fell four points short, finishing second with 748 points.

“We’ve always been close, but have never come home with a trophy – not even a runner-up trophy,” said Poole. “It was just like all the planets aligned for us, and it was also really great for Ian to get that (team) win.”

Hanson now heads to the Meet of Champions for the fourth time in his career. Jake Hughes, who placed fourth in slalom and sixth in giant slalom, makes his second trip to MOCs, and Matt Raffio and Emile Hatem each make their first appearance.

Cali Hatem, who is often tenths of a second ahead of his twin brother, had a rough meet, but will be among the best in the state next season, said Poole.

“This team will be fun to watch for the next several years,” he said. “As we lose talents like Hanson, we’re getting his younger brother and several other siblings who already know how to race.”

Bow girls

The Lady Falcons failed to earn their third title in four years, finishing fourth with a 713 team score, three points behind second-place Bishop Brady and 48 points ahead of fifth-place Oyster River.

Krystal Cummings, who finished third in slalom and giant slalom with times of 63.42 and 82.38 seconds, respectively, heads to the Meet of Champions, as does Jordan Bibeau, who finished 10th in giant slalom in 69.21 seconds and 14th in slalom in 95.49 seconds.

Snow news is good news

Bow Editor — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 23:17:00 GMT

By Ryan O’connor

With the largest squad in school history, totally 35 athletes, the Bow Alpine ski team is flourishing.

Both the boys and the girls teams have finished in the top four in each of their six events this season.

And each won the most recent meet, on Friday, Jan. 18, against Oyster River and Bishop Brady.

In fact, the boys took the maximum number of points at the meet, earning the top four times to emerge victorious for the fourth time this year, 384 to Brady’s 379 and Oyster River’s 371.

Standout Ian Hanson won the giant slalom with a two-run total of 52.43 seconds, beating his closest competitor, teammate Jake Hughes, by nearly three seconds.

Hughes took second with a time of 55.40 seconds, followed by Cali Hatem at 56.25 and Emile Hatem at 57.21.

For the girls, Krystal Cummings placed second in 57.94 seconds, Jordan Bibeau came in fourth in 1 minute, 0.14 seconds, Kelly Lynch finished sixth with a time of 1:02.47, and Kaylee Smith took eighth in 1:04.59.

While Poole was ecstatic about the Falcons’ most recent performance, he said he was disappointed that rivals Kearsarge and Gilford missed the meet due to Friday’s snowstorm.

Still, he is thankful to have such talented teams, no matter the competition.

“It is mainly based on having enough kids that grew up racing in their younger years that have had the chance to develop all the skills to be great racers,” said Poole. “Every now and then you get lucky and get a kid that grew up skiing casually, and they get to high school and learn to race through the gates. But that’s more the rarity.”

Cummings is an example.

“She’s just been one of those special athletes,” said the coach of his female star, who has finished no lower than third place all season.

“She grew up skiing with her family at Stowe (Mountain in Vermont), and somehow picked competitive skiing right up.”

For the boys, Hanson, a senior, has placed first or second in each meet and is as close to a guarantee for the Meet of Champions and Team New Hampshire as you’re going to find, said Poole.

Nipping at his heels is Hughes, a sophomore who gets better each race. He also has an excellent chance of representing the Granite State at the Eastern Finals in March.

Both squads, said Poole, are in prime position to win next month at the division championships.

While the boys and their three seniors push for their first title, the girls, including five seniors, compete for their third crown in four years.

“This being my fourth season coaching at Bow, this is the first class I’ve had since they were all freshmen,” said Poole. “It’s bee

Climbing downhill – Bow skier combines attitude, balance and competitiveness

Bow Editor — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 19:41:00 GMT

BY MATT STOUT

Deb Flanders remembers it clearly, the letter that Ian Hanson gave her more than two years ago.

Then a freshman ski racer, Hanson had just balked at offers and partial financial aid packages from some of the country’s top ski academies, high-priced institutions that mix academics and intense training to produce some of the sport’s best athletes.

Choosing to attend Bow High School and continue to race for the Pat’s Peak ski club team instead, Hanson soon penned a letter to Flanders, the ski club’s program director, stating both his intentions – “I want to be a U.S. ski team skier” – and a question – “What can I do to get there?”

“So we sat down and gave him some guidelines,” Flanders said. “We (the coaches) said, ‘Really, 90 percent of it is mental. You have everything that it takes; it’s just about believing in yourself and seeing yourself like you belong there.’”

Countless downhill runs and podium trips later, Hanson now isn’t the only one believing.

With a 10th-place finish at the NHIAA Alpine Meet of Champions on Thursday, Feb. 22, Hanson earned his second consecutive invite to race with the New Hampshire boys team at the Eastern High School Championships, where he finished second overall last year. The championships are set to start March 16.

The bid capped a successful high school season for the 17-year-old Bow junior, who a week prior finished first in the slalom and second in the giant slalom at the Division III boys Alpine championships and continues to lead the Pat’s Peak team most weekends.

Yet, the key to Hanson’s success stems from his outlook that the results, as well as the outcome of each and every race, aren’t the only things that matter.

The third generation of ski racers in his family, Hanson has learned from the stories of those before him, such as his grandfather, ***, who was an Alpine ski official and director for the U.S. ski team. He died in 1978, two years before he was to serve as an official at the 1980 Olympics in Lake Placid, N.Y.

More so, Ian Hanson has benefited from the perspective of his father, Jon, and uncle, Dickie. Two of the state’s top ski racers at Ian’s age, Jon specialized in downhill skiing before he studied in England, and Dickie – the better of the two, Jon said – trained with the U.S. ski team in Europe at 19 years old, all the while chasing points in the U.S.S.A. World Cup circuit.

“Sometimes this sport has a lot of pressure, and that’s the downside to ski racing,” Jon Hanson said. “The stress and the pressure on an individual are as high in ski racing as in any other sport you’ll come across.

“And my brother felt that,” he continued, adding that Dickie quit before he turned 20 years old.

For that reason, Jon said he never wanted to push his son into the sport. But at 9 years old and skiing in his first race at Bretton Woods, Ian showed every “sign and symptom” of a racer, Jon said.

Ian Hanson remembers finishing last, or near it, that day, but he’s also never forgotten the thrill of flying down the hill that afternoon, all eyes on him and the rush he got from that. Jon Hanson will also never forget a small boy with incredible balance and no fear.

While the results have certainly changed from that day, many things haven’t.

“It was pretty funny his freshman year when occasionally we’d go to a Division I race against some of the bigger schools,” said Bow Alpine ski coach, Joe Poole. “And here comes this freshman who just absolutely trounced them. So they got awoken that day.

They were saying, ‘Who is that kid?’”

Since then, the kid has also grown. Hanson stands at 6-foot-2, 220 pounds, adding nearly three inches and 20 pounds in the past few months alone. The extra weight has helped in generating more speed, but it’s also forced Hanson to adjust his technique.

Yet, he’s still managed to stay in the top echelon, play both football and baseball and remain a shining example that it doesn’t take a $35,000-a-year ski academy to become a standout on the slopes.

He’s also a case study in what it takes mentally to succeed as a skier, though he knows there are more mountains to climb.

“(My dad) will always be there to remind me not to take it too seriously,” Ian Hanson said.

“It’s a sport. I’m 17 years old. It’s not going to determine what I’ll do the rest of my life.

“But once you get a taste of that, being up there, whether you’re skiing well or not, you want to get back there,” he added. “And that will drive you to do well.”