© Skiing4all, 2009
This page was last updated: 11 February, 2011
...because I want some fun too.
Skiing4all
"Offering the excitement
of skiing to everyone, regardless of their cognitive
or learning disability."
Testimonials
What they draw about us...
What they say about us...
Skiing4all is really nice
We can ski and play on ice
Horses, swimming, snow
My sister is now skiing with us all
Mara (14)
Mara (14)
In your own words...
“Anna, thanks again for giving Elanor such a great time, we looked through the photo's they were super, you had a lovely sunny day when you took them. Elanor did enjoy her stay in Kaprun and has taken the CD to college to show her friends. Of course we are proud of her doing so well - our heartfelt thanks must go to you for not only giving her such confidence but also allowing us to have some time during each day without worries as to how she was coping - you gave us confidence as well. Our very best wishes and please give our kind regards to Peter. Thanks for making our holiday so good.” Moira, David and Frances
“Dear Anna, it has been a great week for me, thank you. Want to say that a good time I had. The disk that you gave is really good, it has been played to my friends. You have been a very good mate to me, like skiing with an old friend. Missing you so much. Lots of love to you and Peter. See you next year." Elanor
“Hi Anna, thanks for everything! Robbie really enjoyed himself, maybe next time we'll get the turns in. Thanks for the time that yourself & Peter spent with him. We'd love to come and I'm sure you'll look after us! The photos & videos were great. Robbie was real proud showing them to everyone. He had a really great time so thanks again! The website looks great. Robbie cute as ever. I even see Scooby Doo made an appearance… he’s still hanging out on the Austrian slopes. Take care, regards." Lorraine, Cormac & Robbie
“Hi, My son James is now 13 years old and has now been skiing for the past 6 years, and I thought I'd like to spread the word to other families who have not yet thought of trying it out yet. Through skiing, James's co-ordination, balance, strength and confidence have all vastly improved. We have just returned from Austria, after another marvellous week where he was instructed by a lovely lady Anna, who has recently set-up Skiing4all , a ski school specifically for children and adults with cognitive learning disabilities. She is a British Psychologist and an Austrian-qualified Ski Instructor, who had some amazing techniques to teach him how to transfer weight from ski to ski through imitating scoring a basketball hoop, a great favourite. And when he was too tired to ski, she took him off swimming and horse riding, utilising all the other great activities that Zell am See has to offer. Never before have I seen James leap out of bed ready for action at 8.30 am, presumably for the skiing, but I also believe he has rather a large crush on Anna too! We certainly can't recommend Anna enough and would encourage other parents to give their child the chance for real adventure and excitement. James and Anna built a tremendous rapport and we're already planning to return”.
Nicki
“We really appreciate what you were doing and want to come back next year. Thanks to you and Peter, Jack was loving his time there. Cheers.” Ian
“Skiing4all is more than a ski school. Anna looked after us from the time we arrived to the moment we left Zell am See. Everything was arranged for us and nothing was too much trouble. Sophie had the time of her life but I also rested myself. I never had to worry about anything. Anna took care of everything and I felt that Sophie was in safe hands at all times.” Maria
“Dear Anna I just wanted to follow up on Monty's recent visit to Zell am See. After Zell am See, Monty went for 6 days skiing in Slovenia during half term and did well. The final 3 days he was going up the regular drag lift on the beginners slope and skiing down the slope. We are considering to come again and enroll Monty to one your programs.“ Vera & Peter
"Anna, Donal was voted our family 'Skier of the week' on Christmas day. He skied down from middle station four times in blizzard conditions and heavy snow, no problem. Huge progress in his skiing this week and we had a great family morning at Zell am See. Thanks again to you and Peter." Vincent.
“Hi Anna, I had great fun skiing with you, thank you." Donal
“Hi Anna, thanks for such an amazing time, we can't thank you enough, we all had such a lovely time and it was great to meet both you and Peter. Look forward to hearing from you, and thanks once again. There is so few people give our kids an opportunity like you're doing.” Nicki, Nige, James and Molly
“Hi Anna! So how is life with you and your lovely slopes?? I know you are really busy but glad to know you have missed us! Were your ears burning last week?? Nikki, James' mum, and I were talking about you last Saturday at swimming. They had a wonderful time as well! I hear she has booked two holidays with you this year!!" Bernie
“Kids are fighting over Peter! We need two of him.” Nicki
"A great idea and great program. So much emphasis seems to be placed on the physically disabled in ski programs. My son who suffers physical dyspraxia as part of his PDD, became a good snowboarder in his teens and I'm sure that has helped him physically and spatially since." Trencher
“Anna, What a lovely service you have! Just so special. Nice to recommend. You obviously have also captured the hearts of the locals, judging by the support that you are receiving.” Dave
“Creche, a great idea. In the past we've gone with ski esprit, who specialise in the child care but what we didn't like was that they were so inflexible so your approach works a lot better, if you could get a few hours break, and in small numbers is more appealing. Can't believe its me, booking all these ski trips. The family sat glued to ski Sunday this afternoon, cheering on the Austrians...Molly says 'she loves you' and you'll no doubt continue to hear lots from James. Beginning to think perhaps the phone was a mistake!” Nicki
“Why not try Skiing4all? Our son has autism and was skiing with Anna in Zell am See, Austria last year - but I know she also runs one-to-one sessions for persons with Down's Syndrome (she is a psychologist from Cambridge and a ski instructor in one). It was a fantastic experience, we are returning this year!” Paula
“The week’s skiing in Zell am See has dramatically improved Julie’s coordination and expedited her mastery of staying balanced on a bicycle. Well done, Anna!” Irene
“Hi! Can't think of a better place than Zell am See in Austria! We were there last year with our little Jamie, 6 years old, mild autism. He was skiing with Anna from Skiing4all. She was so kind and Jamie absolutely adored her! She is not just an instructor but she runs it like a therapy (she is a psychologist). Zell am See was so beautiful, frozen lake for skating for our daughter and Kaprun glacier guarantees snow all year, even in July - though we went in November (cheap Ryanair flights from Stansted, great value hotels and absolutely no queues, no crowds- which was important for Jamie - I would recommend off-season)! We cried when we saw Jamie do his first green run, a great big smile across his face, something he rarely does. We will definitely return this year! You can read more on www.skiing4all.com (I can see it every day on Jamie's cap he's got from Anna, together with a diploma and a gold medal - he is so proud of it!). Good luck and let us know how it went!” Elisabeth.
“Hi, Anna. Really impressed by your website and product (which we've just heard about through the DownsEd email forum).” Ian & Claire
“A fabulous social opportunity for our daughter” Barbara
“He doesn’t like team sports so this holiday was perfect: skiing, swimming, horse-riding, hiking.” Paul
“She is 17 now and thanks to this holiday she seems to have now a more positive image, and feeling healthy, strong and being able to participate in the activities like her friends. We hope it will stay with her for life.” Martha & Graham
“Thank you for another great holiday. Molly is running round saying she wants to live with you both in Austria! Thanks for making just efforts with us. All our love.” Nige
“Well, our wonderful holiday is over! It was a week spent with much laughter and fun and importantly, some real achievements for Alice! Anna promised us a good time and she certainly made sure that we had one! She helped us with all the preparations and nothing was too much trouble! Anna was there to meet us at our wonderful, luxury apartment with her lovely big smile and warmth for us! The children took to her straight away! Alice has two younger sisters and throughout the holiday Anna must have yearned for three hands as they all wanted to be with her! Read Bernie's full letter
Our Families...
“Hi Anna, I was speaking to Alice’s parents recently about your skiing holidays and she was telling me what a wonderful time they’d all had. My middle daughter, Olivia, is 10 and also has Down’s syndrome and we are keen to come on one of your holidays. Our daughter has never skied before but loves speed, swims and does gym. I have 2 other children, Miles (6) and Millie (12) who have also not skied before. My husband and I have skied once before and are keen to improve.” Caroline
"Donal has been on ski holidays for 3 years and now skiis once a week in classes with the Irish Special Olympics kids on an artificial slope in Dublin. Despite all this progress, Donal responds best in situations where his teachers, tutors or sport coaches have the skill and experience to help him overcome his learning challenges. For this years ski holiday your unique approach seems to combine all these requirements better than any other I've researched. In addition swimming and pony riding are two of Donal's favourite other activities so the whole Skiing4all package sounds irresistible.” Vincent
“My son has autism and has had skiing lessons from an instructor from disability snow sport. He absolutely loves it. I have never seen him so happy - wish I could bottle it! He skied for the first time on the Cairngormd in Scotland. He had an instructor with him. Holidays are difficult for him but I feel to include something that does so much for his whole being would be of great benefit to him.” Carol
"I have a 6 (will be 7) year old, ASD at the mild end but limited language. He has never skied before. We have managed to get Caspi on skates and he loves it so we want to get to the next level! Best regards.” Jake
“Hi, we have an autistic son (Alex) aged 7 together with a 13 year old son (Finn) and your holidays sound absolutely perfect as I would love to take them on a snowsports holiday. I have taken Alex skiing in Scotland about 4 or 5 times and he loves the idea but I find it very hard to teach him - he just wants to bomb down the hill as fast as possible (don't we all - but control always helps!). He usually only lasts about half an hour and then wants to play in the snow. Alex is not profoundly autistic and he attends a mainstream school (with the help of a full time classroom assistant). It would be fantastic to take the boys on a holiday together as my elder son is a very keen snowboarder but I have only managed to go up the hill with him once as Alex requires a lot of my attention. Your programs sound absolutely ideal for our situation just now. Thanks.” Rod
“Dear Anna, I have been considering a skiing holiday for my family in 2010 for some time now. I have been looking on the internet for a while but have not found any solutions that I thought would work for my children, until I came across your website. I have three boys, a 9 year old and 7 year old twins, two of which have special needs. My 9 year old has global development delay resulting in moderate learning difficulties and some behaviour issues. One of my twins has been diagnosed with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder. Both boys attend a school for children with moderate learning difficulties in Hertfordshire. I am looking for ski lessons for the my three boys and for obvious reasons I have never felt that a conventional ski school would be suitable for the boys." Luise
“Hi there, just read your website it looks fantastic! We have two children aged 7 and 4 both with high functioning autism. We would love to go skiing again but recognise how difficult this would be now. We came to Zell am See several years ago and loved the resort.” Leigh
“Your web site is very impressive and no doubt very satisfying working with children with special needs. I have 2 boys 13 & 8, both have had lessons before but it's been a while so I think a refresher would be good.” Deirdre
“Hi Anna, have just read your website, with great excitement! We are fortunate enough to have parents who would like to take the whole family skiing for the half term Feb week 2011. We have three children; the oldest (who will be 9 next year), Sam has Down Syndrome, and we are therefore searching for some kind of provision that caters for those with additional needs. It looks like your ski
school does offer this.” Ruth
“Dear Anna, We have heard wonderful things about your ski school from Nicki and her son James. Our son, Adam, is 24 and suffers from Fragile X, which has resulted in poor literacy and numeracy. He is easy-going, fit and healthy and understands the basics of skiing, having been with the family a couple of times. He is certainly very keen! We are trying to encourage him to become more independent, and wonder if there is a group of similar young people he could join for a week skiing with you? He is not really up to flying unaccompanied. Adam is studying horticulture at college, but would be happy to take a week out any time this Winter if there is an appropriate group he could join.” John
“Hi Anna, thank you so much for all of your help in planning our family holiday, I’m very excited. I have to try keep this a secret now! Thank you, I cant wait to see the boys expression when I tell them. Thank you so much again I have to try keep this a secret now!” Dany
“Dear Anna, we discovered your website with much excitement as we have a nine year old daughter with learning and some physical disability. My wife and I have enjoyed skiing holidays pre children and had never anticipated we might be able to do this as a family. My wife is a paediatric physio and I am a doctor with an interest in learning disability.” Dominic
Books, articles, websites...
From Down’s Syndrome Centre:
“This week we heard from Nicki, mum to 13 year old James, who has Down syndrome. They were just back from a skiing holiday in Austria - where all the family had the time of their lives! Nicki was telling us about a new ski centre, Skiing 4 All, that was set up by Anna Wegner, a British Psychologist and an Austrian-qualified Ski Instructor. Anna's ski school caters specifically for children and adults with cognitive and learning disabilities, including Down syndrome, Autism, Asperger Syndrome and ADHD. The philosophy of Anna's ski school combines her experience as a psychologist with her passion for outdoor sport activities. This unique combination has helped her create a unique program for people with special developmental, emotional and educational needs - all in a natural setting. She cites some of the therapeutic changes which benefit disabled skiers as improved communication and social skills; improved authentic expression; increased levels of self-confidence and self-esteem; sharpened concentration and increased levels of creativity. The experience of being outdoors in such beautiful forms of nature while facilitating contact with different natural materials also helps deepen an understanding of ones personal needs and encourages a desire to discover new possibilities and overcome personal limits. To say nothing about the promotion of exercise, mobility and increased fitness levels! The Skiing4all programs also include use of a 25m swimming pool and pony / horse-riding lessons - amidst the stunning Alpine scenery - a nice treat when you get too tired to ski! Nicki and James are already planning a return trip next year. Doesn't it sound idyllic? I know the pictures alone have cheered me up!”
"Have a look at this great idea - Skiing 4 All - a ski school in Austria that caters specifically for the needs and requirements of children and adults with learning disabilities. Seems to be a great success and only half the benefits are related to goals on the slopes! Definitely a website to check out!"
About our competition from Where to Ski and Snowboard 2010:
and from Down's Syndrome Association Newsletter:
From Special Olympics Surrey:
"Hi All, we have just returned from skiing in Austria with our son and thought I'd let others know of our great find. We went with a lovely lady Anna, who has recently set up www.skiing4all.com , a ski school specifically for children and adults with cognitive learning disabilities. She is a British Psychologist and an Austrian-qualified Ski Instructor, who had some amazing techniques to teach him how to transfer weight from ski to ski through imitating scoring a basketball hoop, a great favourite. And when he was too tired to ski, she took him off swimming and horse riding, utilising all the other great acitivies that Zell am See has to offer. Never before have I seen James leap out of bed ready for action at 8.30 am, presumably for the Skiing, but I also believe he has rather a large crush on Anna too! We certainly can't recommend Anna enough and would encourage other parents to give her a go if you're looking for a family ski holiday. James and Anna built a tremendous rapport and we're already planning to return."
from Bezirk's Blatter,
the main regional newspaper
(in German):
Advantages of skiing for persons with disabilities...
Many specialists recommend skiing due to its effects upon the person's social integration and motor rehabilitation. According to D. Vasilescu: “Skiing favours social integration because it is practiced in the same places and at the same time with persons without disabilities, but also the development of the psycho-motor components, mainly of the space-time orientation.”
According to Brighthub.com "Individual sporting activities such as Track, Skiing, Hiking, Golf, Cycling, or Cross-Country allow individuals with autism to participate in recreation without social interactions that might cause stress. These types of activities can be good for autistic children to begin participating in physical activities without feeling frustrated. The benefits of recreation and autism include an ability for autistic children to interact, practice motor skills and have a better quality of life. In addition, recreation provides children with autism the opportunity to make choices and improves their self esteem. These children can also meet new contacts from participating in recreational activities. Another benefit of recreation is that it promotes physical and mental health. Kids with autism can also learn to be more independent and can experience more opportunities as a result. Motivation is also increased through activities. Those with autism can also learn how to follow directions by participating in recreational activities. Sometimes parents of autistic children may feel that getting their autistic child to participate in recreational activities is too much work. they may feel that it is to hard for their child to participate in those types of activities or that their child with autism does not want to participate in physical games. However, the benefits of getting their children to participate in recreational activity far outweighs the challenges.”
And an uplifting article at the end:
“Connor went to a ski camp a year ago that specializes in working with children with autism. He really took to it and was zooming down the mountain in no time. Since then it has been difficult to find time to take him skiing again. We have actually had quite a good amount of snow (powder) on the slopes this year and I wanted to take advantage of it. Connor doesn't do well when competing in team sports, so I haven't put him in any team sports like soccer or t-ball, but I didn't want to keep him from athletics as a whole. I decided to go with his strengths and focus on individual sports. In the summer Connor takes swimming lessons and continues to get stronger and more coordinated. After we leave swimming lessons I always tell people that I think Connor is going to be the next Michael Phelps. I know that is just a proud mama talking, but it wasn't long ago that Connor couldn't stand for long periods of time without falling from poor muscle strength. Now he is fairly coordinated and even though he is still very skinny, he is actually pretty strong.
Connor took right to the slopes. He loves being outdoors. He would rather ski all day with no break than anything else. I had a hard time keeping up with his pace and even his speed. He had no fear. He went pretty much straight down the mountain. I had to remind him to make an "S" and use the whole width of the mountain, but he wanted to stay up with his snowboarding dad. Sometimes I underestimate my kids. I think that you have to be older and more experienced to do things when in reality they are more able and less fearful to do something new than most adults. When I see Connor skiing, or swimming, or body surfing, I know that as an adult he is going to be an outdoor guy who loves to be active. Maybe if his conversation skills aren't the best, he will still make friends with other people that also like to be outdoors and active."
© Skiing4all, 2009
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