New England Disabled Sports

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New England Disabled Sports | NEDS

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New England Disabled Sports (NEDS) is a 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit organization, providing adaptive sports instruction to students of varying abilities that meet the Essential Eligibility Criteria . It is through the generous donations of individuals, corporations and foundations that close to 600 student-athletes living with disabilities are able to enjoy adaptive sports year-round.

Headquartered at Loon Mountain Ski Resort in Lincoln, NH and at the Bretton Woods Ski Resort at Omni Mount Washington Resort NEDS has become a nationally recognized program, providing expert adaptive sport instruction to adults and children living with physical and cognitive disabilities.

New England Disabled Sports is a chapter of Move United (formerly Disabled Sports USA), and is governed by a Board of Directors, comprised of 18 business leaders from all walks of life with a passion for adaptive sports and unparalleled commitment to the organization. NEDS operates on a day-to-day basis under the guidance of a full-time staff of individuals, bringing decades of experience and professionalism to the program.

NEDS was founded in 1987 as White Mountain Adaptive Snow Sports with just six volunteer coaches, including our founders, Emily Morrison and Dr. Bob Harney. Over the past 33 years, the NEDS community has grown to include over 250 dedicated, highly trained volunteers instructing students in over 4,000 lessons annually.

In addition to our adult volunteers, the NEDS organization includes a unique Pre-Adaptive Coach (PAC) training program for high school age volunteers interested in learning how to become a coach to students with disabilities. The PAC program is comprised of high school age students, each of whom is selected after enduring a highly competitive and comprehensive interview process. Most members return after the PAC experience and become adult adaptive coaches.

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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…

Archery is a versatile activity. It is something that can be done for fun, for hunting, or for competition. “Target shooting wasn’t a thing for me,” said US Para Archery Head Coach Jonathan Clemins. “But I realized I enjoyed shooting my bow as much as I enjoyed hunting.” In addition, archery can be a year-round…

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,…

“That’s what makes golf so great. It’s a handicap system. If I’m playing against a guy who’s got all his limbs and he’s got a 14 handicap, I’ve got to give him seven strokes. Golf is such an equal game because of the handicap system. That’s what makes it fun for people everywhere to play.”…

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…

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…

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…