Fred Tassone
1990
Competition | 2001
Hometown: Chicago, Illinois
Fred Tassone was born and raised in Chicago. In his youth, he went on a ski trip with buddies and fell in love with alpine skiing. Later, in the late 60’s, he was drafted into the US Army and rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant. While serving in Vietnam, he came in contact with a land mine, losing one leg and severely damaging the other, and injuring his face. His parents were told he would probably never walk again. It was during rehabilitation from his injuries in Colorado that Fred was introduced to the sport of 3-track skiing and soon learned to love the sport all over again.
That love and devotion took Fred to Winter Park, Colorado, where he was a ski instructor for the National Sports Center for the Disabled (NSCD), devoting more than fifteen years of his life to the organization. As a 3-track skier, Fred served as a role model for other amputees on how to navigate the slopes. He was very well known for his positive nature, sense of humor and patience with beginners, which made him a very popular instructor at the NSCD.
He eventually started the competitive ski team at the NSCD and developed into one of the elite ski racers in the USA, becoming a member of the very first US Disabled Ski Team. In 1974, Fred competed internationally at the World Winter Games in France. He would then serve as the Head Coach of the US Disabled Ski Team in 1982 at the World Winter Games in Switzerland where Team USA tied for first place.
Fred was also a charter member of the “Trailblazers”, a seasoned group of adaptive ski instructors who traveled throughout the Midwest, teaching ski instructors and students who didn’t have the resources to come to Colorado, the latest adaptive ski techniques. Many ski schools in Wisconsin, Minnesota and throughout the Midwest can thank Fred’s roots growing up in Chicago for being exposed to adaptive skiing.
Fred’s high school yearbook stated that his ambition in life was “To elevate the human race”. He passed away in 1989 at the young age of 41. In his short life, Fred impacted so many people, able-bodied and disabled, because of his love and dedication to the sport of alpine skiing.
