Adaptive Sports Awards

Complete the Adaptive Sports Hall of Fame Award Form and submit your nomination. Nominations are accepted on a rolling basis. However, nominations must be received by May 15 for summer sports and September 15 for winter sports.

A selection committee will review all nominees and present their decision to the Move United Board of Directors for ratification. The award recipient and nominator will be notified prior to the award presentation. A grant of $1,000 will be awarded to the member organization affiliated with the person who nominated the award winner. For questions, please contact sbutcher@moveunitedsport.org.

Recipients of the Adaptive Sports Hall of Fame Award will receive:

• Invitation to The Hartford Nationals (summer sports) or The Hartford Ski Spectacular (winter sports)
• Round-trip airfare to respective host city
• Ground transportation to and from the airport
• Two nights lodging at host hotel
• Two tickets to the banquet where the award will be presented

The first pair of individuals were inducted in 1995. The year of induction and category is listed in parenthesis.

Gwen Allard
For 30 years, Gwen Allard has been a passionate leader in the adaptive skiing industry. (2001, Recreation/Development)

Dollie Armstrong
Dollie Armstrong is a woman of strength and enthusiasm, which carries over to her love for disabled sports.(1999, Recreation/Development)

Kirsten Atkins
Nearly three decades of work in the adaptive ski movement, Kirsten was a founding instructor at the Adaptive Sports Center in Crested Butte and was chairperson for the PSIA Rocky Mountain Adaptive Committee. (2016, Recreation/Development)

Peter Axelson
Peter Axelson: Racer – Engineer – Designer – Coach – Standards Developer – Instructor (2007, Recreation/Development)

Jack Benedick
Jack Benedick wanted others to know what sports can mean for people with disabilities. (1996, Competition)

Dr. Sarah Billmeier
Dr. Sarah Billmeier brought beauty, grace and skill to the world of skiing at a young age. (2008, Competition)

Shannon Bloedel
Throughout her entire life, Shannon Bloedel has been a pioneer. She won an Olympic silver medal in the 1992 Paralympics. (1999, Competition)

Bill Bowness
A member of the U.S. Disabled Ski Team from 1992 to 1997, Bowness went on to win Paralympic medals in the downhill, super G and slalom and then became an instructor and a member of the Professional Ski Instructors of America National Demonstration Team. (2015, Recreation/Development)

Candace Cable
Cable won three Alpine Paralympic medals as a member of the United States Disabled Ski Team. (2014, Competition)

Kathy Chandler
Kathy Chandler became one of the first PSIA adaptive and alpine certified examiners in the east. (2012, Recreation/Development)

Dr. Frank Chang
Dr. Frank Chang joined The Children’s Hospital Department of Orthopedics in 1981. (2001, Recreation/Development)

Steve Cook
Cook won seven Paralympic medals, including double gold in 2006 with victories in both the 5 km freestyle and 10 km classic and a U.S.-record four silver medals at the 2002 Paralympics. (2009, Competition)

Muffy Davis
Muffy Davis is a World Champion and Paralympic medalist. (2012, Competition)

Norbert Fischer
During his long career, Norbert Fischer has been involved in almost every aspect of skiing. (2000, Recreation/Development)

Beth Fox
Early in life, Beth Fox recognized her desire to dedicate herself to the service of others. (2003, Recreation/Development)

Gene Gamber
Gene has been a long time volunteer and instructor, and has managed an adaptive ski program that trained hundreds of instructors. (2013, Recreation/Development)

Diana Golden
Diana Golden was a dominant force in her sport, thrilling fans with breathtaking 65-mph downhill runs. (1995, Competition)

Dr. Bob Harney
Dr. Bob Harney believed that sport as a medicine could help heal the body, mind and spirit. (2011, Recreation/Development)

Katherine Hayes-Rodriguez
Hayes-Rodriguez ran the adaptive ski school for 23 years at Alpine Meadows and has taught adaptive skiing for more than 30 years. (2014, Recreation/Development)

John Humbrecht
John Humbrecht serves as the Snowsports Director at Ignite Adaptive Sports and is a leader in product and technical development, inventing a temperature sensor app and other devices. (2018, Recreation/Development)

Rod Hernley
Rod Hernley won more than 20 gold and silver medals in national competition from 1976-1986. (1988, Recreation/Development)

Jeff Inouye
Jeff has spent 30 years in the adaptive ski industry and has been a staff member at the Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center for 28 years. He has been a leader at the national level, including serving as a trainer for the National Ski Patrol & with the PSIA-AASI Adaptive National Team. (2022, Contributor)

David Jamison
David Jamison has over 100 alpine victories, 10 combined national titles and 3 world championship medals. (1998, Competition)

Doug Keil
Doug Keil won two Gold Medals in Norway with the U.S. Disabled Alpine Ski Team and for 25 years was committed to disabled sports in Alaska. (2003, Recreation/Development)

Jon “JK” Kreamelmeyer
For more than 40 years, JK has supported Nordic skiers from the high school level to Paralympic athletes as a guide, coach and mentor. In 1994, he guided Michele Drolet to a Paralympic Bronze medal and during his tenure as Head Coach of the U.S. Disabled Ski Team, the U.S. team brought home more than 11 Paralympic medals and more than 20 World Cup podiums. (2016, Competition)

Geoff Krill
Geoff Krill is the Executive Director and Chief Motivational Officer of Eastern Adaptive Sports (EAS). In addition, he serves as the Training Director for Loon Mountain’s Snowsports School. Geoff is a third term member of the PSIA/AASI National Team and continues to serve on the Steering Committee of the Adaptive Board of Examiners for PSIA-Eastern. (2017, Recreation/Development)

Jason Lalla
Jason Lalla was named USOC Athlete of the Month in 2001- one of two disabled athletes ever to be named by the USOC. (2013, Competition)

Mary Lane
Mary Cronan Lane began teaching adaptive alpine skiing in 1970 at Haystack Mountain in Vermont. She began the PSIA/AASI certification process in 1990, earning her Level 2 Alpine and Level 3 Adaptive.  She would become an Eastern Adaptive PSIA/AASI Development Team member and transition from volunteer to Program Director at what is now New England Disabled Sports (NEDS). (2019, Recreation/Development)

Paul Leimkuehler
Paul Leimkuehler was one of the first to implement the use of “outriggers” in the United States, purposely not patenting the device so that others amputees could copy it. (1996, Recreation/Development)

Ed Lukes
Ed Lukes was instrumental in developing adaptive equipment for people with disabilities. (2004, Recreation/Development)

Greg Mannino
Greg Mannino was one of the few disabled alpine racers that pursued the able body FIS Racing circuit. (2007, Competition)

Jim Martinson
Jim Martinson has competed in many events including the Boston Marathon and Paralympic Games. (2003, Competition)

Monte Meier
Monte Meier earned four Paralympic medals, five World Championship medals and 11 National Titles during his 16 years on the U.S. Adaptive Alpine Team. (2011, Competition)

Bob Meserve
Bob Meserve’s enthusiasm for skiing began at the age of 4 skiing with family and friends. (2009, Recreation/Development)

Dr. Duane Messner
Dr. Duane Messner felt that recreation through skiing would help in rehabilitation of children with amputations. (2001, Recreation/Development)

Hal O’Leary
Hal O’Leary’s method of using Christy turns created a new system of skiing for people with disabilities. (1997, Recreation/Development)

Bobby Palm
Bobby Palm has more then three decades teaching adaptive skiing, Nordic and snowboarding and has been a key developer of adaptive snowboarding. (2008, Recreation/Development)

Doug Pringle
A highly decorated veteran, Doug Pringle learned to three-track ski in the 1960s after losing a leg in Vietnam. (1997, Competition)

Danny Pufpaf
Danny Pufpaff, a former ski instructor, discovered the world of adaptive skiing during rehab. (2000, Competition)

Amy Purdy
Amy co-founded Adaptive Action Sports and would be instrumental in getting snowboarding added to the 2014 Paralympic Games, where she left her first mark in history, winning the inaugural bronze medal. She would win two more medals at the 2108 Paralympics. (2022, Competition)

Mary Riddell
Mary Riddell began skiing at the age of three at Durango/Purgatory Adaptive Sports. She qualified for the US Adaptive Ski Team when she was 14 years old and for the next nine years she was a dominate figure in national and international competition. Riddell won six Paralympic medals including two Gold. She also won six World Championship medals, two of them Gold. In addition, she won three World Cup Overall Globes, 11 individual event World Cup Globes, and multiple National titles. During the 2000/2001 season, Riddell was on the podium at every World Cup race. (2017, Competition)

Brian Santos
Brian Santos won six Gold Paralympic medals, then after 13 years on the USA team retired and became an adaptive ski coach. (2015, Competition)

Bonnie St John
Despite having her right leg amputated at age five, Bonnie St. John became the first African-American ever to win medals in Winter Olympic competition, taking home a silver and two bronze medals at the 1984 Winter Paralympics in Innsbruck, Austria.  In recognition of this historic achievement, Bonnie was quoted on millions of Starbucks coffee cups. (2019, Competition)

Willie Stewart
Willie Stewart is a three-time Paralympian, winning a silver medal at the 2002 Games. He is the first and only disabled athlete to achieve Leadman recognition and the first above elbow amputee to kayak the Colorado River, among other accomplishments. (2018, Competition)

Fred Tassone
For 15 years, Fred Tassone made tremendous contributions to the disabled skiing industry. (2001, Competition)

Sandy Trombetta
A leader in the field of Recreation Therapy, Sandy Trombetta has received numerous awards. (2006, Recreation/Development)

Chris Waddell
Chris Waddell won more Paralympic medals than any male skier, earning medals in the 1992, 1994, 1998, and 2002 Winter Paralympics. (2006, Competition)

Ray Watkins
USSA 2010 International Adaptive Coach of the Year; guide for blind Paralympic champ Brian Santos and winner of six golds in the ’92 and ’94 Paralympics. (2015, Competition)

Chris Werhane
Chris Werhane has served tens of thousands of individuals in skiing over two decades, traveling over 100 days per year to provide adaptive ski programs across the country and to train staff and volunteers to ensure the highest quality lessons . (2023, Contributor)

Meeche White
Meeche White is the former CEO and co-founder of the National Ability Center, working there for more than two decades. (2010, Recreation/Development)

Elizabell Williams
Elizabell “Willie” Williams enhanced the lives of the disabled throughout her life through her love of the outdoors. (1996, Recreation/Development)

Sarah Will
Winner of 12 Gold Paralympic medals, including a sweep of every event at the 2002 Paralympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City. (2010, Competition)

Jim Winthers
Jim Winthers shared techniques and experience to help others learn to ski and appreciate a lifetime sport. (1996, Recreation/Development)

Complete the Jan Elix Award Nomination Form and submit your nomination. Nominations will be accepted on a rolling basis. One award will be presented annually at a signature Move United event.

A selection committee will review all nominees and present their decision to the Move United Board of Directors for ratification. The award recipient and nominator will be notified prior to the award presentation. A grant of $1,000 will be awarded to the member organization affiliated with the person who nominated the award winner. For further questions, please contact sbutcher@moveunitedsport.org.

The recipient of the Jan Elix Award will receive:

1. An invitation to attend a signature Move United event
2. Round-trip airfare to the host city airport
3. Ground transportation from and to the airport
4. Two nights lodging at Host Hotel
5. Two tickets to the banquet during which the award will be presented

Complete the Jim Winthers Volunteer Award Nomination Form and submit your nomination. Nominations will be accepted on a rolling basis. One award will be presented annually the Move United Leadership Conference.

A selection committee will review all nominees. The award recipient and nominator will be notified prior to the award presentation at the Move United Leadership Conference. A grant of $1,000 will be awarded to the member organization affiliated with the person who nominated the award winner. For further questions, please contact sbutcher@moveunitedsport.org.

The recipient of the Jim Winthers Volunteer Award will receive:

1. An invitation to attend the Move United Leadership Conference
2. Round-trip airfare to the host city airport
3. Ground transportation from and to the airport
4. Two nights lodging at the host city
5. Complimentary registration for the conference
6. Two tickets to the event during which the award will be presented