Kathy White is a First year student at Plymouth State College. She is working towards a major in history and plans to go to law school with aspirations in becoming a lawyer. Kathy also trains with the Plymouth State ski team and recently competed in the Disabled World Championships in Colorado Springs, Colorado and placed tenth in the slalom with hopes of making the United States Paralympics Team.
The Clock: How did you get into skiing?
Kathy White: I have cerebral palsy, which affects your muscles, you can tell mostly when I walk it affects all of my limbs. When I was four I couldn’t walk yet so my parents heard about a program [Maine Handicapped Skiing] that taught disabled children how to ski and so they brought me there and I started skiing. And the next winter I started walking so I started skiing before I was walking. The doctors kind of attribute the skiing to the fact that I can actually walk,
Clock: What different steps did you take to get to this point in your skiing career?
KW: When I started racing I was racing with the Waterville Adaptive ski team. I skied for eight years with that program just recreationally, then when I started high school I got into racing and I heard about the U.S. disabled ski team for the first time. The team is made up of physically disabled athletes and they race, so I was like, “Oh I want to be on that team someday.” I started racing for my high school, which was all able body skiers, but I just kind of jumped in and did what they did. That brought me up to college and I train with the Plymouth State team and I travel all around doing disabled races.
Clock: What keeps you motivated?
KW: It’s like a freedom out there for me; it puts me on the same level playing field with able body athletes. I also like to watch the other guys on the Plymouth state team. I love to watch them race and that keeps me motivated. Also just the fact that I want to be on the U.S. disabled ski team, so I just keep working toward that goal. People who know me forget that I’m physically disabled and I think that’s what works out the best for me. I just do everything, never use your disability for an excuse, just keep going.
Clock: How well did you ski in the Championships in Colorado?
KW: I did pretty well. I didn’t ski as well as I hoped I would in the speed events, the Super G and the GS, and I kind of wish I skied better but in the slalom race I did pretty well. Overall I think I did well. In the slalom I placed tenth, and the GS, I’m not sure, In the Super G I’m not sure either, it was just worse then what I had expected.
Clock: Have you had any major setbacks?
KW: Actually this year I kind of did. I started out in the fall doing the dry land with the Plymouth State ski team and running with them. It took its toll on my muscles and my body and it didn’t help me out as it would with able-bodied athletes. It kind of set me back. I ended up having to sit out for six weeks and just having to take it slow and so it was definitely a major setback.
Clock: Aside from skiing are you interested in other sports?
KW: I do a lot of other stuff, I cycle, I roller blade, and I hike and all that active outdoors stuff, but skiing is my passion and everything else I do is because I know it will help me be a better skier.
Clock: What is the main goal you want to obtain in your skiing?
KW: Definitely my goal is to make the U.S. disabled ski team and compete in the Paralympics, which are the Olympics for just physically disable athletes. And in 2006 they are in Italy and right after the regular winter Olympics. My goal is to compete in those and just continue and see where it takes me and its something I would like to coach.
Clock: Do you have any other aspirations after your skiing days are over?
KW: I would like to coach other disabled athletes, I ski for a disabled ski team as well as train with the Plymouth State ski team and someday I would like to coach in that aspect, coach disabled athletes that are training with an able bodied team, but also ski on a disabled team.