Adaptive Alpine Skiing and Waterskiing

Snow or Water: What's your favorite adaptive skiing?

By Joel Zeisler, LOF Adaptive Skiers 

LOF Adaptive Skiers, formerly Leaps of Faith Disabled Skiers, is now celebrating its 30th year. While it started as an organization for the visually impaired and blind, LOF has since expanded to service the wider disability community. Our mission is to build lasting confidence and fulfillment through exposure and professional training in recreational and competitive water and snow skiing to children, adults and veterans with disabilities.

Blind Vet Helps Launch Premier Adaptive Sports Organization

In 1992, a former Vietman soldier called me up for waterskiing lessons. He wanted to go over a ski jump, and I agreed to teach him. It wasn't until after I agreed that he told me he was totally blind from a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG). I was floored, but I still said "yes" and LOF was born! Now it's our big 30-year anniversary serving all disabilities.

And that vet that got it all started…not only did he learn to ski independently, he went on to win national and world tournaments in the disabled division. He still skis with us today!

LOF Engages Disability Community on the Slopes and in the Water

Located in Connecticut, LOF operates on Lake Zoar from mid-June to mid-September. We host stellar programs for individuals and groups of all ages and abilities to help them develop skills and enjoy the sports of waterskiing, wakeboarding and tubing. You'll love it. Our summer water is clear, clean, calm and almost warm…almost. Over the summer, we do more than 40 events—not just quantity, but quality.

When the weather turns cold, we hit the slopes of Mt. Southington for alpine skiing twice a week from January 2nd to mid-March. We have all certified instructors on the mountain with a wide variety of new adaptive equipment. We have worked with ALL disabilities and are proud to be one of the first to work with and support our troops coming home from Middle East combat zones.

LOF Adaptive Skiers is a not-for-profit 501c3 organization and there is no cost for the skiers, beyond a refundable registration fee of $30.

We welcome you to join us and experience all the freedom, fun and independence that adaptive water and snow sports provide. Our classes are personal, professional and focused on helping individuals "soar beyond the boundaries."

We'll even come to your body of water. Despite COVID, we look forward to a record year for 2022!

Editor's Note:

Looking for a place to ski near you? Try AdaptiveSkiing.net and USA Adaptive Water Ski & Wake Sports.