Women Warriors United in Snow Skill Development
An all-female group of warriors spent two days on Monarch Mountain learning how to ski and snowboard as part of the Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) Soldier Ride® program. The program has been holding more personal and smaller educational camps in outdoor settings to serve warriors safely during the pandemic.
“Skill development camps allow warriors to learn a new skill or improve an existing skill,” said Linda Cleveland, WWP Soldier Ride manager. “This event hosted a powerful group of female warriors and allowed for female bonding, which we know is an important aspect when offering connection events and programs.”
Women are the fastest-growing cohort both in military service and the veteran population. WWP has been taking steps to gain a deeper understanding of what women warriors experience daily. With results from a survey and roundtable discussions with women warriors, WWP has been able to specialize program offerings to this group of warriors and better meet their needs in recovery.
“This environment — being around all females — allows you to connect with them, be yourself, and it’s just a whole different dynamic,” said Antoinette Wallace, a U.S. Army wounded warrior. “We are here today being empowered by each other, learning more about each other, and making new friends. It’s incredible to watch these women as they are riding and shredding.”
This skill development camp introduced techniques and drills to strengthen their ski and snowboarding game. Snow skill training includes, but is not limited to:
- Learning to descend and stop.
- Turning efficiently and making “S” turns.
- Riding the terrain obstacles.
- Skiing and snowboarding down moguls and steeper terrain.
- Safely riding on the caterpillar and chair lift.
The Soldier Ride program offers other ways for warriors to get more active, too. In addition to the cycling and snow camps and traditional Soldier Ride event, the cycling program launched online offerings for warriors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, nearly 850 warriors are active in WWP’s online cycling community and regularly connect through virtual coffee socials, riding challenges, cycling maintenance tutorials, and more.
Connecting warriors and their families to safe programming can directly impact their psychological well-being and resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic. The combination of virtual and in-person programs helps reach warriors at different levels of their recoveries and at higher levels of engagement.
Since 2004, Soldier Ride has been using adaptive technology to help injured veterans get active in sports and build confidence as they strive toward their highest physical and mental wellness ambitions. Thousands of warriors from across the nation have connected with each other and their local communities — and education plays a big role in keeping the momentum once warriors are back at home.
Click here to learn more about WWP’s Soldier Ride program.
Contact: Vesta M. Anderson — Public Relations, vanderson@woundedwarriorproject.org, 904.570.0771
About Wounded Warrior Project
Since 2003, Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) has been meeting the growing needs of warriors, their families, and caregivers — helping them achieve their highest ambition. Learn more.