Starting out in the snow? Here are some tips from one of New Zealand’s top para-snowboarders and Paralympian, Carl Murphy. Carl is a below-the-knee amputee and already working towards achieving Gold at the 2018 Winter Paralympics in Snowboarding.
“Snowboarding for the first time? Awesome. It’s a long time since I began snowboarding but I do remember the feeling. Remember that everyone starts somewhere. You will fall over a lot – and I mean a lot!! But keep getting up and trying again.
“I try not to think about my disability as a disability in any situation, sporting or otherwise. Rather, it’s the fact that I can do everything everyone else can – but maybe in a slightly different way.
“Attitude counts for a lot when you are faced with obstacles. You can either just give up and say it’s too hard, or you can have the mind set that you can achieve it if you put your mind to it.
“I see a lot of disabled people in snowboarding with various physical impairments that make the most of what they have and what they can do. Focus on the controllable not the uncontrollable!
“Not all sports are for everyone. Just remember the main thing is getting out and giving it a go and you will no doubt have a great time in the process. You may just surprise yourself and become one of the next top NZ Winter Paralympians!”