Deaf Snowboarders HELP!!

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SteveRod

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Hey everybody. I am a hearing college student in California and need help gathering info for a paper in my ASL class. Because I am a snowboarder, I chose to write about the differences of snowboarding between hearing and deaf people. If anybody can give me any type of info that might help my paper I would really appreciate it. Are there any challenges associated with the sport that differ from the challenges of hearing people? Is snowboarding just as popular among the Deaf community as with the hearing community? My paper is due tomorrow and any info would help. Thanks a lot.

Steve
 
I can't think of any difference between deaf and hearing people. It's all physical. Deaf people can do anything hearing people can do... except hear. So, if something does not require hearing... then what else is there?
 
SteveRod said:
Hey everybody. I am a hearing college student in California and need help gathering info for a paper in my ASL class. Because I am a snowboarder, I chose to write about the differences of snowboarding between hearing and deaf people. If anybody can give me any type of info that might help my paper I would really appreciate it. Are there any challenges associated with the sport that differ from the challenges of hearing people? Is snowboarding just as popular among the Deaf community as with the hearing community? My paper is due tomorrow and any info would help. Thanks a lot.

Steve
Click to expand...

Due tommorow? Cutting it close now, aren't we? :P
 
The balance.

With sounds, you can balance with your eyes closed.

But without sounds, the balance is unstabled.

I am a snowboarder as well, I've been riding Mt. Shasta, Squaw Valley, Northstar, Sugar Bowl, Heavenly, and Mt. Bachelor for around 17 years.

All I can say is the difference between me and those hearing snowboarders is I can snowboard with no sound. It took me years to understand how to snowboard, this is how. Making your own "sound", "picture", or "taste" to replace the sound that should have balanced your balance. I replaced my sound with relaxing. No worries, my mind isn't on anything. My mind is clear, no sounds, just me and the snow beneath the board that I'm riding.


Ride hard, Live hard, Die hard.
 
Steve,

I'm totally deafblind and have been going downhill skiing for the past 21 years and snowboarding since the late 90s. There's no difference between learning how to snowboard or go downhill skiing when you can't hear vs. when you can since one's balance is maintained by using the legs and upper body (when downhill skiing) and upper body only (when snowboarding) -- although in my case I used a sighted guide and a rope to know which direction I should turn and when due to my total blindness. Other than that, there were no differences between snowboarding or going downhill skiing being able to hear (prior to my hearing aid days) and being unable to hear (10 years pre-CI).
 
Yes, my response is the same. My dad taught in an adaptive ski program, and his instructional methods were basicly just regular methods using ASL....he really didn't have to adapt anything else, like he would have had to do with a student with CP.
 
The only thing would be that we have to be a little bit more observant with our surroundings... hitting a tree while snowboarding isn't cool...but it is much worse when you slam into people because you wasn't watching.
 
I've been boardin' for 13 years and still running..i boarded at Squaw Valley, Bear Valley, Northstar, Sugar Bowl, Kirkwood, Heavenly, Alpine Meadows [my worldest favorite mountain to hit], Big Bear Mountain, Mt. Shasta, Aspen Snowmass [colorado], KeyStone Resort [colorado], Lake Placid [New York], Bluewood [Washington], Afton Alps [Minnesota] and last, Buck Hill [Minnesota].

lets back to the point. Everyone can board on the slopes, we move same way as snowboarders do on the slopes. Nothing changes BUT hear, we couldnt hear what skiers or snowboarders trying to yell "move" or "watch out!" and we only use our vision to see everywhere where we ride down on the slope. Hearings use their ears and vision are advantage BUT we do see BETTER vision than hearing do [no offense but thats my opinion]. Just only different is hear. That's all.


"Ride hard and Live well"
 
Plus (thanks to another AD member who actually suggested this, not me) ...some deaf people have issues with balance. If I'm "off balance" I'm either snowboarding or drunk.
;)
 
I do have issues with my balance being profoundly deaf in my left ear and hoh in my right. There are those odd times I'll be walking along and then Im all of a suddenly all wonky with one leg in the air and arms flailing like a goose. Then after about two seconds Im normal. Ive gotten some strange looks from people, but I just grin and continue on.
 
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