Nightmare in Sochi already for Paralympian?? :-)

 

Help I'm stuck and can't get out!!

 

:-) Well sports fans it has happened again! When the Olympian Johnny Quinn got stuck in the locked bathroom we thought the bathroom nightmare had ended!! Well we were oh so wrong! Yes the terror has happened again, this time to Paralympian Steve Cash, who was once again faced with the possibility of solitary confinement in a bathroom!! :-) I know its funny now but if you have ever been faced with a door that malfunctions at the wrong time and you have no other way out but to scream for help and face the bitter truth that you were stuck in a bathroom, you would know what I mean!! Johnny Quinn took matters into his own hands and demolished the bathroom he was in, but our hero and hopefully gold medalist Steve Cash held it together and waited for the rescue of fellow Paralympians!! Well Steve will have a story to tell regardless of the games as he has already had a flood of emotions! You can see the whole story here at MsnFoxsports http://msn.foxsports.com/olympics/story/more-sochi-problems-now-a-paralympian-gets-stuck-in-bathroom-030614 It was a very good story and brought a smile to my face as the pictures show the exciting escape.

    Well if you didn't know the Paralympics opening ceremony is tomorrow and our Paralympians are ready to do their best to bring home the GOLD!!! I ask you all to bow your heads as I say this prayer, "Dear lord please grant the Paralympians from all the other countries the grace, humility and understanding of the royal butt kicking they are about to receive courtesy of the USA!!" No just kidding I wish nothing but the best for all the Paralympians from all over the world that are there to represent their country and show the world that they are athletes in every right. May they have the best effort they can perform and may the best man or woman compete to the best of their capabilities. I hope that they have compassion for each other and become long lasting friends and realize we are all the same but with different disabilities. Lets celebrate their abilities and support them all as they compete!!

   This week in bowling I finally can report that I beat the Grantman as he had games of 150, 126, 106 for a 382 to my 106, 147, 166 for a 419!! Yay I finally have bragging rights again!! Well that's all for this week should have a Blog this weekend of the presentation I did at Lehi Jr high School, hopefully if the pictures are sent to me! Take care gang!! 

It's almost time!!!

 

It's almost time!!!!

 

 

       I enjoy the Olympics and rooting for our country but I have to tell, you I love watching the Paralympics even more!! After having my brief brush with toying with the idea of even having a chance to represent our country in any way I'm totally stoked and excited to watch this years Paralympics!! The Bobsled school we had was awesome and I really hope we helped bring it into the spotlight to be included in the 2018 Paralympics. These men and women representing our country have been through so much and to rise out of the disability world to show their true talent will be a treat to see!!They dedicate so much time, effort, and money to attend the Paralympics they should be hailed hero's like all the rest of the athletes that make that sacrifice for our country. I HUGE thank goes out to NBC for agreeing to carry the Paralympics this year, 52 hours to be exact, as the whole world will be able to see the incredible athletes from not only the USA, but from around the world. They each have an incredible story and have overcome so many barriers in their life, I can't wait to see their competitive abilities put on display for the whole world to see!!  



Bobsledding update!

Bobsled update!!


     I know I haven't blogged to update you in a while cause I've had to make some decisions about my continuation of the bobsled experience. First of all I have to thank Matt Bailey and Dave Nichols for giving me the chance to try something I never thought I would ever do! It was amazing exhilarating and nerve wracking all bundled up in one!! Dave Nichols is an amazing bobsled driver and I really feel that bobsledding will go into the 2018 Paralympics by all that he is doing to get it included. Our competition in Park City showed we can be competitive, safe, and showed the world we can do it. With that being said I have decided that I cannot continue with the bobsled team due to the fact that there would be a lot of travel needed, time to practice, time needed to take of from work, not to include the costs to travel and hotel stay and entry fees. Yes we can get sponsors but I have been down that road before on asking for sponsorship for my bowling. Its not an easy task and frankly I just don't have it in me to ask friends and family to help me pursue this dream. Cause this is not my dream. I know I know I will hear a lot of you tell me I'm crazy for not going after it after coming in first at Park City but its a spot I would be taking where someone else, (younger with not to many responsibilities), could be, and be able to practice for the 2018 Olympics. It was an honor to be able to compete in a bobsled as a pilot and believe me I have a lot of respect for the Olympic bobsledders with the G forces they must endure. But I have the most respect for Dave Nichols who is an incomplete quadriplegic for his ability to pilot the sled from the top of the track! I know I have blogged before with a blog similar to this one but I had not fully decided that I was not going to do it anymore. It was fun, I did it, I did good, I can't believe I won, but its not what I want to pursue anymore. Thanks for all the support you all have given me on this journey and all the very kind and inspirational comments you have said. It was an experience I will never forget!!!!
    Switching gears in bowling this week I got beat again by the Grantman as I bowled 147 124 103 for a 374 to his 154 118 164 for a 436! See maybe I just need to concentrate on one sport and keep my head in the game!! Thanks for reading my blog and tell your friends to follow me!! Later gang!!!

Could it possibly be Won and done???

Could it possibly be Won and done???

 

 

        Many of you who follow my blog know I was a professional bowler before my car accident in 1990. I have actually been in the spotlight, (Not on TV) but I have won tournaments and been at the top of the heap so to say. I have also realized in an unkind way that I am unfortunately getting older. Yes the "Silver Flash" might have seen his Bobsled career peak already. I'm 49 years old and still have a lot of get up and go in me but I don't feel the desire to be the best Bobsled driver there is. What I do feel is I'm a bowler and a motivational speaker and that is what I need to concentrate on. Who knows maybe I just got lucky and hit the turns at the right place to bring home first, but I can tell you this, it was a blast and an experience I'll never forget!! I now have a new sense of total awe to the men and women who go down the ice in, skeleton, and two and four man bobsleds. They are amazing and in my opinion brave to want to do it competitively knowing they could be seriously hurt. To my new friends and bobsled teammates maybe I haven't quit just yet it depends if the love for bobsledding is growing in my blood. But we set out with a goal in mind to get notice that we can be competitive in bobsledding and we can do it safely. Hopefully the Paralympics has seen and taken note of our accomplishments and will consider including it in the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games. I was proud to have been asked to compete in the exhibition and feel I exceeded my expectations and showed there's still a little bite in this old dog!!

      I plan to blog every Wednesday night and either Saturday or Sunday every week from now on. I had some people say they enjoyed reading my blog but just were never sure when I would do a new blog. So now you can hold my feet to the fire! Might not feel it because I'm paralyzed but I'll smell something burning at least.  :-) And for those wondering about my competition with the Grantman Grant Buehler, it's still on and he has bragging rights this week as he beat me with games of 128 127 and 179 for a 434 to my pathetic 125 120 126 for a 371. Well that all for now please comment and tell your friends about the blog so I can get more followers!!       

Bobsled Update!!

Bobsled Update!!

    Well gang as most of you know I have returned from my Bobsled adventure somewhat amazed and surprised!! It was an awesome adventure and I met so many new great friends!! I have to say I had one goal in mind for this week and that was not to crash and try to do the best I could. Well not only did I do that but I came home victorious!!!! Yes I not only survived this week but I took first place in the USABSA Adaptive Bobsled Race in Park City!! I had nine other competitors all of which did very well as no one wrecked!! I have to tell you it is the most exhilarating and intense rush I have ever experienced!! I owe A BIG THANKS, to Dave Nicholls, Twila Victory, and Matt Bailey for giving me the opportunity to help get notice that the disabled can race in bobsleds and be very competitive. Not to brag, well yes I think it is, but me and the most incredible brakeman Gina Beredino Kothe were the only team that topped 60 miles and hour for their run with a run of 60.2 miles an hour!!! We had four or five of our competitors that continued on to Calgary Canada and I wish them all the luck in the world as they represent our country in the bobsled competition up there!! To my new friends I hope we can keep the Adaptive Bobsled team we have become together and make it an official Paralympic event!! Thanks for your camaraderie and friendship!

Bobsled update!!!!

Bobsled Update!!

     Ok gang here is the update for my Bobsled experience! We were finally able to get on the ice as drivers, to do the Park City bobsled run! I have to tell you it was better and more intense than any roller coaster ride I have ever been on!! Nerves and anxiousness were pulsing through my body as I was loaded into the bobsled as a driver! The instructors gave us the brief outline of the track and then we did  track walk, (slide for me) to see how to enter and exit the corners. We were tethered to a rope and slowly lowered in our wheelchairs through out the run to see the track. They told us about how the sled drives and that it is more of a feel as to what the sled is doing to make your small adjustments. What I mean by small adjustments is there are two guide ropes in the sled attached to the runners that steer the sled. You have two D rings you hold onto to steer. We went from the Junior start as we have not had the experience to go from the top of the track yet. To adjust you simply tug one the D ring with small movements and it turns the sled into the corners. From the top of the track you pull 5 G's that basically suck you down into the sled. We didn't feel the full 5 G's because we went from the junior start but you really felt the pressure when we hit the turns. Well after our schooling and final instructions we were put into the sleds for competition. The whole reason for us doing this was to help get the Adaptive Bobsled event into the 2018 Paralympics!! Just to be invited to participate was such an honor, and I owe a big thank you for Matt Bailey for letting me know about this incredible opportunity!!
   Once strapped into the sled we were then pushed onto the track with butterflies abound in our stomach's!! After all eight runs were complete I'm very happy to say that not only did I survive but I had the fastest time for competition and came in first!!!! I was more focused on not wrecking, hitting my marks, and just arriving alive with the sled upright, than thinking about winning the competition. Then once the run was over I finally stopped focusing on the track to look up to see the score board read number 8 sled 46.3, 60.2 miles per hour 1ST place!!! Then reality set in that I had not only arrived alive but I had actually won the competition!!!
    To be a member of the USABSA adaptive bobsled team has been such a thrill and I'm not sure where it will take me, but I hope I at least have had a contribution to making it a Paralympic sport! A special thanks goes out to Dave Nicholls and Twila Victory for doing all you have done to make this an official Paralympic event!!!   

United States Adaptive Bobsled Team member!!!!!

 

Excited to be able to try!!

 

 

                  It all started with a call from a buddy Matt Bailey! Matt got a call to come up to Park City to try out for the United States Adaptive Bobsled Team. Matt knew I lived in Utah and spoke with the directors and they were looking for volunteers to do some bobsledding  with the hopes of getting it to be an official Paralympic sport! Matt called me immediately and asked me if I wanted to try out? I said Matt.......you know I'm 49 years young don't you? And he said, "yep and that's why I knew you would do it cause your almost as crazy as me and I'm 54!!" (I'm not close to being as crazy as Pinky the wildman Bailey!) He's also planning to do the Skeleton this coming week as well!! We go to school on Monday the 20th and then we slide Tuesday Wednesday Thursday and Friday, then race for medals on Saturday!!!!! Just to have a chance to possibly put this sport into the Paralympics and being a member of the pioneer team is such an honor!!! Speeds of around 70 miles an hour in a rocket going down an icy track does seem scary but I'm up for the challenge!! Since being in the chair I have gotten to do some really fun things and this will be at the top of the list! Dave Nicholls is the man that made that phone call to Matt and Dave himself is a quadriplegic who has piloted one of these bobsleds down the track! Dave is eager to get the the U.S. Adaptive Paralympic Bobsled Team into the 2018 Paralympics and with his drive and determination it will happen! I'm just proud and honored to be asked to help with this incredible endeavor and hope I'm able to fulfill his dream of getting the Adaptive Bobsled Team into the 2018 Paralympics! Wish me luck gang!!!