Date: Fri 25-Jun-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: JEFF

Quick Words:

Zeisler-water-ski-blind

Full Text:

Leaps Of Faith: The Visually Impaired Learn To Ski On Lake Zoar

(with photos)

BY JEFF WHITE

Eight-year-old Alex Snow needed the steadying hand of an instructor in the

waters of Lake Zoar Saturday morning, June 19. It was the youngster's first

time on water skis, and thanks to Joel Ziesler's Leaps of Faith Disabled Water

Skiing clinic, Alex got to his feet on his first attempt. He glided across the

water as a dock full of onlookers voiced their encouragement with animated

cheers. Alex has been blind since birth.

Alex and over a dozen other disabled enthusiasts had a section of Lake Zoar to

themselves on Saturday, and Mr Ziesler's lakefront lawn was the site of his

first Leaps of Faith clinic.

Mr Ziesler, who operates the Lake Zoar Water Ski Club, has been teaching blind

and other disabled athletes how to water ski for the last eight years. A

friend's suggestion was the impetus for Mr Ziesler to organize this clinic,

which charged $15 per person.

Soon after the initial suggestion, the news started floating around local

schools that there was an opportunity to learn how to water ski in Newtown.

That's how Michele "Mikki" Sady heard about Leaps of Faith. Mikki, a Bethel

high school freshman, is partially blind, but she jumped at the opportunity to

learn the sport, according to her mother, Krista Sady.

"We're thrilled to have this opportunity," Mrs Sady said. "The teachers here

are super encouraging."

Mr Ziesler had numerous helpers that made sure the day went along smoothly.

Some experienced volunteers drove the boats, while instructors waded into the

chilly lake with the children, keeping their buoyant bodies stable, and

helping them get to their feet.

Kids had the opportunity to learn the basics using a "boom boat," a boat with

a long metal rod jutting out from its side. The kids just hung on to the rod

while the boat propelled forward.

After mastering the feeling of floating on water, kids had the option of going

to the "long rope," the traditional method of water skiing. This proved

difficult for some, yet Alex was able to make two laps around the race course

while holding on to the 15-foot rope that linked him to the boat.

Two of the principal instructors were Al Golabek and Mark Hieftje, who are

top-ranked disabled water skiers. Mr Ziesler has worked with Mr Heiftje for

the last eight years, and with Mr Golabek for six years. Although much of

their training is focused on the World Disabled Water Skiing Championship in

London at the end of the summer, Leaps of Faith gave the two veterans an

opportunity to teach younger disabled skiers.

The skiing on the lake was not limited to visually impaired participants,

however. Many members of their families were also present, eager to give the

sport a try. Some put on life vests and slapped their feet inside water skis.

Others present were content to recline on Mr Ziesler's lawn and take in the

smells of the hot dogs and hamburgers that cooked on a grill. For children, if

water skiing was not on the agenda, enough fun was had sitting in shallow lake

water, awaiting the surging swells sent by a passing ski boat.

"Everyone seemed to love it," said Mr Ziesler of the clinic. "It came off like

a family party, where everyone was warm and together like one big family."

Because of the enthusiastic response to last weekend's clinic, Mr Ziesler is

hoping to start a "youth group" that will meet four times throughout the

summer. According to Mr Ziesler, during four days this summer, children will

come for half a day for more advanced instruction, since most were able to

master the basics last Saturday.

For some, the clinic might be a chance to finally get up on the skis. For

others, it will be an opportunity to cut across the lake a little faster. For

all, the clinic will allow water skiing to become that much more a part of

their lives.

It is for Mike Criarrow, an experienced, partially blind water skier. He

enthralled the lakeside crowd with his full repertoire of skills. He took on

Lake Zoar with standard skis. Then he dropped one ski, ripping across the

water on what is called a slalom ski. As the morning faded into early

afternoon, Mr Criarrow was still on the lake, this time on a disc the size of

a garbage can lid. Passing by the dock, he broke his concentration just long

enough to wave at the people on the shore.