Wheelchair User Conquers the Ski Slope: Robin on a Ski Trip in Mayrhofen
Taking a wheelchair user on a ski trip? Does that sound crazy?
The Steinmühle loves to be a little crazy! That’s exactly what we did.
Robin Richter, a student at Steinmühlen, does everything his classmates do. Well, almost everything. There was no way he was going to miss his grade’s upcoming ski trip. And so, all the necessary arrangements were made so that he could zoom down the slopes in Mayrhofen on a tandem ski.
“Testing the waters” in Winterberg
With great care and attention, we observed in advance how Robin performed while bi-skiing with his father in his hometown of Winterberg. Seeing that opened up new possibilities! Accompanied by his father Christian and a personal chaperone from Steinmühle, the tour bus set off for Mayrhofen, Austria, carrying our 8th-grade class and several supervising teachers. The group’s destination: our Gschößwandhaus, which has been a trusted choice for decades.
Down into the valley at high speed
While most of the teaching staff spent the day working on the entire group’s skiing skills—teaching the basics or refining their technique—Christian’s father and his instructor took turns gliding down the slope with Robin. Although “gliding” is only partly accurate. As various “evidence videos” show, the duo picked up an astonishing amount of speed on their descent and were easily able to keep up with many other skiers in terms of speed.
High praise for the Steinmühle team
Robin spent the evenings—and thus the social part of the mountain retreat—with his classmates. “Our son wasn’t just there; he was right in the thick of it,” recalls his father, Christian: “The safety and care he received allowed both him and me not only to participate in skiing with growing enthusiasm, but also to make noticeable progress. This means a great deal to both of us, and we are deeply grateful for this experience.” Addressed to Principal Björn Gemmer: “You can be proud to have such a dedicated and passionate faculty.”
“Trip to Expand Your Skills”
School athletic director Marcel Kalb summed it up: “This wasn’t just a recreational or fun trip, but rather an educational trip designed to develop physical and mental skills as well as social skills.”
Since Steinmühle is already home to an inclusive water sports center and a state training center for para-rowing, this event has once again underscored that all students are in the right place here with us—whether they get around on two legs or four wheels.
Angela Heinemann
