Some students at Central Oregon Community College enjoy heading up to the mountains on the weekends or after classes to experience some of the winter sports Central Oregon is notorious for. For this particular student, additional challenges do not stop him from doing the same.
Kenji Kumlin, a current student at COCC majoring in cyber security and networking, suffers from Cerebral Palsy as a result of birth complications. He has had little to no feeling in his legs for his whole life, but still finds a way to enjoy the winter activities Central Oregon has to offer.
This is Kumlin’s 10th season skiing, with his first being at only 8 years old. His skiing journey began when his parents saw Oregon Adaptive Sports employees helping another individual in and out of a sit ski and they were immediately interested. They got in contact with OAS and he has been skiing with them ever since.
When Kumlin first started skiing, he started with what is called bucketing, with a biski. This is where an instructor controls the speed and steering from the back of the sit ski. From there, he had the knowledge base to begin learning how to ski on his own. He now uses a high performance monoski called The Hydra, which is the same model that is used in the Paralympics.
Adaptive skiing comes with a lot of challenges, both physically and mentally. Controlling a monoski requires a lot of upper body strength since you have to steer using your arms, rather than legs. Kumlin works year round to continue building strength so he can perform during ski season. He also recognized that the right mindset makes a big difference when skiing. “I’ve had moments where I’m like, I don’t want to ski anymore.” Kumlin stated. It is important to him to be in the right headspace when skiing, so he can remember why he started this sport in the first place. Skiing gives Kumlin the opportunity to feel free, in a life that otherwise feels very limited. He also noted that it is a very welcoming environment, and he never feels judged.
COCC’s proximity to Mt. Bachelor played a big role in Kumlin’s choice to move to Bend for college. He is now able to go up to the mountain every weekend and continue developing his skills. Kumlin’s story serves as an inspiration to everyone that with hard work and dedication, you can transform your dreams into accomplishments, no matter what obstacles lie in your way.
