With each new grant cycle, we find ourselves looking back at past goals that Athletes had set and get an incredibly proud feeling. Athletes tend to set goals for themselves that are far from easy, but they rise to the occasion. They should feel very proud of the goals they set and were able to accomplish. We give them the platform to write down their goal. Other than that, it is almost exclusively on them to complete the goal.
We wanted to highlight the individuals who were able to conquer their challenges and complete their most recent belt goals. Although every single goal is incredibly important to us, we felt these three goals deserved more explanation and context.
Name: Nicole Palladino
Goal: Tackle a moderate bike trail with some incline/declines and wicked views in the mountains
Completion Date: June 2022
I played competitive soccer my whole life. Played at a varsity level here in Canada. I grew up close to the Rockies that playing in the mountains was a favourite past time. I LOVED to run. Any casual sport – you name it I’d play it. Getting out on the bike helps me stay connected to that part of me. Riding the bike means playing outside again. Means getting active again, and even more importantly means doing it (and keeping up with!!!!!) others.
Getting out riding bridges the gap in my life from longing for what I used to do to ENJOYING what I get to do, because for that ride – it all feels one in the same.
– Nicole Palladino
High Fives Athlete #407
Name: Kasey Aiello
Goal: Do a guided meditation and/or stretches every day for 100 days straight.
Completion Date: June 19,2022
100 days of listening to guided meditations has helped me slow down and just be present. My awareness and calm follows me throughout the day and is challenged on those hard days. I am grateful for this time with myself.
-Kasey Aiello
High Fives Athlete #228
Name: Jordan Koeninger
Goal 1: Access the surf independently, or with help of whoever is around. I.E. I have a beach chair I can push down to water myself, while someone carries my surfski.
Goal 2: Compete in adaptive surf comp
No wheelchair necessary! Face first, always overhead! Catching swell makes the push on land a breeze! Surf Ohana for life!! Forever Grateful to the HI5’s family 🤟
– Jordan Koeninger
High Fives Athlete #369
Every completed and uncompleted goal is important to us. Below are all goals recently completed by Athletes.
Way to go Athletes!
Hardie Kressler – I would like to become fully independent in the next 12 months.
Joshua Poore – Get out and ride a bike on trails!
Alina Petrik – Paraglide.
George Gonzalez – To be able to go from a sitting position to a standing position from my wheelchair with a walker.
Candy Dungan – I wanna be able to sit down/stand up from my couch using just my walker and ankle braces
Peter Park – Exercise 6 times a week
Hunter Pinke – Compete in a competitive wheelchair race at the collegiate/professional level.
Taylor Fiddyment – My goal is FLOOR TRANSFERS – phew! To be more specific, I want to be able to do a floor transfer independently.
High Fives x Arcade Belt Goal Program
The Arcade Belt Program
The Arcade Belt Program was put in place to provide our athletes with a system for setting goals.
