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: Callaway Lewis

Goal: Return to Climbing at Stone Age and regain my climbing strength

Completion Date: January 2022

Climbing is a huge improvement from doing pullups on the trapeze in my hospital bed. I feel happy and strong that I am able to climb the walls, maybe even better than before. I am currently working on a 10c and an 11b. Climbing is empowering to me!

Name: Katie Combaluzier

Goal: Top 5 finish at a world cup sit ski event

Completion Date: Winter 2022

2022 World Para Snow Sports Championships – super combined – 2nd

2022 World Para Snow Sports Championships – giant slalom – 2nd

2022 World Para Snow Sports Championships – downhill – 3rd

When I received my grant from high fives I set myself a goal of placing top 5 in an World Cup sit ski race. I didn’t just place top 5, i had 5 World Cup and world championships podiums. It feels amazing to see my self not only achieving my goals but absolutely crushing them. It makes me hungry for more and drives me to keep pushing myself. Goals are an awesome way to gauge my progress and see my hard work pay off.

Name: Colin Cook

Goal: Push my surfing in competition and in bigger waves

Completion Date:

January 2022

I remember getting out of the hospital thinking my life was over, I didn’t know if I would be happy living if I couldn’t surf again. After my injury, it was my number 1 goal in life to stand up on a surfboard again and surf. Not kneel or lay on my stomach and ride a wave, I needed to stand up and surf the way I wanted to. For me to continue to push myself and my surfing is something that means a lot to me. With the support from High Five Foundation I’m able to do that and follow my passion!

Every completed and uncompleted goal is important to us. Below are all goals recently completed by Athletes.

Way to go Athletes!

Kendra Erhardt: Go hiking and travel internationally as a wheelchair user by the time I turn 30.

Nick Harris: Earn my associates degree in psychology 100% independently

Erik Johnson: 20 days snowboarding

David Tarro: To confidently transfer in the woods without assistance both to and from my hand-cycle and MTN-trike. The equipment upgrades this grant provided will improve my everyday chair in ways that create a stable and secure base for me to transfer from and back into on unstable and unpredictable surfaces.

Olivia Tonti: Catch big air on the mono

David Sagal: 25 days skiing

Rod Alavi: The goal is to loosen my tone/spasticty /manage it to enable me to start doing outdoor sports.

Andrew Kurka: Achieve consistent medals on the Word Cup circuit.