- Andrew Kurka | Interview with Sally Francklyn
The Winter Empowerment Fund is a program service of the High Fives Non-Profit Foundation that provides support for alternative healing and therapies, rehabilitative and adaptive equipment to athletes that suffer a life altering injury while pursuing a dream in the winter action sports community. Funds are allocated to assist disabled athletes in the recovery process and help achieve goals in the sports they love. Andrew Kurka and Sally Francklyn are both grant recipients of the Winter Empowerment Fund. Recently, Sally interviewed Andrew…
His name is Andrew Kurka, but he goes by AK. More importantly, he plans on competing in the Sochi Olympics. At the age of 13, he suffered a spinal cord injury, which could have changed everything. But it didn’t: his plans haven’t changed. He still will compete as an athlete, growing his sport, and raising his ranking as a skier. We caught up with him to find out just how he does it.
(Sally Francklyn): Who are you, as an athlete?
(Andrew Kurka): I see myself as someone who consistently accepts challenges, sets goals, and I do my best to achieve them.
(SF): How has this injury changed your perspective on life?
(AK): It’s helped me to look at the little things in life and understand different perspectives.
(AK): I’m able to see inspiration in little things in life and find that there’s a way to do just about anything- it just might take more time, and it might be completely different. But it’s all in the way you look at it.
(SF): What are your future goals?
(AK): My goals in life are pretty simple: try my hardest and do my best. I try to set short-term goals, and long-term goals. That way, success is reachable in the here-and-now. My long-term goals are to raise my world ranking (for skiing) and of course, do what it takes for a gold medal in Sochi.
(SF): What makes you happy, now?
(AK): The same things still make me happy: sports, competition, helping others, family…but how I do it has changed. It’s all in the perspective.
(SF): How has High Fives Foundation positively affected your life?
(AK): Helping to give me everything I need to achieve my goals. It would really be difficult if I didn’t have them backing me up. I’m just hoping to be a good representative and give back how I can.
(SF): What are your respective goals, in the winter action sports community and life?
(AK): I hope to help as many people as I can, and make a difference in my sport- hopefully expanding it. In my life, I’m starting to invest, and I hope to be making consistent money while I ski and before I retire.
Learn more about the interviewer, Sally Francklyn here. Thanks Sally!
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- Jasmin Bambur | Interview with Sally Francklyn
The Winter Empowerment Fund is a program service of the High Fives Non-Profit Foundation that provides support for alternative healing and therapies, rehabilitative and adaptive equipment to athletes that suffer a life altering injury while pursuing a dream in the winter action sports community. Funds are allocated to assist disabled athletes in the recovery process and help achieve goals in the sports they love. Jasmin Bambur and Sally Francklyn are both grant recipients of the Winter Empowerment Fund. Recently, Sally interviewed Jasmin…
When you think of exercise, you usually go out and, well, exercise. But you can also see athletes compete, which should motivate you. That’s where Jasmin Bambur comes in. His back was injured in 2000, but that hasn’t changed his life now. The Sochi Olympics will be his second time competing, and he still takes it seriously. He plans on sit-skiing in Super G and Downhill, but he’s recently improved at racing Slalom. We caught up with him to find out how his life has changed, and what his plans for competing in the Olympics are.
(Sally Francklyn): Who are you, as an athlete?
(Jasmin Bambur): As an athlete, I “stand” for dedication and excellence. I have been a professional athlete most of my life. I started playing Team Handball professionally at the age of 16 and ever since my passion has been for sports. I took a little break after an automobile accident that left me paralyzed from the waist down, but I was back in sports after one year. It is one thing to play sports, but completely different when you are a professional athlete dedicating everything you have to be the best that you can be. I hate to lose and this is why I always train harder than all of my competitors. I also believe that competing with integrity plays a big role in being a great athlete.
(SF): Do you know what run you will do at the Sochi Olympics?
(JB): I am hoping to race in the Super G and Downhill. However, it is up to my coaches to decide the line up before the games. I will give 100%, no matter which event I compete in. Recently, my Slalom has been improving tremendously, so I would not pass up the opportunity to race Slalom as well.
(SF): I noticed that you race around the world. What has been your favorite place?
(JB): My favorite place to race is La Molina, Spain. My first year of racing, I got on the podium at Europa Cup Finals at La Molina. That was my first medal. I also love to race and my home mountain is Winter Park, Colorado. My most favorite place to free ski is Jackon Hole, Wyoming. It is always steep and deep! My favorite places to ski and party are in Kopaonik, Serbia and KitzBuhel, Austria.
(SF): The Sochi Olympics will be your second time racing at the Olympics. What was your first?
(JB): My first time competing at the Paralympics Games was in Vancouver, Canada. My best result was 9th place in downhill. I was so overwhelmed by the magnitude of the moment. For me, just being able to race in the Paralympics was a great achievement.
Going in to Sochi is a whole different ballgame. I believe that I have a great chance of winning a medal this time while representing USA. Our team of coaches and staff are doing an excellent job in prepping us for success in Sochi. We started training in June in Mt. Hood, Oregon. I currently train five days a week, two times a day either in the gym or on the slopes. I have worked for the last four years for the opportunity to race for gold in the Paralympics and I will do anything in my power to achieve that.
(SF): How has the High Fives Foundation has positively affected your life?
(JB): The High Fives Foundation helped ease the financial burden of being a Paralympic athlete. In order to preform at the highest level, we have to train all the time. I spend eight hours a day training in Winter Park. After that, I usually pick up my kids and go home. Knowing that an organization like High Fives Foundation is supporting me and my family, clears my mind and allows me to concentrate on ski racing. I believe that the High Fives Foundation has contributed a great deal to my success.
(SF): What are your respective goals (in the winter action sports community and life)?
(JB): My goals in winter action sports are to win a medal at the 2014 Paralympic Games and a crystal globe at the world cup race. My goal in life is to set a positive example for newly injured people. When I first got injured, I had a hard time finding a role model or a person I could relate to. I was fortunate to finally find good people to lead me in the right direction. My positive attitude, commitments to sports, and how I live my life are examples that life in a wheelchair is possible. It also can be a great life. With a positive support system and community involvement, we all can create a better place for everybody.
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- High Fives Athlete Landon McGauley
The Winter Empowerment Fund is a program service of the High Fives Non-Profit Foundation that provides support for alternative healing and therapies, rehabilitative and adaptive equipment to athletes that suffer a life altering injury while pursuing a dream in the winter action sports community. Funds are allocated to assist disabled athletes in the recovery process and help achieve goals in the sports they love. Landon McGauley and Sally Francklyn are both grant recipients of the Winter Empowerment Fund. Recently, Sally interviewed Landon…
Landon McGauley had a mountain biking accident in 2010, so he is one of High Five’s Winter Empowerment Athletes, but he doesn’t let his injury affect his outlook. While he doesn’t plan on competing in the Sochi Paralympics, Paralympics are still in his plans. We found out his upcoming goals for skiing, and his overall perspective.
(Sally Francklyn): Who are you, as an athlete?
(Landon McGauley): I am 18 years old, and ski everyday I can. I work hard on off-season and off-snow training to stay in the best shape for races. The reason I’m different than most 18 year old skiers is that I am doing it all in a sit-ski, due to a spinal cord injury that I suffered in 2010 on my mountain bike.
(SF): Do you plan on skiing in the Sochi Paralympics?
(LM): I would love to ski in the 2014 Paralympics! However, I still have a bit of work to do before I am at the Olympic level. It is definitely a goal that I am actively striving for, but I’m just not ready for the upcoming Paralympics in 2014.
(SF): How has High Fives Foundation positively affected your life?
(LM): There isn’t enough time in the day for me to be able to completely explain how beneficially High Fives has affected my life. I first met with them when I was flown to Tahoe. Since the first meeting, they haven’t stopped or slowed down the support they’ve given me. Because of High Fives Foundation, I completely believe that I am much farther ahead in my emotional, physical and spiritual health then I would be without them. I go out skiing, and feel completely free because they chose to donate sit-ski specific lessons and a sit-ski to help with my recovery and to get me doing something I loved so much before my injury. That’s only one of the many ways they’ve positively affected my life.
(SF): What makes you the happiest?
(LM): I feel happiest when I am skiing. As soon as I get in my sit-ski, I don’t feel any different from anyone else on the mountain- I can go anywhere. The feeling of scaring yourself and pushing your own limits is the coolest thing I think you can do on skis. Whether it’s on the race course, in the park or anywhere on the mountain, skiing is the best feeling.
(SF): What are your goals-in the winter action sports community and life?
(LM): I really want to make it to the Olympics, and I’ll hopefully have some success at such an elite stage. I just always want to keep skiing and keep having such an amazing time with all the great people I’ve met through the winter sport community- I’m lucky enough to call them my friends. I want to be able to somehow return some of the positivity and stoke that High Fives has given me.
