Skiing opens doors for hearing-impaired students in SW China’s Sichuan

Xindu Special Education School, a school for children with disabilities in southwest China’s Sichuan Province, has trained a group of hearing-impaired students to become skiers, helping them to strengthen their self-confidence and pursue their dreams.

Coach Cao Jian (front) demonstrates moves as members of the ski team look on at a dry ski training facility in Xindu district, Chengdu, southwest China’s Sichuan Province, Feb. 25, 2022. (Xinhua/Wang Xi)

In November 2018, the special education school in Xindu district of Chengdu, capital city of Sichuan Province established a skiing team consisting of hearing-impaired students, the first of its kind in the province, thanks to the support from the disabled person’s association in the district.

In the beginning, when the students stood on the top of the beginners’ slope at a dry ski training facility in the district, no one dared to ski down the slope, recalled Cao Jian, the coach.

Cao encountered numerous difficulties when he first started trying to teach these hearing-impaired students.

“The most difficult thing was communicating with them. It’s difficult to explain many ski terms in sign language. So I had to interact with them through writing or demonstrating movements to them time after time,” Cao said.

Members of the ski team practice during a training session at a dry ski training facility in Xindu district, Chengdu, southwest China’s Sichuan Province, Feb. 25, 2022. (Xinhua/Wang Xi)

Cao introduced that he teaches skiing movements piece by piece. After writing down tips about a movement on a whiteboard, he will demonstrate the movement to one student until the student masters it. “After that, I let the student explain how to do it to other team members in sign language,” the coach said.

Cao gives sufficient time to the students for them to master each movement as they need more time compared with average students.

According to the coach, the students receive professional training at least three times a week after school and meet up for intensive training during holidays as well as winter and summer vacations.

Thanks to their hard work, many students began to win prizes at national competitions.

A member of the ski team named Hu Haitao practices during a training session at a dry ski training facility in Xindu district, Chengdu, southwest China’s Sichuan Province, Feb. 25, 2022. (Xinhua/Wang Xi)

In January 2019, four students from the ski team took part in the 10th National Games for Persons with Disabilities & the 7th National Special Olympics Games in Harbin city, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province. Three of them got to the finals for mini skiing, and a boy named Hu Haitao won the bronze medal in the 100m event.

At the 11th National Games for Persons with Disabilities held in Xi’an city, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province in 2021, Hu claimed two silver medals in mini skiing events.

“Skiing has helped these children strengthen their confidence,” said Zhao Xiaoling, principal of the special education school.

Coach Cao Jian (first on the left) provides instruction as members of the ski team learn skiing at a dry ski training facility in Xindu district, Chengdu, southwest China’s Sichuan Province, Feb. 25, 2022. (Xinhua/Wang Xi)

When Hu returned to the school after winning the bronze medal in Harbin, he shared his joy with his teachers and classmates by bringing them a big bag of snacks. Besides, he began to take the initiative to learn skiing knowledge online and noted that he would like to try snowboarding in the future.

Yang Changrong, who claimed second place in the 10-year age group at the 2021 Chengdu junior ski championships, shared her dream during a class. “I love skiing and want to compete like an Olympic champion,” she said.

Another member Xiang Huiyun, once a shy girl, now has become rather outgoing. On one occasion, she sent a message to the principal of the special education school, saying that she hopes that the school will be equipped with a basketball court as she also loves playing basketball.

Members of the ski team look on during a training session at a dry ski training facility in Xindu district, Chengdu, southwest China’s Sichuan Province, Feb. 25, 2022. (Xinhua/Wang Xi)