WINTER PARK, Colo. — Dorian Morgan was 11 or 12 years old the first time he strapped into an adaptive ski setup and flew down a mountain in Winter Park. For a kid who uses a wheelchair full time, it was a revelation.
"His first experience was skiing in Winter Park with NSCD. He loved it. He got to go fast, which was amazing because as a wheelchair user, he doesn't get to stand up and run around. But he just flew down the hill with the instructors, and that was just phenomenal for him," his mother, Kelli Morgan, said.
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Dorian had a brain tumor and a stroke at the age of 5. He is cancer-free now, but the stroke left him with significant motor difficulties and reliant on a wheelchair. Before finding the National Sports Center for the Disabled, his mother watched him get left behind as his peers moved on to the sports and activities kids his age were enjoying.
"It was really difficult seeing the rest of his friends move on doing sports, all kinds of stuff that they were loving to do, and it didn't seem like Dorian could participate with them," Morgan said.
That first ski trip changed everything. Three years ago, the Morgan family got involved with NSCD, and Dorian hasn't stopped since. He has done rock climbing, archery, bike riding, adventure camp and water camp. His current favorite is whitewater rafting and paddleboarding.
"We went from thinking that we weren't capable of going out, having fun in sports as a family, and now we go out and do all sorts of things," Morgan said.
Morgan has since become a volunteer with the organization, helping other families discover the same possibilities her family found.
The National Sports Center for the Disabled is the oldest adaptive sports program in the country, with 56 years of history. It began in Winter Park, Colorado, as a ski program to help children with amputations get on the slopes. Today, it operates year-round across Colorado's Front Range and mountain communities, serving everyone from youth to adults.
NSCD runs its Front Range programs out of a facility at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds, where school buses bring students for on-site programming that includes adaptive mountain bikes, adaptive cycles, an adaptive climbing wall, archery, kayaking and paddleboarding.
The organization also partners with Jefferson County, Aurora Public Schools and Denver Public Schools, serving more than 531 students annually. Of the roughly 2,000 individuals NSCD serves each year, more than 1,300 are youth.
Julie Taulman, president and CEO of NSCD, said the impact of adaptive sports goes well beyond physical activity.
"What we've found is that youth that get involved in adaptive sports, it builds their self confidence, it builds their independence, it helps with socialization," Taulman said.
Taulman knows the mission personally. Her son, who has a spinal cord injury, started in the NSCD ski program around age 6 and has gone on to become a Paralympic athlete.
"They don't have to go on to be a paralympian," Taulman said. "They might just want to be able to go on the weekends and go play tennis or go kayaking with their family members."
Close to 86% of NSCD's funding comes from private donations, grants, special events and private foundations. The Colorado Youth Sports Giving Day, now in its third year, has become a significant new funding source for the organization. NSCD has raised more than $200,000 through the giving day over the past three years.
The event is organized by the Daniels Fund, one of the largest foundations in the Rocky Mountain region. Hanna Skandera Grady, president and CEO of the Daniels Fund, said the giving day exists because youth sports do more than keep kids active.
"We invest in youth sports because we believe that they're not just about playing sports and having fun, but they really are shaping the next generation when it comes to grit, determination, perseverance. How do you win? How do you lose? How do you play on a team?" Skandera Grady said.
More than 300 sports nonprofits across Colorado benefit from the giving day, including NSCD. The Daniels Fund matched the first $1 million donated dollar for dollar, and donations beyond that threshold receive a percentage boost.
"Give your $5, and you know what? It'll grow because it's going to get a boost from this youth sports giving day. So, your dollars go way farther right now than they would any other time of the year to serving kids and giving them opportunities," Skandera Grady said.
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