Northeast Passage, in cooperation with the University of New Hampshire, has
developed a unique opportunity for competitive athletes with disabilities
to train and attend college as student athletes. Students recruited
and accepted into the program will train and study along side UNH
NCAA athletes. Sports currently offered are sled hockey, alpine skiing
and cross country skiing. Recruits must demonstrate the academic ability
to attain admission to the University of New Hampshire and be currently
competing at a national or international level OR be at the top tier
of regional competition with potential to advance. Competitive scholarships
are available.
We view the center not only as a means to support and develop talented
athletes, but more importantly, as a way to motivate these athletes
to pursue a college degree. We believe that individuals with disabilities,
provided with the right tools and environment, can excel as athletes
and students without sacrificing one for the other.
Besides the development of elite athletes, our Athlete Development Center will create a culture of athletic development and excellence throughout New Hampshire and New England. This culture will be created using both disabled and non-disabled UNH student athletes to mentor junior disabled athletes through regular NEP events as well as at developmental sports camps.
Northeast Passage is involved with the US Paralympic Committee on the development of a Paralympic Academy program to generate interest in competitive sports for kids with physical disabilities across the country. The Academy Program is a grassroots program introducing competitive sports to kids from the ages of 12-18. This experience gives the participants an opportunity to gain knowledge of sports, try equipment and receive coaching from those with Olympic level experience.
University of New Hampshire Admissions
Athlete Development Scholarship Criteria
A
Few Past & Current Student Athletes:
Laurie Stephens, Tyler Walker and Taylor Chace all competed in the
2006 Paralympic Winter Games in Torino, Italy. All three are or were
University of New Hampshire students.
Taylor Chace, from Hampton Falls, NH, was a member of the USA Sled Hockey team that brought home a bronze medal in Torino. Taylor scored the game winning goal for team USA against Germany in the bronze-medal game. He also scored during the team’s game against Japan and put on an impressive showing throughout the 2006 sled hockey season.
In 2002, Taylor sustained a spinal cord injury during a hockey game with the New Hampshire Junior Monarchs. After months of rehabilitation and healing, Taylor was introduced to Northeast Passage and the sport of sled hockey. With his superior hockey skills and intense training regimen, Taylor made the Paralympic team on his first try. After deferring his studies at UNH to concentrate on the Paralympics, Taylor started at UNH in the fall of 2006.
Laurie Stephens is the world’s dominate women’s alpine mono-skier. The therapeutic recreation graduate won gold medals in the Downhill and Super G, and a silver medal in the Giant Slalom. En route to victory, Laurie flew down the Italian Alps—falling, recovering and still winning by a second in her first medal run.
Laurie, who was born with spina bifida, began skiing at age 12 at Loon Mountain with the New England Disabled Ski Team. She has been winning titles in the sit-ski division since 2003, and was the overall World Cup champion in 2005 and 2006. Besides being a world champion mono-skier, Laurie is also a record setting disabled swimmer. Laurie was elected Paralympian of the year by the US Olympic Committee and nominated for an ESPN Espy award in 2006.
Tyler Walker, from Franconia, NH, consistently placed in the top 20 in all of his alpine sit-skiing events in Torino. He placed an impressive 6th in Giant Slalom.
Born with lumbar sacral aegensis, Tyler has been involved with Northeast Passage since the age of six, and has skied with Loon Mountain and Waterville Valley’s adaptive ski programs. In 2005, Tyler won his first World Cup in the Giant Slalom. Tyler is a political science major at UNH.
Northeast Passage Elite Athlete Hall of Fame:
Northeast Passage has been involved with several elite athletes from New England
Ed Clark, USA Sled Hockey team, 1998 Nagano Japan Paralympics
Craig Gray, USA Nordic team, 1998 Nagano Japan Paralympics
Denise Roy, Tennis (Davis Cup equivalent)
Rory McCarthy, handcycled around the world
Doug Ewing, handcycled around the world
