Competitor Category
The award in the competitor category recognizes one individual (an athlete or coach) in summer sports as well as one individual in winter sports who has been active in international competition. Race results, team participation, innovative coaching techniques, and event promotions are considered for this category.
The inductee on the winter competition side is Chris Young, Massachusetts. While serving in the US Coast Guard, Young was paralyzed in a plane crash in Alaska. He began adaptive skiing in 1986 and was named to the Disabled Ski Team in 1989. Young was a member of the national team for 28 years, before retiring in 2016.
Young is a five-time Paralympian, earning four medals. At the 1994 Winter Paralympics, he won a gold medal in slalom. He would win another gold medal at the 2002 Winter Paralympic Games in Super G, becoming the first Paralympic athlete to win gold in two different categories (Standing/Sitting). Overall, he has five World Club Globes and 27 World Cup podiums. Ski Racer Magazine named Young the 2003 and 2004 Disabled Skier of the Year.
Barbi Baum, Pennsylvania, is the 2023 Hall of Fame inductee in the summer competitor category. Baum’s love for adaptive sports began at the University of Illinois, where she earned her bachelor’s and master’s degree. She was president of the university’s disabled sports organization. She was one of the founding members of Three Rivers Adaptive Sports (1989) serving on the board since inception and as president since 2015. She helped start the waterski program over 30 years ago and has been organizing the annual learn to ski clinic ever since.
Baum competed in swimming and track in the 1980 Paralympic Games in Holland.
Contributor Category
Two awards are also presented in the contributor category, one for summer sports and another for winter sports. This award recognizes an individual who has made a significant contribution to the field, including innovative techniques, specialized equipment, program development, education or public relations.
The winter awardee in the contributor category is Chris Werhane, Colorado. Werhane has served thousands of individuals in skiing over two decades, traveling over 100 days per year to provide adaptive ski programs across the country and to train staff and volunteers. He also provides oversight and assistance in safety and risk management at many national adaptive ski events including the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic (WSC).
Werhane was named the 2013 Outstanding WSC Volunteer award as well as the 17th National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic Alpine Ski Instructor Extraordinaire.
Mark Grant, Arizona, was named to the Adaptive Sports Hall of Fame in the summer sports contributor category. Grant cofounded Mesa Association of Sports for the Disabled, known as Arizona Disabled Sports, in 1989. The organization has served youth, adults, and veterans with a variety of sports and recreation activities since its inception. He has served as Move United’s National Veteran Air Gun Outreach Series Coordinator since 2015.
