Spencer Wood is a Para alpine skier from Pittsfield who's in the midst of competing in his third Paralympic Winter Games. He's the only Vermont athlete competing in the games this year.
Shortly after arriving in Italy, Wood spoke with The Sports Rapport's Nathaniel Wilson about his background, and he offered some advice for people who may be tuning into their first Paralympic Winter Games this month.
This interview was produced for video. We highly recommend watching.
Wood on his background and how he got into ski racing
"I was born with a disability. I had a stroke in utero, and I was moderately affected. I didn't really know much about my disability until I was 10 years old, but I started racing at 5, and grew up skiing, and my parents were ski instructors. My grandparents were ski instructors, and I went to a ski academy in Killington.
I always just raced able-bodied, until I was a junior in high school at the Killington Mountain School, and one of my parents was like, 'You know what? You should give Para a try. You have the ability to register, you should give it a try.' And I did, and it completely changed my life for the better, and I have really improved my thinking towards the sport and my general outcome in life."
Wood on the sports he played as a child
"Lacrosse is my true love. It is such a fantastic sport to watch and to play. Yeah, it's a good time. I grew up playing soccer as well and swim team. Those two I really struggled with because my right ankle is very stiff. It's considered what they say, a dropped foot, so I don't get a lot of movement. So when I was running or trying to kick a soccer ball, I just didn't have that motor control I was looking for. Same thing with kicking in a swimming pool kind of stunk. But lacrosse — because there's so much hand-eye coordination — I really found my calling in that. It was a lot of fun."
Wood on his hometown of Pittsfield
"I grew up there. I inherited that home with my sister three years ago from our late mother, and my dad lives over in Woodstock. I love where I live. I love Pittsfield. Shout out to Pitt-Stop. Joyce and Roger Stevens, thank you guys for all the sandwiches and feeding me all those years, you guys are awesome.
We have such a wonderful community there of people who care about one another. All my neighbors have been there my whole life and are willing to help at the drop of a hat. My fiancé lives there with me. We have two dogs and three cats, and it's just good old fashioned Vermont living. [I] drive a John Deere and move snow, and it's a good time. I really enjoy doing all the Vermont living."
"If you've been a lifelong skier and you really want to see what a ski can do, you really ought to watch men's mono downhill."Spencer Wood, Para alpine skier
Wood's advice for first-time viewers of the Winter Paralympic Games
"Paralympic alpine skiing is a fantastic sport. If you've been a lifelong skier and you really want to see what a ski can do, you really ought to watch men's mono downhill. They're on one ski and they're putting twice the amount of force into one ski, and you have no idea what a ski can do until you see them do it, and they make it look so good, and it's just fantastic to watch from a viewing standpoint.
Yeah, got a lot of good teammates over here, and we're pretty stacked, and excited to see what the competition lines up."
