Trinity Tratch
Trinity Tratch is living proof that there are no limits to determination.
Tratch, a 19-year-old double leg amputee, is now a multisport Paralympic athlete and works three jobs — as ski coach for Alberta Alpine, as cashier at Superstore and in a warehouse
“Between working 20 hours a week and 30 hours a week, I don’t get much time to recover,” said Tratch.
At just a few months old, his father began taking him to the pool. He was able to swim at the age of three.
At the age of five, Tratch began skiing and by the age of nine was paired with a new instructor who encouraged him to take off one of his prosthetic legs. Eventually, he became competitive skiing on just one leg.
He has competed across the country. In 2011 and 2015, Tratch competed in the Canada Games as well as two national championships.
Four years ago, Tratch began training in kayaking to prepare for ski competitions. A day after trying out a kayak for the first time, he entered a race for the sole purpose of increasing the number of competitors. He finished third to win bronze.
The junior counsellor with the War Amps has helped kids realize that, “sure you’re a leg amputee or arm amputee but that does not stop you from doing something.”
He has plans to compete in the 2020 and 2024 Paralympic Games. Eventually, he would like to become a coach so he can give back to people the way his coaches gave to him.
“They really helped develop me as a person and athlete.”
And there isn’t a much better teaching tool than his own experience.
“I love sports, I love kayaking, I love skiing, I love pushing myself beyond my abilities, beyond my boundaries,” said Tratch.
“Sometimes it does lead to injuries, but that’s where you learn what your max is — you heal, you come back and know that’s where your limit is, so you stick to it.”