There’s snow stopping Lewis
College has brought out the best in young Asperger’s student
SRUC Ayr Campus part- time HNC Horticulture Student Lewis McDowall was diagnosed with Asperger’s at an early age.
Finding school life challenging, particularly the social aspects, Lewis found his peers and even staff were often less than supportive towards him and the characteristics of his condition.
However, since starting college in 2013, the 23- year- old has gone from strength to strength, finding students and staff at the Riverside Campus, friendly and encouraging, helping to boost his confidence and giving him the skills and knowledge to work part- time in garden design and landscaping.
As well as the close knit community on campus, Lewis is reaching for the stars with his budding snowboarding career, having recently been chosen for the Team GB Snowboarding Cross team. rally car driver. As a child and teen I enjoyed go- karting but had never skied.
I got snowboarding lessons for my birthday from an aunt and uncle for SnowFactor in Glasgow and continued to improve from there.
The first lesson was in a small group on the beginners slope which I really enjoyed, despite finding it a little tricky to stay balanced.
With lots of encouragement from family and staff Lewis progressed on to the big slope but not without incident.
On his first try he had an accident with one of the snowboard slope features and was left a little battered and bruised but he even more determined to practice and develop his control over the board at speed. It is split into women’s and men’s events. Snowboard cross is a type of snowboard race in which several competitors race down a custom- made course over various types of terrain and obstacles in a bid to be the first across the finish line.
The coloured bib structure determines which start gate position the racers kick off from and this is determined by the participants placing in the previous heat. Snow factor is preferable because of the real snow but also Bellahouston Park. It’s a dry slope but has the proper start gates to get real race practice starts. to lessons with lots of practice on speed and control on the snowboard cross course.
After several practice runs, Dan Gillings pulled me to one side and said “congratulations you have been selected for the Team GB home nations squad. I was over the moon.” Lots and lots of practice and I’m waiting to hear from Snow Sport Scotland to be included in the Team GB training programme which could lead to being selected for the Elite Squad that would be competing at World and International competitions. I really enjoy my Horticulture course and hope to progress into garden design and make a career. I want to focus on my snowboarding at the moment as well but the garden design will be there to fall back on.
I really want to inspire others with a learning disability; it shouldn’t hold you back, anything’s possible.
Thomas Bach, former Olympic champion said that sport could break down walls and help build bridges, I think that sums it up nicely.