The Combined Services Disabled Ski Team (CSDST) is a charitable organisation which helps to rehabilitate those serving and retired service personnel who have been injured during their military service, through the medium of Alpine Skiing. The team was started in early 2008 by Maj Ian Large, an ex-Combined Services Alpine Team Captain, who saw the potential for otherwise fit young men and women to enter the realm of adaptive skiing and ultimately for some of them to represent their country in the Winter Paralympics. Shortly thereafter he was joined by SSgt Mark Scorgie, another Combined Services Team skier, who became the team coach.

Adaptive Skiing was the initial discipline that triggered the BattleBack programme, set up by Lt Col Fred Hargreaves. BattleBack uses sport and adventurous activities to rehabilitate wounded servicemen and women, both during and after their time at Hedley Court. The specific purpose of BattleBack, which is completely mirrored by CSDST, is to show these extraordinary people what they can do and what they can achieve, rather than dwelling on those things that they are no longer able to do as a result of their injuries. Alpine Skiing is a superb medium by which to achieve this, as the majority of the locomotive effort is provided by gravity and even severely disabled people can participate through the use of a wide variety of adaptive equipment.

CSDST’s aim is to improve the individual skill of every disabled skier through high quality coaching. This process encourages and promotes the raw talent of near beginners, introduces those who show promise to the world of ski racing and provides high level performance coaching up to International level for the more advanced skiers.

CSDST's goal is to feed athletes into the British Disabled Ski Team (BDST) at the appropriate moment; with the ultimate target of participation in Paralympic events.

Please look around this site to read about the background to some of our athletes, hear about their achievements and aspirations, and, if you wish, make a contribution towards their goals. Please feel free to contact the staff as indicated; we would be delighted to provide any further information that you need. All of the athletes are exceptional young men and women and, having given so much in the service of their country, anything that you can do to help them achieve their aspirations will be exceptionally well received.

Thank you for visiting CSDST!