How Massachusetts snowboarder Jackie Hamwey prepped for her Paralympic debut

Massachusetts snowboarder Jackie Hamwey is making her Paralympic debut this weekend for Team USA.

Hamwey grew up in Greater Boston, playing sports throughout her life. She heads to the Games a decade after a boating accident on Cape Cod required the amputation of her right leg from the knee down. She’ll be competing in snowboard cross and banked slalom this weekend and next week.

Hamwey spoke from Milan with WBUR All Things Considered host Lisa Mullins about preparing for the Games and what her goals are for the competition.

Below are highlights from their conversation, which have been lightly edited.

It takes a lot of work for any athlete competing at the [Paralympic] level. Describe when you say ‘it took so much work.’

“You know, waking up at 5:00 a.m., going to training, training every day, on and off the snow, and just also the mental aspect of it as well … There's just a lot that goes into competing and what I do and the time that it takes to get to where I am right now.”

And when you talk about the mental aspect of it, is that any different because you're a Paralympian, a para athlete? It seems like it would be very similar, I would think, to somebody who's completely able-bodied. For you, is it different?

“It is different. I think sometimes emotions can run deeper because we're dealing with so many different variables. There's some days I'll wake up and my body is just tired, and that's from my disability.”

So you had an amputation of your right leg below the knee. And it's kind of unimaginable how you would go from that to 10 years later competing in the [Paralympics]. We should say that you were a pretty good athlete before this accident happened.

“I was. I grew up playing ice hockey, softball, lacrosse. I was always an athlete, always part of a team … I went to Lincoln Sudbury High School, where I played multiple sports varsity-level, and very competitive.”

How did you choose snowboarding?

“I grew up snowboarding. I've been snowboarding since I was 13. It's funny, I was never really that good at it. And you know, now after my accident, I'm actually a better snowboarder now than I was with two legs.”

How could that be? 

“You know, I think it's honestly dedication. I think I took this very seriously when I decided to compete, I said, you know, ‘it's all or nothing. I'm going to give it a hundred percent effort.’

“And that's what I did, and I've just been training so hard that I've kind of exceeded my expectations of myself.”

Did you ever entertain thoughts of being in the Olympics before you became a para athlete, before you lost part of your leg?

“I didn't. I just did it for fun and never thought that I could compete at this level.”

So what changed? I mean, that's a huge leap to take. 

“My life changed, a tragedy happened and I turned my life around and I saw an opportunity to be able to push my body and push myself physically and mentally, and I took it. And I am so happy that I did.”

Is it true that you have a specially designed snowboarding leg? Can you describe it and tell us why you need it? 

“Yeah, so it’s called a Versafoot … Mike Schultz, one of my teammates, actually designed it. And basically it has all these different settings to be able to absorb impact when you're going off of jumps, to be able to flex the ankle.

“It makes it so much easier to snowboard because if you could imagine if you just used a regular prosthetic that has an ankle that doesn't move, you're not getting flexion and the movement that you need to be able to perform at this level.”

And do you have a personal goal? 

“I think my personal goal is to keep snowboarding,that I don't want this to be my last Games, and just to push my limits and see where I can take this sport. I feel like I've only just scratched the surface of my potential. I just want to keep reaching for the sky.”

And when you're competing and reaching for the sky, are you going to have friends and family around Boston gathering to watch you? 

“Oh yeah. I have like 12 family members and friends coming to see me [in Italy]. They've already made funny posters. …

“I think there's some fan parties that are happening. Some old neighbors are getting together, and I guess I just feel very lucky to have such amazing people in my life to support me.”