William Stieler
2005 Hall of Fame Inductee

An opportunity to learn a new recreation sport that would enable him to spend more time with his family is what Bill Stieler was interested in when he decided to travel to Colorado to attend a new program offering ski instruction for leg amputees.

Bill Stieler is a disabled veteran of World War II who is an above-the-knee amputee. After learning threetrack skiing and ski racing in Winter Park, Colorado, he was inspired and then worked diligently with a small group of friends to create similar clinics throughout Michigan and Ohio where amputees could learnto downhill ski. The friends also thought it would be beneficial for people with disabilities to create an organization that would continue their work in the community of organizing adaptive sports clinics.

Beginning in 1972 and running for 15 years, Stieler helped organize a group of volunteers and coordinated cooperation from local ski areas and media outlets throughout the Midwest. He then continuously reached out to people with disabilities of all ages to try to engage them in some form of recreational activity in order to motivate them to embrace life and share it with their able-bodied counterparts.

In 1976, Bill wrote and published a 144 page book entitled, Kick the Handicap: Learn to Ski, which explained the sport and helped direct attention to various sports programs for the disabled that were blossoming across the United States and Canada. The book was free of charge and Bill distributed the text throughout the United States and Canada, England, New Zealand, and Switzerland.

In 1986, Bill retired from skiing at the age of 70 but was able to help coordinate the combination of two programs which have since become known as Michigan Adaptive Sports. The Stieler Cup, which is on permanent display in the Ski Hall of Fame in Ishpeming, is awarded annually to the top men's three-track skier in competition sanctioned by Michigan Adaptive Sports.

Bill now resides in North Fort Meyers, Florida with his wife, Ginny. He continues to be very involved in the community including the Railroad Museum of South Florida and the local VFW chapter.

Congratulations Bill!