In a situation that would have caused many other athletes to retire, Katie Mawby did the opposite - she decided to try something new.

Before Mawby lost her sight at the age of 15, she enjoyed recreational water skiing. Afterwards, she turned to competitive water skiing, and tried the unconventional - she started ski jumping. She has been a member of the U.S. Disabled Water Ski Team since 1989, and has set several world records in three events - slalom, trick, and jump - since 1995.

Katie's honors include being named WSDA Female Athlete of the Year, ESPN Athlete of the Week, and induction in the Rockford (Michigan) Athletic Hall of Fame, among others.

In addition to water skiing, Mawby likes to hit the slopes, and holds two snow-ski gold medals in both slalom and giant slalom. She was invited to the Winter Olympics in Calgary as an exhibition skier.

Katie's dedication to her sport is rivaled by her dedication to the community. She works as a volunteer physical therapist at St. Mary's Heartside Clinic, a clinic for homeless people in Grand Rapids, and is an outreach speaker for the Leader Dogs for the Blind. Katie also serves as a member of the Diocesan Advisory Council in the Catholic Dioceses of Grand Rapids, and is a member of the Baker College of Muskegon Advisory Board.