Biography

Vital Statistics         

Birth Date:  May 16, 1967                Birth place:  El Monte, California

Current Residence:                           Los Banos, CA

Height: 5'8"                                       Weight: 148 lbs (on a good day!)

Occupation :                                     Police/Fire Dispatcher

Began Skiing:  18                               Began Competing:  32

Events:    Slalom, Tricks, and hope to add Jump 

Division:  Womens Arm Amputee (without prosthesis) Injured at age of 12.

Sponsors:  Challenged Athletes Foundation, Los Banos Police Officers Association, Red Bull, private donations

Hobbies:  WaterSkiing

Career Highlights

• 2003 National Slalom Champion
• 2003 National Tricks Champion
• 2002 National Slalom Champion
• 2002 National Tricks Champion
• Photo coverage The Water Skier, October 2001
• 2001 National Slalom Champion 
• 2001 National Tricks Champion 
• 2001 Regional Slalom Champion
• 2001 Regional Tricks Champion
• 2000 Recipient of the prestigious Royce Andes Award  
• 2000 National Slalom Champion
• 2000 National Tricks Champion
• 2000 Regional Slalom Champion
• 2000 Regional Tricks Champion
• Volunteer at Sober Grad night, a local event to keep high school graduates alive after the big graduation event

Best Performance:  Slalom:  2 1/2 @ 23mph  Jump:  Tried it  Trick: 200

Records:  None YET!

Ski Club Affiliation

TEAM KeNevA

Future Career Plans

Getting on the 2003 US TEAM

MOST FUN SKIING EXPERIENCE

The day at the 2001 Nationals when I skied my PB ( personal best)

People I look up to or who have helped me

Kent with his patience and skill and Neva with her wisdom and insight on life!  They believed in me even when I didn't.

The photo at the top really shows Ole Tamwella at her best. There she is at the US Nationals mixing and mingling with Jackie Stimpson, a British DisAbled WaterSkier. Ole Tamwella's thinking, "That's right, I like you and all, you're a really nice person . . . but I'm in training for the US TEAM in '03, and sister we're gonna ski the World Championship medals right off you Brits!  We're pals here and all, but once we're on the water . . . dude you're history, we're gonna whoop you like we did in 1776."

Ole Tamwella works at our local PD (Police Department), but she's always had attitude.  Don't get me wrong about attitude though, hers is awesome.  She's quick witted no doubt (working at the PD with lots of male cops she has to think fast) but she's just as kind hearted.  Ole Tamwella's not her real name, it's just a nickname that describes Two time, US National Slalom Champion Tammy Allard very well. 

She grew up in Muskogee, Oklahoma, "Hicksville" I suppose some might say. Tammy was a little upset because some classmates had names pronounced in English and in Spanish so she asked a friend how her name would be pronounced in Spanish.

"Tam wel la" (accent on the second syllable) was the response, a personalized licensed plate the result. That's just who she is, not going to be left out of life . . . so what if she's not Latino she can still have a name in two languages!  She's glad arm was amputated, otherwise she might have been prissy.  

(Tammy and fam at the 2001 Western Regional Championships, sorry about the bad lighting, like a skier I choose lake over lighting in the background:) 

Here's Tammy at her home pond, skiing in the moment.  Her family was shocked when she told them she was going to compete in a "disabled" sport, she's shunned anything labeled "disabled" since her accident.  But Coach Kent made an offer she couldn't refuse. . . he phoned her after returning the 1999 Worlds and told her the US TEAM needed her.  The US had no female arm amputees on the team.  He believed with his coaching and use of a private site she could be competitive, she could earn a medal. Within 1 month Tammy was on the water with a tenacity we haven't seen since we met Mark "ANIMAL" Turner. 

In September of 1999 Tammy couldn't get up on a single ski, she'd have to get up on two and kick one off.  (Can you imagine being towed out of the water on a single ski using only one arm?)  Anyway, with lots of practice time (we live in the same town, have a private ski pond, and Kent makes himself available to his skiers), a phenomenal attitude, and some community support Tammy not only learned to slalom ski (on the slalom course) but she also learned to trick ski and to jump! Jump wasn't her favorite event, but she's going after it again, this time with more experience, and confidence.    

It's just that attitude that has twice earned her bragging rights as the best female slalom skier in her division in the United States of America.  In her first year of competition skiing Tammy also earned the prestigious Royce Andes Award. (The award is more about who you are than what you do.)

There's Ole Tamwella at the 2001 Nationals with World Champion US TEAM Member Mark Hieftje and former US TEAM ('99) Member Craig Miller at the '01 Nationals Awards banquet.  Craig wasn't selected for the '01 Team but he'd made such great friends at World events he paid his own way to the '01 Worlds in Australia . . . and was selected mascot by the AUSSIE Team., (click here for a great photo of him in mascot costume on US TEAM Member Kerri McMurtry's page.

Like most skiers Ole Tamwella was skiing a whole lot better on her home pond than in competition. (Our favorite Colorado chick, Lanette Smith, really defines slalom skiing on our Feedback page.)  But this year (2001 Nationals) Tammy  was determined, she had skiing on her brain, on and off the water.  Ole Tamwella had her moment . . . she skied a personal best (that means best waterSki performance ever in her life); skiers, officials, family, friends, everyone there erupted in celebration of Tammy's Moment:)

When not skiing Tammy works as a Dispatcher for the Los Banos Police Department.  She is Secretary of the Los Banos Police Officer's Association and works with the Gang Task Force.  Tammy has volunteered as a chaperone for our local Sober Grad night for the past two years.  She played on the Los Banos Women's Softball League (able bodied) from 1990 until she began to waterSki.

Here's a little tip for you in case you ever meet Ole Tamwella, watch what you say.  If someone asks if anyone (in the group) needs anything Tammy will say she could use a hand, (preferably a right one) she's missing one in case you hadn't noticed.  That twitterpates able bodied strangers, well it gets everyone.  Just before Halloween ('01) we bought Ole Tamwella a little gift we thought she'd appreciate, I mean she's always asking for it, and it's a right one!  Those who might think us meanspirited don't know Tamwella - she loved it! "Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it!  You should also be very specific too!"  A male skier at the Nationals challenged Ole Tamwella to a little arm wrestling match, she toyed with him a moment or two and then just drilled his hand onto the table.     

Remember her name and rejoice in her spirit.

This sister's 

going places!

Her goal is US TEAM Member 2003.

You may email Ole Tamwella by clicking on the icon