This is the beginner progression I wrote to help my new instructor candidates. I welcome feedback on it. Here are my sources and additional resources.
Safety, Fun and Learning
• Have fun! Get guests excited about skiing and develop comfort and belonging in our sport.
• Don’t just put beginner lesson tape in and hit play. Assessing movements and coaching starts right from the beginning of the lesson and goes until the end.
• Use terrain to create success. Avoid terrain that is too challenging or holds guests back from advancing at their own pace.
• Provide ample time practice and repetition. People learn 10% of what they hear, 40% of what they see, but 80% of what they do.
• Introduce and reinforce skiing responsibility and etiquette.
• Learn your guests’ names. They enjoy the personal attention and it makes it easier for you to teach.
Boot Exercises
Goal: Help guests become comfortable moving in their boots on snow. Build awareness of balancing movements and the muscles needed for rotary movements. Help the brain talk with the feet.
Terrain: Flat
Estimated Time: 15-20 minutes
Suggested activities:
• Running
• Jumping
• Hopping, hopping from foot to foot
• Figure 8s
• Sidestepping (feel sides of the boot)
• Duckwalk/Herringbone
• Stepping in circles (toes in, toes out)
• Boot arcs or bowties
Coaching Points:
• Our guests having been sitting or standing for hours. They sat in the car, waited in line for tickets, boots, skis and for lesson to begin. Don’t make them wait any more. Get them moving, laughing and having fun. You can explain things as you go.
• Asses guests athletic ability, energy level, balance and attitude (scared, happy, frustrated…) and coach accordingly.
• If you plan to use a movement with skis on, make sure you introduce it now.
Safety, Fun and Learning
• Have fun! Get guests excited about skiing and develop comfort and belonging in our sport.
• Don’t just put beginner lesson tape in and hit play. Assessing movements and coaching starts right from the beginning of the lesson and goes until the end.
• Use terrain to create success. Avoid terrain that is too challenging or holds guests back from advancing at their own pace.
• Provide ample time practice and repetition. People learn 10% of what they hear, 40% of what they see, but 80% of what they do.
• Introduce and reinforce skiing responsibility and etiquette.
• Learn your guests’ names. They enjoy the personal attention and it makes it easier for you to teach.
Boot Exercises
Goal: Help guests become comfortable moving in their boots on snow. Build awareness of balancing movements and the muscles needed for rotary movements. Help the brain talk with the feet.
Terrain: Flat
Estimated Time: 15-20 minutes
Suggested activities:
• Running
• Jumping
• Hopping, hopping from foot to foot
• Figure 8s
• Sidestepping (feel sides of the boot)
• Duckwalk/Herringbone
• Stepping in circles (toes in, toes out)
• Boot arcs or bowties
Coaching Points:
• Our guests having been sitting or standing for hours. They sat in the car, waited in line for tickets, boots, skis and for lesson to begin. Don’t make them wait any more. Get them moving, laughing and having fun. You can explain things as you go.
• Asses guests athletic ability, energy level, balance and attitude (scared, happy, frustrated…) and coach accordingly.
• If you plan to use a movement with skis on, make sure you introduce it now.
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