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Beginning instructor training



 
 
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  #1  
Old February 2nd 04, 02:49 PM
A.
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Default Beginning instructor training

Hi,

I'm a computer developer in my early 30's and have become a keen skier
over the last few years. I read about the BASI GAP course a year or
two ago and became very interested in it. I've recently returned from
a week in Soldeau and had a chat with my instructor about the course,
which he strongly recommended, albeit he thought it was an expensive
option!

The entry conditions specify having 16 weeks of previous skiing
experience - I would find it hard to accumulate this! I've been skiing
one week a year for about the last 6 or 7 years, mainly in Andorra.
Also, I'm only aware of one dry slope in Ireland - which I'm dubious
about the use of at my level. I usually take a week long ski school
and have been in the Level 4 classes in Arinsal and Soldeau for the
last couple of years. I can confidently ski reds and manage blacks (in
Andorra, don't know how these compare with Alps, etc.) - I say manage
because my linked short turns are very skidded and not very rythmic
(more linked hockey stops - effective but not too pretty).

I appreciate I've rambled a bit here and you can't really judge
someone's standard without actually seeing them on snow but I'd really
appreciate some feedback from people who've done this kind of thing
and their general standard when starting.Doing the 10 week course
would probably mean giving up a well paid job. Does anybody have any
opinions on this i.e. other courses they'd recommend, etc.

Thanks,
A.
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  #2  
Old February 2nd 04, 03:13 PM
Ian Spare
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Default Beginning instructor training

A. wrote:
I appreciate I've rambled a bit here and you can't really judge
someone's standard without actually seeing them on snow but I'd really
appreciate some feedback from people who've done this kind of thing
and their general standard when starting.Doing the 10 week course
would probably mean giving up a well paid job. Does anybody have any
opinions on this i.e. other courses they'd recommend, etc.


Get an expert opinion :-) Go ski with a trainer. There's links on the
Basi web site but http://www.theskicompany.co.uk/trainers/trainers.htm
come well recommended. There's individual trainers listed (I think) on
the Basi site.

You can read on the Basi site how it works but I'd have thought you want
to get out with a trainer, reassure yourself you're at a the right
standard and book in on the foundation course (as per the Basi site).
It's not a pass or fail course but you'd probably want to be at or near
a reasonable standard.

If you call Basi up you can order their manual although it's free when
you book a course anyway. Probably worth having in advance though.

Ian
  #3  
Old February 2nd 04, 03:26 PM
Ace
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Posts: n/a
Default Beginning instructor training

On 2 Feb 2004 06:49:28 -0800, (A.) wrote:

I appreciate I've rambled a bit here and you can't really judge
someone's standard without actually seeing them on snow but I'd really
appreciate some feedback from people who've done this kind of thing
and their general standard when starting.Doing the 10 week course
would probably mean giving up a well paid job. Does anybody have any
opinions on this i.e. other courses they'd recommend, etc.


As you seem to be unsure about the level, it might be worth your while
first going on a one-week public course run by the BASI trainers, so
they can give you absolute feedback about this.

I'd recommend
www.inspiredtoski.com or www.improveyourskiing.com. They
use to be a single company (The Ski Company) but split last year, with
one (Phil Smith, with Emma Carrick-
Anderson) doing more specialised stuff (race clinics, off-piste. etc.)
and the other (Sally Chapman, etc.) concentrating on 'all-mountain
performance clinics'.

You'll notice that many of the instructors used do work with both
companies, as it's basically all the BASI trainers floating between
them and several other british teaching companies in the Alps. Many
aspiring and improving BASI instructors use them and their teaching is
very much geared towards this.

As for gap-year courses, I understand that these are quite popular in
Canada and down-under - a quick web search for 'gap year ski
instructor' picks up quite a few.

--
Ace (brucedotrogers a.t rochedotcom)
Ski Club of Great Britain - http://www.skiclub.co.uk
All opinions expressed are personal and in no way represent those of the Ski Club.
  #4  
Old February 2nd 04, 03:37 PM
Ace
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Posts: n/a
Default Beginning instructor training

On Mon, 02 Feb 2004 16:13:27 +0100, Ian Spare
wrote:

A. wrote:
I appreciate I've rambled a bit here and you can't really judge
someone's standard without actually seeing them on snow but I'd really
appreciate some feedback from people who've done this kind of thing
and their general standard when starting.Doing the 10 week course
would probably mean giving up a well paid job. Does anybody have any
opinions on this i.e. other courses they'd recommend, etc.


Get an expert opinion :-) Go ski with a trainer. There's links on the
Basi web site but http://www.theskicompany.co.uk/trainers/trainers.htm
come well recommended. There's individual trainers listed (I think) on
the Basi site.


That link (and the rest of the contents of the website) is now
out-of-date, although I see they've finally updated the main page
http://www.theskicompany.co.uk to point to the two new ones (see my
other post).

--
Ace (brucedotrogers a.t rochedotcom)
Ski Club of Great Britain - http://www.skiclub.co.uk
All opinions expressed are personal and in no way represent those of the Ski Club.
  #5  
Old February 2nd 04, 07:01 PM
David Off
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Posts: n/a
Default Beginning instructor training

A. wrote:
Hi,

I'm a computer developer in my early 30's and have become a keen skier
over the last few years. I read about the BASI GAP course a year or
two ago and became very interested in it. I've recently returned from
a week in Soldeau and had a chat with my instructor about the course,
which he strongly recommended, albeit he thought it was an expensive
option!


Okay, not to put you off but I would suggest that you not skiing
anywhere near enough to become an instructor. I've done the foundation
course. You have to be able to ski and demonstrate various manoeuvres
correctly from side slipping to snow plough to stem and parallel turns.
The exact techniques and methods vary as BASI develop their process.

Now lots of folks here will say, “hey, I can do all that and more”.
Well I can too, I can ski 50 degrees couloirs with sauté pedale turns,
powder snow and crust. Big deal, the BASI said to me, you cannot
demonstrate the above to the required standard… you will need a season
on snow practising these skills on a regular BASI, preferably with
regular reviews with a BASI trainer or instructor. There were other
people on the course, including a couple of Ski Club reps (who generally
are at the advanced end of skiing) and we, the better skiers, were all
told we needed a lot more time. Some guys who thought they could ski
were told much worse.

During the week we also had to demonstrate skiing and turning on one
foot on the outside edge, klammerswung and other turns. Now you have to
remember that you will really need BASI I to teach in Europe and earn
anything like a decent wage – between 15 to 20 K in a big resort with a
long season. BASI III will leave you taking kids classes during school
holidays, that kind of thing and you might be stuck in Andorra.

Okay so I’m sounding negative, well it is nothing compared to the
commitment you will have to put in to become a real instructor at your
age. It is not impossible but don’t forget that 97% of fully qualified
ski instructors (Eurotest standard) raced as children.

So what would I advise? Get 10 grand together and share a flat with
some people in a resort with a long season. Don’t become a ski rep or
chalet bunny because you won’t have the time. Get the BASI handbook.
Go out with a BASI instructor and get him to demonstrate the basic moves
needed for BASI III. Go out every day, have fun but practise what the
BASI handbook says. Next season, go on the BASI gap year course.

You will find that a lot of the people on the Gap year course are rich
kids who have been on skis since they were kids.

Other courses, well BASI is not an easy option. The Canadian and New
Zealand basic level courses are much lower stanards. We had a Canadian
'basic' instructor on our foundation course, she was told to have
another season on snow.

[r.s.a X-post removed.]

  #6  
Old February 3rd 04, 09:14 AM
A.
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Default Beginning instructor training

Thanks for the feedback everyone!

A.
  #8  
Old February 3rd 04, 03:10 PM
Mark
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Default Beginning instructor training

Good advise so far

I would add that I think you can get to BASI 3 standard with a lot of
dry slope work and a background of recreational skiing. The slope work
would have to be to dry slope instructor standard and you would
probably need the 16 weeks skiing that BASI recommend.

I don't think that you necessarily have to have a season skiing but it
would certainly help.

At BASI 3 you need to demonstrate the basics accurately and ski to a
fair standard in bumps etc.

France is a no-go unless you have at least BASI 2 and then you can
become a stagiare in an ESF school. Switzerland and Austrian schools
will often accept BASI 3 depending to some extent on how busy they
are.
  #9  
Old February 3rd 04, 04:27 PM
Steve Haigh
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Default Beginning instructor training

David Off wrote:

snip

So what would I advise? Get 10 grand together and share a flat with
some people in a resort with a long season.


I agree with all the comments about instructor training, you need a few
seasons behind you to really contemplate teaching.

I'm not sure you need 10 grand [I'm assuming this was GBP since you were
talking about British skiers] though to do a season though... I survived
seasons on way less than that. I did do a few weeks work, but I managed
to live in Chamonix a few years ago (1994) on about £300 a month when I
wasn't working - i.e. £300 to cover rent, food, beer, er thats it
really. OK, you'd need to set aside £400-500 for a lift pass on top of
that and money for a deposit on a flat, but you could easily do a season
in a big resort for 4 or 5 grand. If you are prepared to rough it you
could do it for less still.
  #10  
Old February 3rd 04, 05:19 PM
A.
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Posts: n/a
Default Beginning instructor training

David Off wrote in message ...

snipped

David, thanks a lot for that info - I had no idea the standard of
entry into the BASI GAP course was so high! My expectations are
somewhat realistic - I have no real illusions of becoming a top class
BASI 1 instructor - I've just turned 32 and although I'm young for my
age (!) realise it's a bit late in the day for that. What I was hoping
for was a time-out from the 9-5 grind, 10 weeks of intensive
skiing/tuition/training and the satisfaction of getting the BASI 3
cert. If an opportunity came up to hang around for a few weeks after
the course doing some of the most basic teaching, then that would be a
bonus. I can't afford to drop 10 grand on a season's skiing, then
follow it up with the GAP course. From talking to my BASI instructor,
I got the impression that a reasonable intermediate standard of skiing
was required for entry, while a lot of training was provided on the
course. Does anybody know anything about the the 3 week long CSIA
Level 1 course offered by NonStopSki.com?
 




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