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#1
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Beginning instructor training
Thanks for the feedback everyone!
A. |
#7
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Beginning instructor training
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#8
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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
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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
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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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