Lots Happened
A lot has happened over the winter. I’ve completed my final day of commitment to ski school and there are three days remaining in Monarch’s season. I’ve got lots of pictures, lots of names of students, lots of experiences. I’m sorry I have not kept up with this blog. Seems once I start getting busy…
Read MoreFun With Gunnar
Got to ski with one of my favorite students, Gunnar, yesterday. As far as his technique goes we’re working on getting him to use his legs more to initiate and steer his turns. He has a tendency to swing his shoulders to get his skis to start turning and so he ends up using primarily…
Read MoreA-Framing
I’ve been told recently that I am “a-framing” in my skiing. At first I thought that it’s still early season and I happen to be unnecessarily outside ski dominant. I blame it on old learned habits where I am pressure biased, counter rotated, and predominately skiing one leg at a time. Or you could simply…
Read MoreCassandra
Cassandra “Cassy” M. is a really great student that I get to be with for at least 5 three hour lessons, hopefully more. Her dad requested me for all the lessons, which makes it all even more special. Our first was on the 27th. She’s 9, from Denver. She and her family stay in Buena…
Read MoreChristine, Heidi
Christine B. is a nurse in Colorado Springs. She signed up for a Level 1 Group lesson on Nov. 27th. Heidi is a new instructor at Monarch this year and was allowed (asked) to “shadow” this lesson. The lesson began at 9 am and was scheduled to last 1 hour and 45 minutes. Christine is…
Read MoreMy First Official Guest of the Year
Monarch Mountain opened yesterday. The snow is a little thin but in pretty good shape. Had my first student of this season yesterday in a private lesson. Melissa P. is a student in Ft Collins. She’s from Pueblo, Colorado. She very excited to get going on her brand new ski, boots, and poles that she…
Read MoreAttended PSIA Fall Training
Had the opportunity to attend PSIA-RM-AASI Fall Training in Breckenridge last week. Clinics I attended on day one: Movement Analysis Applications, Area Representative lunch (sort of), Coaching Exam Maneuvers, 2010-2011 Exam Process clinics. Day two clinics I attended: Personal Riding Improvement in the morning, Progression Building in the afternoon. All in all it involved a lot…
Read MoreTwo Fundamental Models to Teaching Well
Two models found in PSIA (Professional Ski Instructors Association) Rocky Mountain Division, are the Teaching Model and the Guest Centered Teaching (GCT) Concept. These should be ingrained in every instructor in all they do. They should be second nature to how they conduct snowsports instruction. Overlayed on the graphic example of the GCT model below is…
Read MoreMonarch Ski & Ride School’s Guest Survey
Here is another way to rate an instructor. This document is handed to all guests that sign up for a ski/ride booking at Monarch Mountain. It asks the guests to rate their satisfaction with our school and their instructor on a scale of 1 to 5 (5 meaning strongly agree)to statements. Here are the statements:…
Read MoreHow To Rate A Ski Instructor
PSIA (Professional Ski Instructors Association) has established standards for ski instructors in the industry. There are currently three levels of ski instructor certification in the U.S. At cert exams, a system of scoring three specific skill categories is used by examiners to ultimately determine if a candidate has reached the level of standards (actual current Level III Scorecard here).…
Read MoreNew Business Card
Just got my new cards from VistaPrint. Not quite sure what I think about ’em yet. Even though I designed it myself, I have to see what people’s reaction to them is. I think they may be too “busy” or too hard to read. I was vasilating between blue or black background. Black would have…
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