TIPS FROM OUR PROS || EVENTS || MEET THE 2015 INTERSKI TEAM
WINTER 2015
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ARE YOU A “PRO OF THE WEEK”? FUN DAY MOVES TO BEAVER VALLEY BETTER FOOD FOR BETTER PERFORMANCE
CONGRATULATIONS
STEVE YOUNG
ON MAKING THE 2015 INTERSKI TEAM!
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©2015 b.o.P.
Steve Young member of the 2015 InterskI team
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CHAIR’Sletter EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Miranda Sorensen
Kevin McMillan
Chair
Vice Chair
Ed Young
Anik Gaumond
Treasurer
Secretary & Member Events
Simon Holden
AJ Leeming
Level 1 Program
Technical Liaison
PHOTO: KRISTEN MADSEN
DIRECTORS
MIRANDA SORENSEN AND A MANSFIELD PRO OF THE WEEK - KELLY REYNOLDS.
Celebrating Greatness Allison Sharpe
Andrew Hansen
Magazine/ Sponsorship
IT/Website
Tom Dovey
Matt Cuccaro
Communication/ Outreach
Ottawa Liaison
A
s a new 15 year old instructor I remember being so impressed with my session leaders and course conductors. They were knowledgeable and they were experts in their abilities to impart the information needed to improve. Most of all I was impressed with how comfortable and confident they led and entertained their groups. For a while I tried to imitate some of their approaches. I tried to re-tell the jokes I had heard and adapt some of their stories of ski adventures. I tried to be an entertainer. What a failure that was. Tip: You need to remember the punch line of a joke to make it funny. I eventually found my own groove, my own approach with my students, my own personal stamp that matched who I was. And I found that my students preferred the real me, which was a relief because I was topping the list of failed joke telling. Each of us, as an instructor, has our own style. We offer our students a unique experience when we take them out on the
slopes and try to help them to reach their skiing goals. We all have our tricks to help create a memorable lesson and convert our students into lifelong skiers. CSIA Ontario wants to help recognize and celebrate all instructors this winter. We have initiated a program called “Be the Pro of the Week” with our sponsor Big White Resort. Each week your Snow School Director will submit the name of an outstanding pro to the CSIA Ontario office. (I know this will be a challenge to choose among so many excellent pros). At the end of the season, one lucky pro will win a ski trip to beautiful Big White, BC, including ski sessions with Josh Foster, a truly great instructor! I look forward to seeing you on March 29th at Beaver Valley for this year’s Fun Day, James Bond 007 style, when we announce the winner. Until then follow us on Facebook to see all the great pros nominated for “Be the Pro of the Week”. ◆ Miranda Sorensen, Chair, CSIA Ontario
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WINTER2015
O N TA R I O EDITORIAL TEAM
PHOTO CONTRIBUTORS
Allison Sharpe Editor
Andrew Elsdon and John Evely
CONTRIBUTORS Shelagh Mulveney Administration
Todd Arthur, Warren Jobbitt, AJ Leeming, Jim Peever, Kathy Prophet, Jeff Sinclair, Mike Weiss and Steve Young
Tom Dovey, Kevin McMillan and Stuart Teather Proof Reading
PRINTING Ted Southam Cober Evolving Solutions
CSIA ONTARIO OFFICE 3 Concorde Gate, Suite 209 Toronto Ontario T: 416-426-7261 F: 416-426-7261 info@csiaontario.com
csiaontario.com facebook.com/csiaontario Publication Mail Agreement 41057019 Printed using a sustainable resource
DESIGN & PUBLISHING COVER PHOTO
Laura Weatherston K9 strategy+design k9-sd.com
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Andrew Elsdon, CLLiK.com Skier: Steve Young
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CONTENTS Editorial ........................................... 5 Ontario Events .............................. 6 Bursary Winner .............................. 7 Interski Team ............................. 8-9 A Personal Journey ..................... 10 Teaching Tip ................................ 11 Food for Performance ............... 14 Our History .................................. 15 Feedback Tip .............................. 16 Training Women Pros ................. 18 Jeff’s Tip ....................................... 19 Equipment Tip ............................ 20 National Update ......................... 21 A Member’s Question ............... 22
EDITOR'Sthoughts
100 ft vertical no whip please W
here did you learn to ski? My first alpine descent was the front hill of my family home in Violet Hill near Shelburne Ontario. Christmas morning in my pajamas, sliding down fresh snow on my new Fischer skis and achieving my first snow plow stop. The rest of that winter was spent at Mansfield on school day trips taking lessons and developing a snow plow turn.
People, experiences and places play an important role in how we develop and who we become. According to Dr. Phil you can trace this through 10 defining moments, 7 critical choices and 5 pivotal people. I’m not a regular viewer of Dr. Phil, but this idea has stuck with me and I often consider how external factors shape us. But does it matter where we learn to ski? Are expectations lowered because we start on small inclines? What I think is important is that the location is accessible so that you can increase your frequency of practice. People
make a difference because their attitudes will shape the atmosphere that will entice you back. Training is important too if you hope to stick out the learning curve. And of course snow is critical whether it is natural or man-made. Can you get to it and can you get there often and do you want to get to it because of the people and atmosphere are the important factors. What is less important for where you start is variety, difficulty, vertical and prestige. Through this issue of Ski Pro Ontario, we asked our 2015 Interski Team where they learned to ski and you’ll proudly see that many began here in Ontario or at small humble hills. We take another historical look at a local hill in Scarborough that provided first-exposure to skiers in the Toronto area during the 60’s and 70’s. And we have more tips to help you develop lifelong skiers. We invite you to consider your first descent and think about how you support the development resorts around us. If you live
in a city with a municipal ski hill, encourage your elected official to support its existence. Maybe go back and visit your first hill if it still exists and support that area by telling others about it as a place to learn. Why are the big resorts busy? They have huge marketing budgets; smaller hills will rely on word of mouth and recommendations. It doesn’t matter that a ski hill has a Starbucks at the bottom when you make your first stop. Mom’s hot chocolate at the end of a busy afternoon climbing up and down my front hill was better than any Grande, skinny, Mocha Latte, no whip – any day. ◆ Allison Sharpe, Editor
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ONTARIOevents
LICENSE TO SKI FUN DAY 007 Sunday March 29 BEAVER VALLEY
Join us for a fun James Bond themed day of skiing, on-hill activities including the Synchro Competition for the Golden Ski and a fantastic après with great prizes.
ANNUAL AWARDS DINNER & GENERAL MEETING Thursday May 28 at 6 pm DELTA MARKHAM
Join us to celebrate the end of another successful season and our award winners of 2015. *Hall of Fame Ring
for more information and to register for ontario events please visit • csiaontario.com •
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BURSARYwinner
CONGRATULATIONS
2014 CSIA ONTARIO BURSARY RECIPIENT
MELANIE GUNSCH
Melanie Gunsch is this year’s winner of the CSIA Ontario Bursary with Georgian College’s Snow Resort Operations Program. Mel is in her second year of the program where she has been demonstrating academic merit, leadership skills and a strong commitment to the ski industry. Mel continues to work at developing her capabilities as a Level 1 CSIA and Level 2 CASI instructor as well as advancing her Level 1 Avalanche Safety Certification. Originally an Ontario skier from the great Chicopee Ski and Summer Resort she is now gaining great knowledge and experience while enjoying her full-time co-op placement at Sunshine Village Ski Resort in Banff Alberta.
FEAR NO WEATHER the ski slopes are in Subaru country!
CSIA SKI PRO EXCLUSIVE OFFER
Save $1,500 off the purchase of a new Subaru at Davenport Subaru Orillia ($750 CSIA rebate from Subaru and $750 additional rebate from Davenport Subaru) 385 West St S, Orillia Call Mike Davenport direct to qualify for the CSIA discount 1-888-719-9994 www.davenportsubaru.com
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INTERSKI 2015
Ushuaia, Argentina T
he High Performance program initiated 3 years ago to promote skiing and ski teaching excellence at all levels has been a huge success. This January, 50 High Performance Team members took to the slopes to showcase their teaching and skiing. Ten members were then selected to represent our CSIA membership at Interski in Argentina. Researching and developing our education model is an on-going, ever evolving process. Attending Interski forces our organization to prove theories and not simply speculate on their merit. Our team will not only gather information from 35 other ski nations, but will also share our technical approach, methodology and education/professional development system. The audience of 1,200 of the world’s top ski instructors and educators will, to say the least, serve as a critical eye. Here, our team members will have an opportunity to validate what we do with the best of the best. Watch for training highlights this season as our team prepares for the event. Full reports on the event and the other countries’ performances and presentations will be published and showcased next fall in the national Ski Pro magazine and at CSIA Members’ Conventions.
MEET OUR 2015 INTERSKI TEAM: STEVE YOUNG CSIA 4, Level 4 Course Conductor, CSCF 2 Technical Director, Craigleith Ski Club, Collingwood, ON Learned to ski at Talisman in Kimberley, ON “It has been my long time goal to represent the CSIA and Ontario at Interski. I am very excited to be a part of Interski to share what we do and to learn from others.” SUNNY VERREAULT CSIA 4, Level 4 Course Conductor, CSCF Performance Coach Interski Team member 2003 and 2007 Head Coach, Le Valinouët Ski Club, QC Learned to ski at Do-Mi-Ski, QC
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“I am excited to build team spirit with all these great and experienced skiers and ski teachers. I look forward to bringing back different approaches and methods of training to keep improving our Canadian skier development tools.” KYLE ARMSTRONG CSIA 4, CSCF 2, Level 3 Course Conductor, Snow Park Cert Conductor Instructor/Trainer and Bow Valley Kids Supervisor, Lake Louise, AB Learned to ski at Snow Valley and Horseshoe Valley, in Barrie, ON “I am looking forward to learning how other countries are staying current with our ever evolving sport and to show them how we are leaders in skiing and teaching through all of our diverse experiences on snow.”
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FRÉDÉRIK LÉPINE CSIA 4, Level 4 Course Conductor, CSCF 2 Technical Director and Ski Instructor at Ski Bromont, QC Learned to ski at Mont Shefford in Eastern Township, PQ “It’s an opportunity and an honour to represent the CSIA. I’m working to develop our sport and my objective at Interski is to learn and observe new aspects of our sport. After Interski I hope to share this information with our members. My motto is ‘be better together’.” CASEY BOUIUS CSIA 4, Level 4 Course Conductor, CSCF Performance Coach, Development Course Facilitator, Canadian Avalanche Association Level 1, Interski Team member 2011 Technical Director Ski & Snowboard School, Sunshine Village, Banff, AB Learned to ski at Snow Valley in Barrie, ON “Over the last few Interski’s, Canada has been on the front of everyone’s interest with our new-age approach and methods. Last Interski I believe we really showed them our talent with our skiing ability and our open approach to teaching. This time around I feel our presentation and method of Experiential Learning will bring everything together.”
INTERSKIteam
JEFF MARKS CSIA 4, Level 4 Course Conductor, CSCF 2, CASI 1 CSIA Educational Development Coordinator (West), Instructor and Trainer, Lake Louise, AB Learned to ski at Marmot Basin, Jasper, AB “The thought of going to an amazing part of the world and representing a vast group of people who love this sport as much as I do gives me a huge sense of pride.” MAGGIE GRAHAM CSIA 4, Level 4 Course Conductor, CSCF Performance Coach, Development Level Facilitator, Alpine Canada Level 2, NCCP Level 3, Interski Team member 2011 Instructor and Trainer, Mont Tremblant, QC Learned to ski at Camp Fortune, QC “Given the individual nature of alpine skiing, I am looking forward to being a team member and having the opportunity to exchange information with my colleagues and learn from them. It’s an opportunity to showcase why Canada is a leader on the world stage and how the CSIA is moving forward into the future.”
NATALIE MOREL CSIA 4, Level 4 Course Conductor, CSCF 2, Interski Team member 2007 Snow School Supervisor, Whistler Blackcomb, BC Learned to ski at Mont Ste-Anne, QC “This will be an amazing opportunity to exchange our ways of skiing and teaching with other countries. I also look forward to bringing back information for our members.” SIMON CHAPLEAU CSIA 4, Level 4 Course Conductor, CSCF 2, Ski School Director Hotel du Lac, Club Tremblant Learned to ski at local hills north of Montréal “Excited to learn and share different visions of skiing from all around the world!” OLIVIER GODBOUT CSIA 4, CSCF 3, Snowpark Certification, Avalanche Operations Level 1 Private Instructor/Staff Trainer, Whistler Blackcomb, BC Learned to ski at Massif du Sud, QC “I can’t wait to ski with the Interski Team and to collectively push our limits on skis as far as we can as a team! This meeting will also provide us with a wider understanding of today’s ski industry and where, as Canadians, we are situated in this field of competence and how proud we can be!”
INTERSKI COACHING STAFF: HEAD COACH: WARREN JOBBITT CSIA 4, Level 4 Course Conductor, CSCF 2 Interski Team member 2007, Assistant Coach 2011, Manager of Educational Development West Learned to ski at Candy Mountain in Thunder Bay, ON “It is a great honor to be the Head Coach of the Interski team. It is an amazing team that represents every single member of the CSIA. In the end, it’s all about the organization as a whole.” ASSISTANT HEAD COACH: JOHN GILLIES CSIA 4, Level 4 Course Conductor, CSCF 2, Interski Head Coach 2003, 2007, 2011, Manager of Educational Development (East) Learned to ski at Twin Oaks in Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia “I look forward to helping where I can, but also spending more time attending workshops and presentations. We have an exciting, youthful team and I am excited to share this experience with them.” HEAD OF DELEGATION: MARTIN JEAN CSIA 4, CSCF 3 Performance Coach, Interski involvements since 1983 in different capacities as a demonstrator, manager, coach and head of delegation, CSIA Director of Education and Member Services Learned to ski behind my house in my hometown “All the Interski Congresses have been different and the CSIA has always managed to present a meaningful presentation.”
A Personal Journey M
illions of turns. Thousands of lessons taught. Countless hours perfecting technique and the art of teaching. All for specific goals such as certification, course conducting, Interski and coaching the Interski team. All are part of my journey to date. Thinking back, the most satisfying moments are the ones where smiles were created; the smiles on the faces of beginner skiers, my children, loved ones and CSIA members. Take a moment and think back to the start of the journey that has taken you where you are today. Was it the cool wind on your face, the sound of your boots as you walked across cold, crisp snow, the anticipation as you stepped into your bindings,
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the first gliding sensation, the exhilaration of accelerating down the mountain or the power of your first carved turn? Skiing and ski teaching are all about passion. Time takes an entirely different course if you are doing what you love. Time can stand still in those moments when it’s just you and the mountain. Skiing feeds your spirit, your energy, your passion. It’s when skiing becomes your heart and soul that ski teaching becomes who you are. Why do you teach skiing? Because you are a leader, you inspire greatness in others. Teaching is an art form, it’s not enough to just know your stuff, because you need to excite people, engage them, peak imagination and fuel their creativity. Get out there and ski, ski your butt off, try
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something new every day. Fuel your spirit and feed your creativity Engage your mind, your body and your soul Challenge yourself and energize your skiing Make every turn count, make every day the best day ever. It doesn’t matter what colour pin you wear or the marks you got on your last ski off. You need to teach every lesson to share your passion, because it’s the next smile that you create that will start a special journey of another lifelong skier just like you. ◆ Warren Jobbitt, CSIA Level 4, CSCF 2, Manager of Educational Development (West), Head Coach Interski 2015
PHOTO: ANDREW ELSDON, CLLik.COM
TEACHINGtip
Experiential Education EXPERIENCE: Create the learning experience based on the snow conditions that you have on the day. Powder, ice, groomed or slush. It is important to teach people how to ski on what they have in front of them. The role of the instructor is to choose a focus and assign a task, asking a question so that the learner is engaged in the process of reflecting on how they are skiing will help you to assess their understanding. For example you might say, “feel your weight on the heel of the foot as you finish the turn, tell me if you feel the edge of the ski grips the snow or not”. The answer will tell you if more instruction is required or if you can challenge them.
to what the student has to say so that you can see if what they say matches what you saw. This is one of the most important things we can do as teachers. Matching the observation of the student and the instructor creates clarity and helps the student know when they have it and when they don’t. This is important because it makes it easier for the student to continue to practice on their own.
REFLECTION: As the student skis reflecting on the task and answering the question, you should watch assessing whether the student is able to do the assigned task.
EXPERIMENTATION: Your role is to assess the student by watching and listening so that you will know when it is time to experiment. To experiment, you can change the speed, move to different terrain, or simply change up the turn shape. Knowing when to challenge the student is key, watch for them to start doing the task with confidence. Listen to their explanations. Challenge them when they have a clearer understanding. Give this method a try and see if it helps you get results with your students! ◆
CONCEPTUALIZATION: As the student puts into words what they felt, you need to listen
Steve Young, CSIA 4, CSCF 2, High Performance Team Member, Interski Team 2015
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THANK YOU
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SKIpro
PHOTO: ANDREW ELSDON, CLLiK PHOTOGRAPHY SKIER: KAYLA DOERING
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HEALTHYeating
Meanwhile back at the Chalet …
GOOD FOOD ON THE GO A
s life seems to be getting busier by the minute, finding time to prepare healthy meals can be challenging. Healthy eating is an integral part of preparation for performing well on the slopes both mentally and physically.
LUNCH It is all to easy to grab lunch on the go when the best choices aren’t always available. Fortunately there are plenty of great options on the market like the bento box container for packing your own lunch. Make sure you have protein along with fresh fruit and vegetables. Here is a great Quinoa Stew recipe for the thermos that gives you plenty of protein and veggies for lots of energy as well as tumeric, a natural anti-inflammatory.
LENTIL QUINOA STEW
1 diced onion 1 clove minced garlic 2 tbsp olive oil 1 cup red lentils 6 cups chopped vegetables (hard ones like carrots, beets, squash, sweet potato) 2 cups quinoa 2 cups cauliflower 3 cups baby kale or baby spinach 8 cups water 2 tsp herbamere seasoning salt 1 ½ tsp tumeric 1 tbsp dried thyme 1 tbsp cumin
Sauté onions and garlic for 5 minutes. Stir in lentils, sauté 1 minute. Add 6 cups of chopped hard vegetables and sauté 10 minutes. Pour in 4 cups of water, bring to a boil then reduce and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in quinoa, cauliflower, tumeric, thyme, cumin and 4 remaining cups of water; bring to a boil then reduce and simmer for 15 minutes. Turn down to low and add baby kale stirring until wilted. Season with salt and pepper. Serves 6. HIGH PERFORMANCE TIP: Hydration
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is key. Drinking plenty of water to replace fluids lost through perspiration is very important. Water helps keep our joints lubricated and reduces muscle fatigue. Adding an EnerC packet to your water provides vitamins and minerals to aid in muscle recovery. Remember that tea, coffee and soft drinks dehydrate the body. If you like sports drinks try 100% coconut water to obtain electrolytes.
DINNER Have dinner ready before you get home. Prepare Chocolate Lovers Chili which gets its rich flavour and colour from antioxidant rich cocoa powder. All you will have to do is prepare a salad and warm some artisan style bread so there will not be any time for snacking.
CHOCOLATE LOVERS CHILI
2 tbsp olive oil 1 diced onion 2 cloves minced garlic 1 cup mushrooms quartered 1 cup frozen corn 1 498 ml can black beans 1 498 ml can kidney beans 2 796 ml cans dices tomatoes ¼ cup cocoa powder 2 tbsp maple syrup or packed brown sugar 2 tbsp chili powder 2 tsp dried oregano 2 tsp cumin pinch to taste chipotle powder
*for non-vegetarian add 2 cups diced cooked chicken or browned lean ground beef Sauté onions, garlic in olive oil over medium
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heat for 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and diced carrots. Cook for 5 minutes. Once onions, carrots and mushrooms are cooked, transfer to the crock pot with all remaining ingredients. Stir well, place lid on securely and cook on low for 8 hours. To serve, top with your favourites like sour cream, avocado or shredded cheese. Serves 6. HIGH PERFORMANCE TIP: Chili powder is thermogenic, which aids in boosting your metabolism for extra energy on the hill and increases your body heat for warmth. Just like it’s never too late to learn how to ski, it’s never too late to develop healthy eating habits! We won’t tell if you sneak the odd poutine & pint! ◆ Todd Arthur, CSIA Level 2, High Performance Team Member
OURhistory
FIRE and ICE
ROUGE/CAPER VALLEY – FORMER SCARBOROUGH AREA SKI CENTRE
T
he Rouge Valley Ski Center was picturesquely nestled in the forested valley in the east end of Scarborough where Sheppard Avenue takes a sharp bend to the south near the Eagle Nest Pub. Hugo Gambin manager and owner of Olympic Inn and Restaurant was inspired by Peter Pelta and others to develop the 90 foot vertical incline as a Learn-To-Ski center in 1966. New-to-skiing patrons were equipped with rentals provided by ‘Happy Howard’ Ski Shop and crossed the wooden walkway over the swimming reservoir of the Rouge River to awaiting instructors for their free 1-hour lesson. The area was equipped with a snowmaking system, bright towered lights, a beginner rope tow, a high-speed, glovedestroying row tope that took you to the top of the advanced blue runs and a T-bar lift on the other side of the hill. There was also a back side with a truck wide winding trail that dared only expert skiers to venture, bringing you back to the T-bar base station. The charm of the hotel and cozy restaurant afforded parents and non-skiers the atmosphere to enjoy après ski.
This was more than just a ski playground for novices. It was quite a development environment for ski instructors to train for Level 1, 2 and 3 certifications and for alpine racers to refine their competitive skills. As a result of the passionate energy of Ricki Peters, Caper Valley was also the home training ground for freestyle skiers and hosted many freestyle championships. For many, this was the site of their first skiing experience. Others, like me, were introduced to the CSIA and lifelong careers as dedicated ski professionals. After only two seasons of operation, a fire leveled the hotel, restaurant and rental shop. This unfortunate event led to the sale of this area to new owners, REPAC Construction Company, and the artful reverse naming of the ski center to ‘Caper’ Valley. A new round-house lodge was built at the base of the hill that allowed for better visual displays of on-hill activities and also sometimes served as an immovable endstop for out-of-control skiers. Construction trailers were used for the rental shop, ticket sales and staff changing room facilities. Under the leadership of Verne Brandt and
his “rouge” swiss uniformed staff, the public continued to develop their skills that would be utilized through-out the regions of North American ski resorts. A natural event that occurred in 1972 led to the extinction of this area. The break-away of an ice dam and rising water flooded the basin of the hill. A meter high level of water and ice created costly damage to the base chalet and lift loading areas. At the same time Toronto amalgamated with Scarborough and this area of land was designated as parkland under new zoning. Evaluating the costs and the risk associated in continuing to operate Caper Valley Ski Center, REPAC was forced to dissolve its operation and sell its property rights to the municipality. Public pressure persuaded Metro Parks to at least operate the area until 1980 when the lifts stopped for good. ◆ Michael Weiss, CSIA Level 4, CSCF Level 3
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FEEDBACKtip
Cracking the ‘FEEDBACK JUNKIE’ W
e all know one, have taught one, or been one – the Feedback Junkie.
“HOW WERE THOSE TURNS?” “DID YOU SEE THAT RUN?” “HOW ABOUT NOW… IS IT FIXED?” 16 ||
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We tend to fuel this trait in our students by using instruction like, “you wait here, I will wave you down when I am ready; I want to watch your skiing”. This sets the expectation that we will TELL them how they are skiing. Breaking the feedback cycle can help you build (and become) a stronger skier, a more self-sufficient skier, a more aware skier. So how do we accomplish this? The trick is building an experience and getting your skiers to self-assess. This can be a difficult task if your lesson is related to ‘proper form’; but is incredibly effective and easy if you build your session around functional skiing and outcomes. Challenge your students to ski faster or slower, make more turns or fewer turns, spray snow at a certain point in the arc or maybe to move inside and try to touch their hip or
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hand to the snow. Set up the experience so that they know if they were successful. Then all you need to do is ask them to assess their completion of the task. The question could be a yes/no or maybe ask if they got it 25%, 50%, or 75% of the time or where they managed to spray some snow. Then you can follow up with building their understanding. Suddenly a comment like “can you spray snow and get grip when you are on the inside ski?” starts to mean a lot more to your students because they are able to link the experience to their outcome or feeling. Cracking the Feedback Junkie will do a few things for your teaching. You will spend less time dissecting every second of a turn and spend that time looking at outcomes like balance. You will not need to talk with each student about their run, instead you will engage them by thinking about what they accomplished. You will find yourself skiing more and talking less. Best of all, you will create a skier who is aware of what they are doing. A skier who knows when something works and understands how they can create the outcome they want. Does this mean assessment is dead? No, not at all. It simply means your assessment focuses on the challenge at hand. Rather than saying what YOU SEE, you help them understand what THEY FEEL. Your assessment will guide you towards picking the challenge that will build new feelings and select terrain that is best for the experience. Does this mean development is all about questions? No, absolutely not. Your development strategies will become more impactful because you will select tactics that link to sensations and understanding. Your skiers will make changes they NEED in order to generate the outcomes of the challenge. Cracking the Feedback Junkie is tough. People want to know how they did. The trick is giving them an experience where they know how they did and then provide that thumbs up or high five that we all crave. Give them an experience with some outcomes and sensations that they can remember and re-create on their own time. ◆ AJ Leeming, CSIA 4, CSCF 2, High Performance Team Member
PHOTO: ANDREW ELSDON, CLLiK PHOTOGRAPHY SKIER: BEN BORIS
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FORwomen
TRAINING WOMEN PROS W
ithin the CSIA, 36% of our membership is female. As the level of certification increases there is a drastic decline of active female members. Seven percent of all Level 3s are female and only 0.01% of Level 4s are female. The Women in Skiing initiative (a sub group of the Education Committee) is currently working with experts to identify and share methodologies specific to the development of female skiers. The hope
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is that these methodologies will become national program modules in 2016. Until then, creating awareness of the differences between females and males will help instructors make small lesson plan adjustments that may greatly improve the lesson experience for many female skiers. There are a number of physical differences starting with the “Q” angle (the angle the femur comes out of the hip socket). This affects balance, the base of support,
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alignment, maximum force and finesse. Muscular volume is also less in women than in men which generally results in less strength. A lower center of mass and a greater distribution of weight towards the hips may also impact a women’s ability to maintain a centered mobile stance. Just as important are some psychological differences. Sometimes a lack of self-confidence and self-doubting can be a key barrier to a female skier’s performance. Even if female skiers are competent in their skills, a lack of confidence will affect their ability to perform these skills. Sadly there is a sense of the “Imposter Syndrome”, i.e., a feeling of whether one deserves to be where they are. A female skier will often question if she is good enough or worry others will find out she is not as good as they think she is. There is a real fear of failure and being judged. In a mixed ski group you might observe your female skiers hanging back and/or waiting at the back of the group. It is important to remember that a female skier may ruminate for a long time over a negative comment or perceived poor performance while her male counterpart will tend to let it go and move on. There will be more information to come as we delve into the training needs of female skiers. Until then watch for ways you can make all of your students feel part of your group and encourage all improvements. ◆ Kathy Prophet, CSIA Level 4, CSCF Level 2
JEFF’Stip
HOW DID THAT FEEL? Ok
, so here it is … turn your femurs in the pelvic girdle, maintain the separation so you can edge well, make sure you have access to all the joints so you can bend to balance and control pressures and coordinate your movements for good flow.
HOW DID YOU “FEEL” AFTER THAT RUN? The above information is great, accurate, effective and what we as pros and coaches need to know and understand.
Using questions to involve your students however, is better and trying to relate a feeling with perception and observation is excellent! As a skier have you ever been asked the question, “how did that feel?” As an instructor or coach have you ever asked that question? Good learning or good teaching happens when your student answers, “I felt back at the start of my turn” or “I felt better balance at the beginning” or “I skidded at the end” or “I had better grip”.
“PEOPLE WILL FORGET WHAT YOU SAID, PEOPLE WILL FORGET WHAT YOU DID, BUT PEOPLE WILL NEVER FORGET HOW YOU MADE THEM FEEL.” – MAYA ANGELOU
But what if the answer to the question is completely differently? What if you hear “I felt wonderful, I felt free, that made me happy”. Are you getting poor results because there is not a technical response? If you get this kind of response then I believe you are on to something great. As working ski pros we have the best office in the world, it inspires joy, pleasure, thrills, wonder, fun and more. Help your students and athletes feel wonderful. ◆ Jeff Sinclair, CSIA Level 4, CSCF Level 2
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EQUIPMENTtip
Keeping Warm O
n a recent CSIA course taking place in below 30 temperatures we started sharing tips for keeping fingers and toes warm. Here are just a few of the tried and true ideas that you might find helpful the next cold day you are out on the slopes.
DINA’S TIP: Instead of placing a chemical pack in the palm of your hand where it makes gripping your ski pole nearly impossible, place it on your wrist inside your glove where blood flows to your hand and fingers.
CATHY’S TIP: Choose a neck warmer that isn’t too bulky but can easily cover your nose and cheeks. The Buff works well because it dries quickly and the material is breathable and SPF proof.
ALLISON’S TIP: Carry a handy and fashionable roll of Duct Tape with you to cover up the toe seams of your boots so that snow and cold air is kept out. At lunch make sure to take off your boots so that your feet warm up. And take your liners out of your boots at the end of each day to completely dry so that your next day of skiing starts out right.
SOME OTHER TIPS: Keep your boot buckles a little loose to allow for better circulation. Change your socks at lunch to a clean, dry pair. Ski bumps or short turns to keep your heartrate going. And take warm-up breaks. You don’t need to be a hero!
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ANNE’S TIP: Layer up. Consider what you own and plan to wear layers under your ski suit. Don’t forget your legs need layers too and you can likely fit 2-3 pairs of base layers under our bulky ski pants.
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ANDREW’S TIP: Double up with a combo of boot heaters and Boot Gloves. This pair will keep your feet happy all day long. The Boot Gloves increase your boot temperature by 7C and will ensure you don’t lose all the nice heat from your heaters or chemical packs.
Do you have your own helpful tips? Please follow us on Facebook and share your tip with a photo. We’d love to have more ideas for making a ski day fun even in -30C temperatures! ◆
NATIONALupdate
NATIONAL
UPDATE W
ith a great ski season already underway in Ontario I thought it appropriate to provide an update of CSIA initiatives and tasks that have been occupying the time and effort of your national staff. To do this justice I would need a full magazine to elaborate on the exhaustive list of items that are on our radar; so instead I will provide you with a “high level fly-by” consisting of points of interest that have the greatest effect on our membership and services.
PROGRAMS Last season’s launch of the Level 2 modular program was received well by our membership and with this season’s enrollment surpassing previous years we
can verify that this was a success. This season we have launched a similar program for the Level 3. We believe the results will indicate that this contemporary approach will be a benefit to our membership and incent continued development through additional training opportunities.
INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIPS We are working on future relationships with CADS (Canadian Association for Disabled Skiing) and CANSI (Canadian Association of Nordic Ski Instructors). We see diversity to be a strength and working strategically with these strong organizations can add benefits for all involved.
INTERSKI Our Interski team of delegates has been finalized. This accomplished and well deserving team should inspire many members to become better instructors. In September 2015 at Cerro Castor, Ushuaia, Argentina, the team will demonstrate and describe our technique and teaching methodology to other teams from around the world. Here are a few more initiatives that have our attention: CSCF/ACA integration and the understanding and development of our relationship with ACA Launching a new Snow School Directors Club to better communicate with other ski industry leaders Piloting a coaching fundamentals module Initiating a project to review our education content and delivery system You can head out on your next ski day knowing you have dedicated and high functioning teams of staff at the regional and national levels that work tirelessly for our incredible organization. Please enjoy the rest of your 2015 season. ◆ Jim Peever, Vice Chair, CSIA National Board
• WINTER 2015 •
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Amember’sQUESTION
What happened to keeping things simple?
W
e recently received an anonymous article from one of our members and thought this would be a great opportunity to help everyone understand the evolution of our technical understanding to today’s Technical Reference for skill development. “I am a CSIA instructor who took my Level 1 and Level 2 courses back in the late 1980’s. I have been a good member – attending my PDP every other season, participating in PTS training days, attending a
few CSIA Fall Conventions and even one CSIA “Spring Fling” and I faithfully teach on weekends at a small resort in Barrie. The CSIA has been a big part of my life for almost half my life. When I took my Level 1 all those years ago, I remember the five skills that summarized our CSIA Technique: Stance & Balance Pivoting Edging Pressure Control Timing & Coordination Pretty simple, but after a few years of using the 5 skiing skills, the subsequent CSIA manuals started evolving with new technical information and teaching methodologies and my list seems to be getting really long. Some of the innovations added since the early 80’s:
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TECHNICAL REFERENCE
TEACHING METHODOLOGY
FIVE SKIING SKILLS
FAST TRACK TO PARALLEL
THREE TURN PHASES
SKIER DEVELOPMENT MODEL
FOUR PLANES OF BALANCE
SIX STEPS TO A GOOD LESSON
BASIC COMPETENCIES
FOUR LEARNING STYLES
ADVANCED COMPETENCIES
THE CANADIAN APPROACH
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HAS IT REALLY BECOME THIS COMPLICATED?” The answer is no. Over time, the CSIA has dedicated countless hours of research and development involving some of the greatest minds in skiing from around the globe, external experts in physics, biomechanics and education. To be leaders and innovators in our profession, it takes a progressive attempt at evolving and changing. There are many reasons why our technical approach has evolved to what it is today. Every step along the way has allowed us to grow and simplify what you see today. The current CSIA Technical Reference is an evolution of all (and even more) of the list above. 1. Turning is lead by the lower body and the ski design 2. Managing upper and lower body separation allows for angulation to provide grip 3. Use of all joints helps maintain a centered stance and provides the ability to manage forces acting on the ski and skier 4. Coordinated movement patterns direct the forces acting on the skis and the momentum of the skier from turn to turn Remember, the Technical Reference is a set of guiding principles in efficient and effective skiing. We teach skiers how to move in order to achieve this goal. These movements are described by skiing skills. Skiing and teaching skiing should be fun and simple. The CSIA will continue to research and develop to assist ski pros around the country. So throw out that list and focus on the current Technical Reference to help develop the skiing skills in your students. ◆
As a ski instructor, you strongly influence the positive conduct of those hitting the slopes. This guidance is especially critical for beginners to ensure they learn safe skiing behaviour right from day one. In partnership with CSIA, the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) produced a training video that focuses on the safety role that ski instructors play and highlights the RideSmart Ski Lift Safety program. To view the video, visit csiaontario.com/tssa. As an organization whose goal is to enhance public safety, TSSA appreciates your efforts to help us reach this goal. Collectively, let’s continue to work together to improve our record and stress the importance of hill and lift safety for all.
tssa.org | safetyinfo.ca