A new 'Go ski go board' scheme has been launched by Snowsport England to give people 6 hours instruction or slope time over 6 weeks at participating artificial/indoor ski centres ...
TRY: Aimed at people who have never been skiing/snowboarding before
TRY: Aimed at people who have never been skiing/snowboarding before
GET: For people who may have tried skiing/snowboarding but are still beginners
GET: For people who may have tried skiing/snowboarding but are still beginners
GO: For people who want to improve their skills
GO: For people who want to improve their skills
JUST: For experienced skiiers/snowboarders who want to participate socially
JUST: For experienced skiiers/snowboarders who want to participate socially
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
A terrific idea - we must promote this on our blog!
Will speak to friends @ the main tour operators to see if they'll blog it too - the big thing everyone has worried about in the ski industry during the last 4 years is not just the huge drop in people going skiing, but the lack of new skiers coming in - went from a growing sport to a shrinking one almost overnight...
... anyone think of other ways to evangelise? If anywhere, its on SnowHeads that useful ideas can be floated.
I guess just talking it up regularly at work or organising a group trip... I wonder if there's a way to start office days out to UK slopes... needs some thought.
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Yeah brilliant - tried a sample of 2 - Hemel Snowcentre and Bracknell - "there are no upcoming courses at this time"
First rule of launching - have some content to launch
Chatham - yep but for students only
Aldershot - Yep
Southampton - Yep
Calshot - Nope,
Snowtrax - Nope
Norfolk - Yep
Gloucester - Nope
Ackers - Yep
Tamworth - Nope
Why haven't they got their act together?
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
fatbob wrote:
Yeah brilliant - tried a sample of 2 - Hemel Snowcentre and Bracknell - "there are no upcoming courses at this time"
First rule of launching - have some content to launch
I believe the launch date is september this 'pre launch' email went out yesterday to clubs and slopes etc to get some promotion through the local and national press. This will also tie in with the 'Slide to Sochi' theme being launched soon.
have faith and dont denegrate everything, good to see this initiative coming out of SSE
After all it is free
After all it is free
The MSA did something rather similar with their 'Go Motorsport' campaign. Problem to me always seemed that they never were able to join up the dots and get the momentum behind the campaign.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
iskar, they've obviously liaised with clubs and slopes to get their details and "regular lesson" offers so it doesn't seem to me to be too much of a stretch to make it a precondition of participation that they have some courses up for the public to see with an idea of pricing.
I see this time and time again as a consumer with potentially interesting offerings in whatever field - as soon as I try a couple of things and get "the XXXXX you want is not available at this time" it's too late, I'm never going back there.
FWIW - a slope which does seem to have its act together, Norfolk, looks like terrific value £15/20 for a 4 week course learning to ski, well done to them. If enough others were pricing at a similar level for never-evers could be a great success.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Comedy Goldsmith wrote:
A new 'Go ski go board' scheme has been launched by Snowsport England
I wouldn't say 'new' was quite the word for it.
This was 'launched' prior to the 2011 ski show.
Quote:
• Thank You to all those who visited us on the
Snowsport England stand at the Birmingham
NEC, it was a successful show!
One of the main focuses for SSE at the show
was to launch GO SKI GO BOARD, our new
national programme aimed at engaging more
into skiing and snowboarding.
Whether wanting beginner or
Yeah brilliant - tried a sample of 2 - Hemel Snowcentre and Bracknell - "there are no upcoming courses at this time"
First rule of launching - have some content to launch
I believe the launch date is september this 'pre launch' email went out yesterday to clubs and slopes etc to get some promotion through the local and national press. This will also tie in with the 'Slide to Sochi' theme being launched soon.
have faith and dont denegrate everything, good to see this initiative coming out of SSE
Didn't see 'coming soon', 'pre-release', 'available from september' on the site.
No 'sign up here' for when the courses become available.
As a consumer that equals fail for me.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
oh dear - I will send a link to this thread, to the people at Snowsport England, to show them how a great idea with less than perfect execution can be really poorly received.
Hopefully then we "enthusiasts" can get behind the promo for what it is - an attempt to show newbies skiing is accessible and awesome fun!
It's now up on our blog (apologies for rubbish wordpress layout) - we will push our tour operator friends to do the same - hopefully people will love skiing more than moaning, and all work to make it more effective...
Picking holes in it is really useful, when its constructive and we do something to improve it... I'm sure everyone here wants to make a success of promoting snowsport in any way available...
... why not drop a line in this thread to say when you've:
- shared a link to the site on your Facebook
- tweeted it
- put it in an update on LinkedIn
- added it to your blog
- done all of the above!
Now that would be respect worthy, to prove we genuinely do give a $%&! about our sport
(or we could keep grumbling about how its not perfect execution and miss a great opportunity)
fatbob, your pricing idea seems an obvious win - weird they didn't consider it - will mention it to Snowsport England
If they are indeed pre-launch, maybe they should engage a crucial bunch like Snowheads and get us all to Like/Share/blog etc at the moment they are ready...
Anyone interested in giving this idea a push?
Admin, more skiers/boarders = more Snowheads
Is there anything the forum might do to push it?
(or are we preaching to the converted?)
What about some kind of "get a mate to ski/board" campaign?
surely there's none more evangelical about sliding on snow than we
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
skiholidays, I think you'll find that many snowheads value their independence more highly than their ability to serve commercial interests. Personally I think "the industry" should be doing everything it can to get more participation and find ways of making it not just a rich person's sport.
It is a source of mild amusement that "the industry" despite bleatings about public support (see Phil Keith qv) is characterised by in-fighting (see Bham and Manchester ski shows) and a basic inability to get some business fundamentals right e.g. as above launching a product where 50% of providers have no product in place.
I use the term "industry" in the widest sense to mean anyone seeking to extract cash from the pocket of a UK skier/boarder.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
fatbob, I'm sure you're right - shall we stick to the idea of helping to encourage first timers to have a go?
I dropped a line to Snowsport England, so lets see if they can give any more info
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
quick update:
I mentioned the value of having Snowheads members behind this initiative, to encourage new skiers/boarders, and they recognise the importance of this forum, along with the passion herein:
"We can definitely see the potential and we wouldn’t want a negative image to start to be created. – I can 100% see where people are coming from with the lack of offers and courses. – we are really pushing delivers to fully populate their profiles as quickly as possible and keep them up to date. it’s a little out of our control as the delivers are the ones that have to take the time to do this."
I think by "delivers" they mean the local slopes who have signed up to the idea.
I guess its early days and not properly launched yet, but they want to come back to us as they work on plans to move things forward.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
skiholidays wrote:
oh dear - I will send a link to this thread, to the people at Snowsport England, to show them how a great idea with less than perfect execution can be really poorly received.
Hopefully then we "enthusiasts" can get behind the promo for what it is - an attempt to show newbies skiing is accessible and awesome fun!
I saw the thread and thought great.
I clicked on the thread even though I live in Wales and when I entered my postcode none of the slopes within a 100 mile radius had any courses available.
I don't know how you can dress that up as anything but a failure to deliver a great idea.
Not even with sarcasm.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Mike Pow, agreed its not working at all for where you live, and probably lots of other places - I think we found this idea before they have it quite ready to launch
They promised things are still being worked on and will get back asap - as you say, the idea is great, and they've taken this feedback seriously, so its worth giving the whole thing a chance
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
skiholidays wrote:
quick update:
I mentioned the value of having Snowheads members behind this initiative, to encourage new skiers/boarders, and they recognise the importance of this forum, along with the passion herein:
Glad they're up to speed.
Quote:
"We can definitely see the potential and we wouldn’t want a negative image to start to be created. – I can 100% see where people are coming from with the lack of offers and courses. – we are really pushing delivers to fully populate their profiles as quickly as possible and keep them up to date. it’s a little out of our control as the delivers are the ones that have to take the time to do this."
Hmmm... fair enough but after this length of time and with such widespread lack of engagement, one needs to question whether the system may be (at least partially) at fault rather than simply blame the suppliers. 10%, even 20% don't engage, that's their fault - 80% don't engage and it suggests a flaw in the original plan.
Quote:
I think by "delivers" they mean the local slopes who have signed up to the idea.
I guess its early days and not properly launched yet, but they want to come back to us as they work on plans to move things forward.
I think you're pushing the plausibility of the "early days" excuse when it's a 21 month old scheme.
Don't get me wrong, the aims of the scheme are laudable and I'd love snowHeads, whether individually or en masse, to 'get involved' in a productive way. I did speak to them about this a year and a half ago, considered the detail of the scheme and suggested ways we might help to improve its chances of success. I got the impression though that they considered it 'a complete idea' as it stood so I wished them luck with it.
Mike Pow, agreed its not working at all for where you live, and probably lots of other places - I think we found this idea before they have it quite ready to launch
Sorry, again, this is not a 'pre-launch phase': it was launched in October 2011.
If they're looking to 're-launch' and would like to consult with us on how we might help turn it around this time, I'm happy to consider it but the t-shirt alone still ain't gonna swing it for me
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
I just spoke to a couple of national ski journalists who are interested in helping. The key would be for all parties to push at an agreed time, after creases/concerns are ironed out.
If it can be beefed up (in terms of number of slopes engaging) it could be a great campaign for skiing/boarding, as the recession ends (hopefully) and the numbers of skiers have been shrinking for 3 years.
admin, when you say it seemed a complete idea so you decided not to get involved, was there something they'd need to change for you to feel you could get behind it?
skiholidays, coming to this thread and knowing nothing about any of the participants, I read the post from admin as a politer way of saying "I rang them up with some ideas and they told me their own idea was so great it didn't need any input from Snowheads, thanks very much. If they DID want any input from anybody else we could maybe help but if that's their attitude they can stuff it".
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
You're right - with a few shoulders to it and a little co-ordination, I'm sure it could be got rolling.
I don't really recall the details - there have been 2 full seasons between then and now, but I do recall liking the idea in principle but that there were, perhaps subtle, aspects missing that could/would cause it to 'under achieve' and thinking that the integration of the snowHeads massive into the equation might counter those weaknesses.
But then, I tend to think the snowHeads can make anything work
After all it is free
After all it is free
Yes - it could be something really great - just needs the right people!
If Snowheads was on it, we could reach a lot of people.
Such a nice idea, I'd have no problem telling our clients about something like "take a mate to ski/board" kind of idea - I've a mate at Iglu so will see if they could be into it too (as the biggest agent), and you can bet TUI/Inghams Neilson will be up for it, if it grows the number of skiers/boarders.
Maybe working towards eg September would give them time to get more of the local slopes into gear?
I'll find out more and report back.
In truth, its probably just momentum that would get everyone else into it - SnowHeads is big enough to start the momentum, if anyone is.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Just looking at the website makes it appear mightily complex - not unlike the maze that is for example booking some slope time at Hemel. Could be massively cleaned up by
Postcode?
Are you an individual or potentially have a group interested?
Bosh - Here's the providers near you that are actually offering courses in this scheme
No one near you - we'll email you when & if courses become available (SSE then go off to kick back bottoms of those "advertising under the scheme")
Scheme Activators and Snowsports Makers just smack of made up roles and wasting money on rah rah t shirts etc.
1 reliable contact per slope who knows the score and prioritises enquiries under the scheme, appropriate pricing and customers organise themselves - it's not rocket science.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Going away for a family gathering - will catch up with this and report back after the weekend.
Anymore thoughts like fatbob, above, its worth posting here, as they're reading the thread now and having a think.
Enjoy the weather!
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Laying my deep rooted cynicsm about such things aside for a moment, looking at the 'Just' (thats a weird name...) catagory for events, with the rise in popularity of off-piste and near piste skiing, perhaps some kind of basic avalanche/deep snow awareness roadshow to tie in with other events?
Its all stuff thats been done on here before in one way shape or form, but the familiarisation with equipment, procedures, what to do in an emergency, basic first aid etc etc.
When the MSA were doing a big thing to recruit marshalls they did something similar, what to do, how to handle an emergency and so on.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
I think the idea of the scheme is to get people trting the sport either skiing or snowboarding, and to do a series of lessons for a fixed price. One of the problems is that you have a mixture of council/social enterprise/commercial enterprise owned slope who all have different agendas, and therefore there is not a 'one price fits all' answer. Also you have slopes that will not want to be offering discounted offers during their really busy periods.
Whilst the scheme may be two years old, this seems to be a re- launch, and I hope it works well, from the rpoviders side there is some funding available from CSP's but this has to be applied for, and therefore until thats tied up its very difficult for some slopes to provide a costing which whilst making it worthwhile to the public, also makes it worthwhile to the slope.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
iskar, Certainly the mixed ownership interest is the root of the problem with any unified campaign like this but it results in a confused and muddled message.
The core offering seems to be 6 * 1hr lessons but then actual providers, where they have anything on offer at seem to deviate from this. I guess if I was running it I'd want everyone signed up to a core package (maybe 4 *1 Hr) at a fixed price, not to exceed say £40 per beginner or I wouldn't advertise them at all. If the providers don't want to do it then you evaluate whether its a worthwhile campaign before you spunk money on a flashy website. Commercial enterprises like HH will have their own strategies for stimulating participation (and they seem relatively successful from pure anecdotal observation at getting never-evers through the door), likewise more community focused slopes like Norfolk already seem fairly clued in to getting locals involved.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Quoting myself from 17 July ...
Comedy Goldsmith wrote:
A new 'Go ski go board' scheme has been launched by Snowsport England
... and admin later that day ...
admin wrote:
I wouldn't say 'new' was quite the word for it. This was 'launched' prior to the 2011 ski show.
... it's interesting to see PlanetSki with this news today ...
PlanetSki wrote:
A new initiative to encourage more people in the UK to take up snowsports is launched next month.
So ... what I thought may have been launched hadn't been launched, though admin reckons it was launched in 2011, but PlanetSki reckons it will launch next month.
Shame its such a limp approach to launch after so much interest here - the biggest mistake when trying to create something of worth is to hold on tight to it, rather than let it be owned by more, who can then spread it further...
... feeling a bit disappointed, but still going to call them again and see if there's a bigger ambition than small-charity-thinking for this
... its such a worthwhile idea!
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Quote:
though admin reckons it was launched in 2011, but PlanetSki reckons it will launch next month.
Surely you don't doubt the veracity of my claim? (Although I'm sure James is right as well and it is being launched next/this month too but I think I'd be calling it a re-launch just for the sake of integrity n' all.)
As a reward for your efforts, and as recommended by my investigative colleage Clouseau, here is the apres-ski scene from the 1963 movie 'The Pink Panther'. Enjoy these samba sounds, and the beautiful voice of Fran Jeffries ...
It officially (re)launches at Hemel H this thursday afternoon:
Quote:
Largest ever national snowsports participation campaign launches
GO SKI GO BOARD aims to get more people into skiing and snowboarding
The largest ever national snowsports participation campaign, GO SKI GO BOARD, has launched,
aiming to get more people into and back into snowsports just five months ahead of the Winter
Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia.
The new campaign which is being run by national governing body Snowsport England and supported
by the Austrian Tirol as exclusive destination partner, and has brought together a network of the
UK’s indoor and artificial snow slopes to offer value for money taster, beginner, improver and
recreational sessions for people whose imagination has been captured by our skiing and
snowboarding stars. Participating slopes will offer programmes at four levels as part of the GO SKI
GO BOARD campaign; TRY SKI or BOARD, GET SKIING or BOARDING, GO SKI or BOARD and JUST SKI
or BOARD.
TRY SKI or BOARD is aimed at getting new people into snowsports through a taster session with a
qualified instructor and will often take place during open days at the slopes. For beginners who
know they have caught the bug, GET SKI or BOARD offers six hours of instruction to help build a solid
foundation of fundamental skills. For those who can already ski or board, GO SKI or BOARD offers
development sessions with instructors to help refine technique and for people who simply want to
ski or board with a group of people, there is the recreational JUST SKI or BOARD sessions.
Costs of all the courses will vary between slopes, but will offer value for money and will be all
inclusive with no hidden costs. Typically the costs of GO SKI GO BOARD sessions will include
instruction, slope time, equipment and clothing. Apart from the TRY SKI or BOARD taster session, all
courses are generally 6 hours of tuition over 6 weeks.
CEO of Snowsport England, Tim Fawke, said of the campaign: “With Sochi 2014 on the horizon and a
continued buzz around the country after London 2012, we believe there has never been a better
time to engage people into snowsports than now. Skiing and snowboarding are two of the most
exhilarating sports around and we hope by offering value for money, all inclusive sessions as part of
GO SKI GO BOARD we can give people the chance to give the sports a go – whether it is their first
time or they are trying them again after several years.”
The GO SKI GO BOARD website, www.goskigoboard.org.uk, will offer information about all the
courses on offer as part of GO SKI GO BOARD and people can search for their nearest course using
the “Find My Nearest” search. When contacting slopes about booking courses interested
participants should specifically mention the GO SKI GO BOARD programme. GO SKI GO BOARD has
its own Facebook page – www.facebook.com/goskigoboard and can be found on Twitter -
#goskigoboard.
For people who have a small group of friends who want to learn to ski or board, instead of having to
fit into the existing GO SKI GO BOARD course dates, they can be a Snowsport Maker and will be able
to book suitable times and sessions with participating slopes and get a course at a great price. This is
part of the GO SKI GO BOARD Snowsport Makers programme, encouraging people to get groups
together to give skiing or boarding a go www.goskigoboard.org.uk/snowsportmaker
To complement GO SKI GO BOARD, Snowsport England are running a series of Slide2Sochi
roadshows at indoor snow centres and outdoor slopes across the country. Aimed at bringing people
into the slopes or centres, Slide2Sochi roadshows will involve demonstrations, fun competitions on
and off the slope, interactive games, giveaways, stalls and refreshments and some slopes will run
taster sessions. They will also be the place to find out more about GO SKI GO BOARD. All the
Slide2Sochi dates and more information can be found on www.slide2sochi.org.uk or on Twitter
#slide2sochi.
Ends
Notes to editors
1) A high resolution GO SKI GO BOARD logo is available on request.
2) Snowsport England is the national governing body for snowsport in England
www.snowsportengland.co.uk or www.facebook.com/SnowsportEngland.
3) GO SKI GO BOARD is supported by funding from Sport England as part of Snowsport England
Whole Sport Plan. Over £1.1 million is being invested in increasing participation into
Snowsport England over the next four years. With the aim of increasing the number of
people regularly skiing and snowboarding at facilities in England. This is the largest ever
investment Sport England has made into Snowsport England. www.sportengland.org
4) The Austrian Tirol is the exclusive destination partner of GO SKI GO BOARD. For more
information visit www.visittirol.co.uk
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Swiller, you must be remarkably well connected to get hold of communications of that importance. No one ever sends me anything.
See you at Hemel. I'll be wearing a red carnation.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Final confirmation from Ski Club 1.0 (Facebook this morning) that Go Ski Go Board launches today - i.e. not October 2011, as claimed by Ski Club 2.0 (admin, postings above). Obviously, though, I'm not saying that Ski Club 2.0 is wrong and Ski Club 1.0 is right.
It's a relaunch, launched as a launch. So everyone is right, in their own way.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Tried Stoke Ski Centre with this and they dont seem to know what is going on.
Looked at the web info for Chill Factore and from what I can gather Id need to get my own group of ten together for snowboarding (12 year old)
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
stoke are in a world of their own lenty of slopes are doing it, and the slope near Bristol, is holding its 'slide to sochi' weekend on the 14th and 15th september.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
this 'pre launch' email went out yesterday to clubs and slopes etc to get some promotion through the local and national press. This will also tie in with the 'Slide to Sochi' theme being launched soon.
(Although I'm sure James is right as well and it is being launched next/this month too .jpg)
.
for snowboarding (12 year old)
lenty of slopes are doing it, and the slope near Bristol, is holding its 'slide to sochi' weekend on the 14th and 15th september.