 Poster: A snowHead
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Is anyone here a member of the Lions or Sharks ski clubs that meet at Castleford and can offer some advice/feedback on what they offer ?
I'm looking for a club that I and my 6 year old can join to help us both progress. My son has completed the snowbears scheme and we used to take him about once or twice a month to ski club. However this has been replaced with their ski academy and we didn't want to commit to a 13 week solid block of lessons for him. Frustratingly Snozone don't offer a ski club alternative and I was told today that if I wanted a scheme similar to ski club I had to wait until he was 7!!! safe to say I wasn't that impressed with that advice
I'm planning to do the learn to ski evenings at Castleford but am keen to have somewhere we can both go without being hamstrung by what Snozone seem to have set up
Any advice/help much appreciated
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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?
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I know quite a few people who've been part of Sharks, but that was when they used Sheffield Ski Village. They had a few representatives competing in Sochi, so they can't be too bad!!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Lions or Sharks 
Sounds like a 1950s musical
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Vessigaud, Lions is a great Club to get your child involved with, a lot of ski talent has come from Lions, such as Pat Sharples and even the Bells where members, and the head coach even from when I trained with them back in the Harrogate/Halifax and sheffield days is still there !. They have a great race academy on a Monday night, but your child will have to start on the sunday morning, once your child has reached the level they need to be to join the Monday night club then they will be invited to go along. I am pretty sure they are starting to do more slopestyle events too. Its a great club and great place for your child to go to if he/she want to carry on improving. 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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My kids started at the Lions, and then we moved!
Funnily enough a month or so ago I saw a racer with a Lions jacket on at nakiska. I meant to talk to him, but couldn't keep up!
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Sorry to resurrect an old topic.... but.
I have a similar issue to @vessiquaid.
My daughter learned at the snozone lesson aged 5. 4 group lessons and then into the Sunday morning kids club @ £60 per four weeks.
It was great and she came on really well.
My son is now nearly 6 and its his turn. But now its all changed. Its either 1 to 1 lessons at £64 a go or straight into the kids "academy" where you have to pay for 13 weeks at £40 a week - £520 gulp.
Its impossible to book online and I was on hold for 25 minutes this morning before speaking to someone who was pretty unhelpful. No availability for the 1 to 1 lessons until November. The Academy is 16 kids of differing skill level and ages all bunged together, with the instructors splitting the group if they see fit. So in my opinion completely unsuitable for a 5 year old complete novice.
It looks like Snozone have pretty much turned their backs on the young beginners. Which is a shame.
So I was wondering if anyone has experience of the Sharks for beginners lessons?
Much appreciate any experiences others have on this.
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Might as well jump in on this again
I've also got the same dilemma, my 8 year old was in Academy Excel last season and did get a lot out of it but they were all of a similar level. He's decided to take a break this term as he's done academy for the last 3 terms
I want my 4 yr old to have a few lessons before we head off for our holiday in Feb. However, last time i checked Sharks and Lions couldn't accept complete beginners as Snozone had changed their policy and you had to be of a recreational standard to ski with them. However i dont want to commit to 13 weeks with Snozone for a 4yr old as i have no idea if he'll like it
If the costs for Academy are 40/64 i'll think i'll wait until the holidays for his lessons, get him to a recreational standard and then look at joining Sharks/Lions as a family
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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.
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Sharks/Lions are not permitted to teach complete beginners. So it looks like we will let him have half a dozen 1:1 sessions then have lesions on holiday in Feb.
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I ski at MK but the offers are usually the same at Castleford.
From 21st September they're doing an offer where if you buy membership you can get the 5 beginner group lessons for £69.99 for juniors and £79.99 for adults, these are the single lessons rather than the combined or day courses.
http://snozoneuk.com/hit-new-heights
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I keep reading this because I don't quite believe it is true. But then every time I check the snozone website it is fairly self evident that you're right! I am gobsmacked that they wouldn't offer beginner group lessons for anyone under 11. Private lessons are great, but a very expensive way to learn to ski, and they are surely cutting off a big potential market who just can't stretch to that cost. Every slope or club I've been involved in has seen getting as many children involved in skiing as a big part of their existence.
I'd look at alternatives like dry slopes in the area. Rossendale for example if you're anywhere near there would I'm sure be able to offer a much more attractive package. For those further south The Snow Centre in Hemel Hempstead has a much more sensible and welcoming approach to children's group lessons. [For the avoidance of doubt, I'm one of the instructors at The Snow Centre]
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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.
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#Mayal , #kieranm
The group lessons for "Juniors" are for 11 years to 16 years.
So its pretty obvious that they just don't want under 11s to be taught there.
I know when I have been on the slopes, experienced skiers have complained about beginners being allowed. As far as I'm concerned, beginners have paid their slope fees too, so tough luck!
I'm friends with the girl (Michelle) who used to run the Sunday kids club at Castleford, when it was really good. It was a shame when she left and it all went downhill 
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Sorry, just seen that when I went to look at the site. I never realised until now, what a shame and a missed opportunity by Snozone.
Not everyone can afford to pay for several lessons up front, surely there is a place for beginner kids to do the individual level group lessons (does that make sense, one level at a time?)? Maybe not 3/4 year olds as I can imagine that a group of 10 would be like herding kittens but a minimum age of 11 seems far too high.
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You know it makes sense.
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@MayaL, Thats daft. At tamworth Min age is 4 to start lessons and if your little one progresses well they can be in the Junior Club after about 10-12 week! Their proviso to having them in Junior club is that they can snowplough turn and stop, get up after a fall, put their skis on, use the lifts and keep their bladders under control for 2 hours. Its nice to see 1 slope has common sense still
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@PaulC1984, that's pretty typical of every slope I've been involved with, which is why I am so surprised that snozone is different.
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Poster: A snowHead
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What's daft? Snozone or what I said?
I'm agreeing that lessons should be available for younger kids
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| kieranm wrote: |
| @PaulC1984, that's pretty typical of every slope I've been involved with, which is why I am so surprised that snozone is different. |
Some just don't seem to cater which is crazy. Stoke ski slope when I was a dot, would take you at 4, now its 6. They are all missing out on a lot of trade
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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?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| MayaL wrote: |
| Smaller groups for the littleys would make sense though. |
That is why Lions encouraged parents to do the Snowsport England Level 1 Instructor (Club Instructor) course, bit of a waste if Snozone won't let them use it.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| rjs wrote: |
| MayaL wrote: |
| Smaller groups for the littleys would make sense though. |
That is why Lions encouraged parents to do the Snowsport England Level 1 Instructor (Club Instructor) course, bit of a waste if Snozone won't let them use it. |
Tamworth only have 5 kinders per lesson/instructor so its great - any more than that and they spend all their time picking up kids
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There is a video on the bbc look North Yorkshire Facebook page about the lions ski club but can't see how I can share it.  worth a look though if you have fb
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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.
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That video took us back. We skied with Lions when my son was 5 and my daughter started at 2 3/4 there.
The kid Elliot in the vid was my son's buddy there. Both are now racing but on opposite sides of the Atlantic!!
Elliot has a younger sister who used to ski with my daughter.
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Hi Only just found Snowheads by happy accident generally it al looks great. I'm one of the voluntary instructors with Lions Ski Club Castleford. We've recently had to rejig things a bit to meet Snozones stipulations. They did decide that snozones ski school were to be the only ones allowed to teach on the nursery slope, hence we were unable to take on beginners. We are allowed to accept & teach those who can ski to snozones minimum standard for recreational skiing ie, ride the tow, descend using linked turns. To meet what turned out to be a problem in relation to catering for kids where the younger ones can't ski but older siblings can, Snozone put on a "special beginners class" at 8am Sunday morning to align with Lions start time.
Whilst we are a family friendly club basically welcoming anyone who wants to ski to the Sunday 8am to 10am session. a major thread in the club is racing both in the UK & well anywhere we can afford to go. The focus of this is younger kids & getting them off the start line so to speak. To this end we run a race coaching session on Monday evenings, attendance is by invitation based on ability displayed at the Sunday sessions. Hope this answers some of your questions, if not simply role up one Sunday morning & try us out. Regards Steve
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Sorry forgot to answer the point about why put parents through Level 1? Well as most of our Instructors come from parents the club simply has to, to get them established on the Instructor pathway and move through to Level 2! Generally costs are subsidised by the club and we use the level 1's to enhance & really establish the basic's where we find folks have been rushed through them.
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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.
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| Quote: |
I'm one of the voluntary instructors with Lions Ski Club Castleford
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 What a great first post. Welcome to SHs, @oldish.
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Thanks @oldish , the club sounds great.
I'm not sure its for us though if its primarily aimed at race training.
The 8am start would also mean a 6.30 wake up call.
back to the drawing board I think.
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You know it makes sense.
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Well just an update.
We tried again this week. And nothing has changed. We have had to book a full hours private lesson for a 6 year old at £100. when he gets good enough to get on the main slop he can join the academy in 12 week blocks at £320.
Also my 11 year old wanted to try boarding. Snozone do a offer in October with 5 group lesson for £99. Which is good. but you have to buy a voucher for £99. They email you a code and then you have to ring up and book the 5 lessons. I.e.
Book into a level one lesson, then a level 2 etc. but you have to have them all in before the end of December.
So we tried to book, and there was a level 1 available straight away, A level 2 on 23rd December and then tough because there were no 3,4,5 before the year end.
Luckily after hours on the phone with management they have sorted out some new blocks for the boarding before xmas.
But for the 6 year old skiing lessons there's pretty much no provision.
Funnily enough we have been to snozone the last 2 weekends and the slope at 3pm was pretty much empty. 3 years ago it would have been jam packed at this time of year. So their policy of excluding kids is having the desired effect of ostracising most of the populace, and leaving the slopes nice and empty for the regulars who want to blast in a straight line down the middle. (comment not aimed at Lions or Sharks).
The moguls look great though, the kids who build them and the freestyle stuff do a great job.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@tyke2, for Pete's sake! That doesn't appear to be very impressive...use the voucher before the end of December? What's that about?
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FAQ
Smaller groups for the littleys would make sense though.
