 Poster: A snowHead
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At this year's SOPiB, a few of us got enthused about the idea of doing a piste performance course, SHs style. The idea would be to spend a solid chunk of time on a bash working purely on-piste on technique, that would be usable all over the mountain (i.e. stuff that would also be applicable off-piste). It would be longer and more involved than e.g. group lessons on a bash, and involve video feedback, possibly running some brushes etc. It would not be preparation for instructor qualifications and not race training either. With a bit of luck @Gavincrosby will pop along to explain better than I can!
I talked to @admin who is happy to organise this if there is sufficient interest. I'm thinking it could work well either done during the PSB or the week before/after. Perhaps 4-5 days on the bash, to leave 1-2 days for other stuff, or the full week if that's what works best.
Obviously there are commercial organisations that already do stuff like this; personally I quite fancy doing it within the SHs community with all that it brings on the social side, plus the flexibility of tailoring to exactly what the participants want. So if you are interested, please reply to this so I can see whether it's worth taking it further with Admin (assuming that next season happens, of course - I'm an optimist).
edit from admin:
Gavin sent me this as an outline. Nothing set in stone so we're open to discussion/adaptation but it looks good to me and it's hard to argue with skill and experience like Gav's 
| gavincrosby wrote: |
Intro:
Rather than trying to change our performance whilst skiing around the mountains, we have to realise that spending time improving our underlying performance and skill in a focused manner beforehand, will greatly improve our skiing around the mountains.
Many sports coaches spend considerable time developing skills and performance with drills, activities and feedback before their clients actually play or participate in a game of tennis, golf or skiing ...
It is very difficult to focus on receiving individual feedback while actually playing a game of tennis against someone who has been consistently beating you, or while skiing la Banane couloir in La Grave... your attention will inevitably be elsewhere!
Course overview:
On piste using a variety of different slopes
Drills and activities to improve performance and skill
In-depth video analysis and action points
Evening discussion on ski technique, performance and skill
Goal-setting for continued development.
Gavin |
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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be interested in doing this at the PSB.
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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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@mgrolf, I’d be interested - ideally the PSB week but either the week before or overlapping with the PSB week could work also.
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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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I haven’t been on a bash yet but this would be extremely appealing!
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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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This will be something very similar in nature to what was called a BASI prep course which we did once before/during the EOSB. Gavin and Izzy ran it between them, so it can be done!
I'm in as long as we can include a few mornings on gates... It is not easy to train without a professional and a group of like minded people. As such it is probably the subject I'm furthest away from the goal of becoming a full Landeslehrer.
Would join with any of Floss, Izzy, Gavin, Dave, Claude (or a combination off, very useful indeed) leading it.
This kind of course can work very well in a glacier resort in October - I've done it once through Snowsports Academy (Netherlands/Vienna) on the Kitzsteinhorn and it was brilliant (Incl off-piste down to 2200m)
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I am also interested but like nickH i am not interested in the gates (sorry Ronald).
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| Ronald wrote: |
| I'm in as long as we can include a few mornings on gates... |
admin and I discussed this a couple of years ago.
One problem for the PSB is that it is just at the point where Tignes switches over from focusing on race training to the normal winter mix of skiing. If the glacier lanes have closed then it is very expensive to hire a lane on the Lognan stade.
It would also be unusual for instructors to have their own gates. I think you will find it easier to do something with one of the local schools like ESF, Evolution2, Ultimate & Snoworks. Of them Snoworks is probably best at providing a gentle introduction to race training.
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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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Definitely interested
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@rjs, Those are options to look at - Snowsports Academy the Austrian side still have a 3 day course as well.
@Scarlet, You're nearly in the epicentre of Austrian skiing... I doubt you need to search for long to get yourself some appropriate toys - I'd guess there'll be some ex-race stock with 2 months less than normal usage on 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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Interested. Would there be a minimum standard of ability for Snowheads on this trip? Or a maximum?
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I too chatted with Admin (well, he chatted to me - I occasionally got a few words in) a couple of weeks ago & he mentioned this idea.
I’d be interested in this for the either of the weeks either side of the PSB , but not during.
Stay safe & stay healthy, folks. HD
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You know it makes sense.
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| HossDoc wrote: |
I too chatted with Admin (well, he chatted to me - I occasionally got a few words in) a couple of weeks ago & he mentioned this idea.
I’d be interested in this for the either of the weeks either side of the PSB , but not during.
Stay safe & stay healthy, folks. HD |
I'm probably the same as HD - i.e. either side of the PSB and then make it a two week trip.
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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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| Ronald wrote: |
I'm in as long as we can include a few mornings on gates... It is not easy to train without a professional and a group of like minded people. |
Whereas I'm fine with doing some gates but I'd prefer not to focus on that at the expense of other things that might be less specialist.
| Hossdoc wrote: |
I’d be interested in this for the either of the weeks either side of the PSB , but not during. |
And I'd rather it was the week of the PSB, as I won't be able to do more than a week in December. Everyone's different!
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Poster: A snowHead
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@mgrolf, I might be interested in this if it happens in the PSB (and I’m able to go on the PSB).
It’s certainly something I’d like to spend time on (and I think we even spoke about it briefly at the last PSB?) but whether I prioritise it will depend on how much skiing I’m likely to get next year, which depends on when/ if I get a new contract at work...
Sorry for vagueness! Count me as interested.
Cheerio
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Not actually convinced gates are specialist. To ski gates well, you need to ski well - much like moguls. As such I doubt spending time on them is a waste of time.
Practicalities might stand in the way anyway as @rjs highlighted.
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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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@Ronald, you're probably right and I'm sure there's a lot of good work that can be done in the gates. I'd actually quite like to do a more focused course for this as well, but I need my general standard to be better first!
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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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@Valkyrie, not sure about the standard - good enough to want to be better, and spend lots of time repeating things in order to achieve that? I'm definitely at the lower end of the SOPiB spectrum and Gavin seemed to think it would be a good idea for me, so maybe that helps? Equally, some of the others who've replied are definitely a lot more competent than me.
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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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I could be interested - just depends on how it all shakes out. I don't mind doing gates either, I never have and imagine the discipline required would benefit my skiing.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I'm aware of this plan and have been chatting to 'Gav n Dave' about it.
They were thinking a full course of 5 or 6 days training.
If there was a little interest ie. one group's worth, it would be best to be rolled in as part of the PSB. However, if we're looking at 3 groups (of 6) or more it would make sense to run it as it's own event on a week adjacent to the PSB. Otherwise we'd probably not have the instructors we need for both the normal PSB roster and this.
From the liveliness of this thread so far, we're probably heading in the direction of the dedicated extra week.
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I would be very interested...but only if it included some gates.
I would also want clarification as to whether this was going to be a Coaching style course delivery, or a Teaching style delivery.
...for those who don't know the difference then I can only say it is a big difference!
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Hmm, potentially interested particularly if other travel remains more restricted and I have annual leave days to burn.
But only for non gates stuff. Not really interested in covering the overhead for gates nor in getting hurt at the start of the season due to pushing stuff. Actually that's too many conditions I'm putting on it so best downgrade my interest to a very weak one.
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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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If we're running 3 or 4 groups, (and it looks like there may be the interest for that) there's no reason why we shouldn't tailor the programme to suit, with some groups doing gates, others not.
Maybe we could even have a special little group that does tobogganing and marmotte watching and hot chocolate and afternoons off to go to the swimming pool so as not to over-stress @Dave of the Marmottes 
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Obvs we need a bit of clarity as to who this is aimed at.
A couple of years ago I reached the level of, 'pretty piss-poor'; since then i've got steadily worse. It would suit me to spend a whole week focussing full-time on trying to achieve lower end mediocrity.
The discription so far doesn't tell me whether this course would suit.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Yes I’d be interested. But probably only if it made the PSB a two week Event.
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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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Put me down as “interested”. No real preference as to how it fits round the PSB.
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@Riccardo, +1
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You know it makes sense.
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| admin wrote: |
Maybe we could even have a special little group that does tobogganing and marmotte watching and hot chocolate and afternoons off to go to the swimming pool so as not to over-stress @Dave of the Marmottes |
You realise the hazards involved there? Being savaged by marmottes, choking on Slagroom, drowning in the pool and tobagganing off the charts dangerous
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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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Skiing gates is fun, everyone should give it a try.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I’d be interested if I can attend the PSB. Personally I’d be more interested in a mornings/afternoons or a few days of this rather than full time or a separate week.
Regarding gates, I did a Snoworks course a few years ago, and skied some gates. Wouldn’t mind another go (but not a full week of it). Had never done anything like it before and didn’t think I was good enough. But was persuaded by Phil it’s for all (intermediate and above) levels and you’ll love it. I did enjoy it. Gives you something to aim for rather than just doing turns down a piste.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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It's a great idea. I'd potentially be interested, but can't make any plans for December at the minute.
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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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Mgrolf thx for getting this going on the site and look at me actually finding it... there is hope yet it clearly just takes having the plague, a world crisis and 2 friendly SH pointing me to it
What I love about the idea is the opportunity to have consistent and integrated feedback over the 5/6 days which hopefully will yield more sustained improvements vs the independant snap shots you get with some other set ups such as multiple lessons with multiple people on multiple topics.
I'm in!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Haggles, while you're here and on a roll, have you seen the photos of you skiing, on the GnarliBuG thread?
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nope
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Have a little look then  (they're on the last page)
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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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I'd be interested in this, if it was with one of our "special" Snowhead instructors. Would enjoy a day of gates - have done it before and it really sharpened up turn technique. But in a leisurely, non-combative gate way.....
Timing wise, whenever - as long as I'm allowed leave (has all been cancelled for the foreseeable...  )
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FAQ
