 Poster: A snowHead
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So unfortunately my daughter who turned 4 in Feb has gone to the dark side and now loves skiing. To be honest I'm just thrilled that she is really into a sport of her own.
A couple of weeks ago she did a week of ski school and got her Ourson badge and she has Ski School again this week in the Flocon group. But I'm worried about how she can do it next season. I was surprised that most ESF schools have an age min of 5 or 6 for the Flocon group. So next season she will be 4 and it seems like most if not all the ESF schools have an age limit of 6 for the 1st Star group. Does anyone have experience of them making age exceptions?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Many years ago we snuck my daughter into lessons in Grandvalira, age 5.5 rather than 6. They weren’t bothered when she stage-whispered to the instructor “I’m actually 5 but it’s a secret”.
I wondered if the age was important for insurance purposes, but seems it was more a guideline for strength and maturity. I had tried clarifying before but couldn’t get a straight answer.
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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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same...i think in Flaine two years ago my daughter was not 6 but 5.5
didnt said something (probably also not the best, as Orange2000 said for insurance purposes) but didnt bothered someone.
My son also did a course (Competition) at 9 , even if the ESF wanted a minimum age of 10
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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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| turms2 wrote: |
| My son also did a course (Competition) at 9 , even if the ESF wanted a minimum age of 10 |
The limiting factor for that will be whether they are tall enough to use a lift by themselves, the instructor won't lap a course with them.
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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 had a bit of an issue with esf on one of my holidays with the kids.
My son started skiing age 3 at snozone. He had done a full term of lessons before a trip to (age4 jan 2022) La thuile in 2022 just after his birthday. He spent a week in ski school on that trip. Then after that he skied every Sunday for a whole year. The next time we went skiing was Feb 2023 to flaine. He was put in ESF via the crystal childcare team as we had booked a childcare package. I had marked his level down on the holiday booking but on day 2 when I saw him (we’d been seeing to other child day 1) they had put him in the class with some other tiny kids that were complete beginners, I felt it was due to his age.
Despite my protests. He spent until the Wednesday of that week messing about in the snow garden standing in his ski boots and walking up the tiny incline in his skis. After this point they realised he could ski and moved him out and skiing properly. I was most annoyed as I felt we had wasted over £1k of ski academy lessons for them to ignore the level i’d marked him as until they realised he could ski when they eventually took him out.
That said - my elder daughter was in esf last year doing bronze level and there were little kids in it. So I think you’ll need to demonstrate the prior level to them somehow pretty early into the week
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Apart from the minimum age of three for group lessons, everything was very much “advisory” with our local ESF. They were happy to have my son in competition class age 6.
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Sounds, like at the right school they will show flexibility.
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i think it has to do with the ski school / insructors. Some of theme go strictly with the requirements etc, while some other see the whole thing more relaxed.
What @v1cky24 describe, saw it in Austria in a few resorts with my son. Even if he was better than the other kids in his groupd, he had to go with who barely manage to go down with snowplough a green (blue there) slope.
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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 over egged his level this year  they find out pdq what they can and can’t do. He was with older kids and his skiing came on a treat.
I think the very young child thing might be more of an issue.
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Apart from insurance issues - that seem to dictate the 3yo minimum - most schools look at practicalities.
So very young kids have to be a minimum independent - at 3 some do ski well enough but still have to be picked up if they fall. Smaller kids cannot go on a telesiege due to size, or on a teleski due to weight.
Usually the first day (of group lessons lasting 5 1/2 days) is spent assessing levels, and then they do group levels.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Quote: |
at 3 some do ski well enough but still have to be picked up if they fall
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and some kids are still in nappies when they are that age.
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