 Poster: A snowHead
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My kids are a bit weird and don't really like to go off and do group stuff with other kids. They are 11 and just turned 14 when we go away at easter and I'd like to get some lessons for them and also for myself. They are probably both a little better than me (but they have bucket loads of hubris behind them due to their age and I am old and creaky!). Any idea if there are any ski schools that will teach us all together as a group? Otherwise, any ski schools that would teach 11-14 year olds in the same group as I'm fairly sure they wouldn't want to be separated. Thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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If you take a private instructor they should fit in easily with your request, which is perfectly reasonable. Somebody who knows the local scene well will no doubt be along with suggestions, but there's always the famous Steve Angus! He always comes over as a really dedicated instructor in his blog. But whatever you decide, best book asap. Available hours might be limited.
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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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| Dr John wrote: |
https://www.elevationskischool.com/kids-and-teens-lessons
Three hugely experienced British instructors, will definitely tailor to your requirements (if available, they are in high demand). |
Completely agree....I can't recommend Simon Mc Combe highly enough. He was fantastic with my Kids when they were 9 and 11.
I've also put my money where my mouth is and booked him for the coming season for myself and now adult Daughter..
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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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@Old Fartbag, Yup. He's teamed up with James Allen and Nicko Braxton (ex-TDC). A formidable line up.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Dr John wrote: |
| @Old Fartbag, Yup. He's teamed up with James Allen and Nicko Braxton (ex-TDC). A formidable line up. |
I got to know Simon way back when he was with Snowfun - along with the likes of Aaron Cassells, Dave Cowell and Neil "Woody" Woodward (who are all brilliant).
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Message @Steve Angus,
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If budget allows I would get your own instructor and send the kids separately. They will progress much faster than you so you will hold them back and you will not get the kind of instruction you need.
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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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| abricotine wrote: |
| If budget allows I would get your own instructor and send the kids separately. They will progress much faster than you so you will hold them back and you will not get the kind of instruction you need. |
I think that’s a good point. Kids and adults learn in different ways, and require different teaching styles. I appreciate the convenience and the fun of a family group sharing private lessons, but I do worry that there’s a lot of compromises when you mix kids and their parents in the same group.
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@Origen, @adithorp - thanks for the recommendation. And yes for sure as others have said James, Nicko and the like etc will be great as well.
However the main thing Flipjango - is to get something booked in quickly... unfortunately along with most of my colleagues we are already fully booked over Easter next year but something could be sorted out. As rob@rar and others have said I think splitting adults and kids up as much as possible is a better way to do things as everyone gets way more from a session that way!
Feel free to drop me a bell if you like on here and I will help as much as I can some more.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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There you have it, @Flipjango. You know your family best. Two lots of private lessons would be expensive - depends on your priorities. I do think lessons with the kids could be fun, and fun is the main point, isn't it, not necessarily making the most progress in X hours? the kids will enjoy skiing rings around you - possibly literally, as the backwards and flippy sort of things are so often not welcomed by grownups!
But book immediately!
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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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So I've been trying to book some group lessons but I'm struggling with the boys levels and ages. They both only learnt to ski a couple of years ago and are at the 'parallel on reds, never been on blacks' level with only 3 weeks of skiing under their belts each (though they both spent one week on a school trip with 5 full days of tuition which I think brought them along quickly). I can't seem to find any group lessons for older kids at their level - they're all for much more advanced skiiers. I could probably get the 11 year old in somewhere but he won't go without the 13 year old. So I could pretend the 11 year old is 12 to get him into the teen groups but neither of them are good enough anyway. So private lessons with us all in a group together might be the only way to go anyway.
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| Quote: |
So private lessons with us all in a group together might be the only way to go anyway.
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Although people generally counsel against this, personally I think it could work quite well and, of course, you know your family best. A good instructor will keep you all busy. If the boys are getting cocky because they're faster than Mum, they might be told to ski backwards, or lift the inside leg on the turns, or that sort of thing - or even lap round the same run once or twice. Or perfect their side-slipping - a useful skill. The boys might find they're not quite as parallel as they think they are! When I did a lesson with my son in deep powder on an unpisted black run which was really beyond me I was absolutely knackered from falling over more than he did, and dropped out into the café at the bottom for a coffee, whilst they went around again. Son was then also knackered as the instructor had taken him down a parallel run, which was narrow, and where the powder lay over the top of an already mogulled run. That wiped the smile right off his face. 
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You know it makes sense.
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| Origen wrote: |
| Quote: |
So private lessons with us all in a group together might be the only way to go anyway.
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Although people generally counsel against this, personally I think it could work quite well and, of course, you know your family best. A good instructor will keep you all busy. If the boys are getting cocky because they're faster than Mum, they might be told to ski backwards, or lift the inside leg on the turns, or that sort of thing - or even lap round the same run once or twice. Or perfect their side-slipping - a useful skill. The boys might find they're not quite as parallel as they think they are! When I did a lesson with my son in deep powder on an unpisted black run which was really beyond me I was absolutely knackered from falling over more than he did, and dropped out into the café at the bottom for a coffee, whilst they went around again. Son was then also knackered as the instructor had taken him down a parallel run, which was narrow, and where the powder lay over the top of an already mogulled run. That wiped the smile right off his face. |
I think you're right - I have no other choice anyway, but actually I am quite wreckless and they are both reasonably cautious and neither of them are especially silly, and they definitely like hanging out with me, so I think it could work.
I genuinely can't work out what teenagers are supposed to do to learn skiiing or improve at skiing if they're bronze level, as there doesn't seem to be much available to them unless they're already amazing!
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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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@Flipjango, you've got 2 highly respected instructors on the thread who are suggesting that having an adult and kids sharing lessons might not be the best way to go  but in fairness, neither is suggesting that it can't be done.
In terms of your question about how teenagers are meant to learn to ski, I'd suggest giving one or both of the ski schools recommended on this thread a call and ask their advice. They'll be able to advise on what is possible and likely to be both fun and productive.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Flipjango, it may be worth pointing out that the two highly experienced instructors on this thread are Steve Angus and Rob@rar. They are both extremely well known to hundreds and hundreds of Snowheads. You might have to be here quite some time to appreciate quite the high regard in which they are held on and by Snowheads. I have had lessons with Steve, he’s extremely good.
Steve is based in Val d’Isere (what an excellent choice of resort you have made!) so if I were you I would get directly in contact with him and his colleagues and let them sort me out. As he says, finding good instructors at peak times is not easy at all so getting it sorted asap is a good move!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I have no doubt that everyone in their own group produces the optimum pedagogical outcome. And I deplore parents creeping around trying to keep an eye on their little darlings in lessons. And I have three kids and eight grandkids - all of whom I have shepherded through learning to love skiing in their own ways, and at their own paces. At vast expense over the years, with the aid of some terrific instructors. In big groups, small groups, and privates.
My nine year old son, on his first week in Austria years ago was a total beginner in a class of mainly German speaking 5 year olds. He towered above them. But he learnt fast, and loved it, and wasn't one bit bothered by being with the "babies". He's supremely unbothered about what other people think. His big brother would have been absolutely mortified in the same situation and would have hated every minute.
4 year old daughter went into complete beginners with a nice English speaking Austrian instructor but was bored rigid skiing under the disney figures. She was "promoted" to a group with lovely woman who spoke no English, but did more interesting stuff. Loved it. Though she did say "German is a very cross-sounding language".
8 grandchildren have all varied in how tough and tolerant they are about ski lessons. 2 now have major school-phobia problems after Covid and related problems - and this spills over into ski school anxiety, though they love the whole snowy mountain thing.
There is no formula which works for all. And the priority is not that anybody makes maximum technical progress. It's that everyone has fun and want to go skiing again next year.
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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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Ah I guess everyone is different. The kids already think they're both brilliant and don't need any more lessons. They'd definitely rather not have more lessons, and would be genuinely distraught if I told them they had to be in a group with littler kids or kids who didn't speak English. I can't really stretch to two lots of private lessons for both them and myself, and in the absence of anything else I'd still rather they had a few more lessons before they hit the black runs than none at all - but I'm sure they think they're ready anyway!
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FAQ
