 Poster: A snowHead
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We have just come back from Morzine where our 15 year old son skied every black he could find several times including a horrible icy one that didn't even look like a piste. We are intermediates and can't keep with him anymore. He has been skiing since he was 5. He's very safe and controlled but also fast and appears to have amazing balance. Any recommendations on how we can cope on skiing holiday with him without resorting to moving to France!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Cut off one of his legs? PLAYING FIELD LEVELLED.
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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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don't worry about it...
he'll discover girls soon 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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ruthie, get him to convert to boarding, you'll be ahead for a little while at least 
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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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ruthie, allow him 1 ski holiday per year. You must then take 5 ski holidays per year and have at least 3 hrs of private tuition per trip.
I use this policy. Hasn't worked, but it has certainly helped keep the gap from being too big  .
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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ha great suggestions, mmm think the girl thing may already be happening  Tried to suggest the snowboard but just a grunt as a reply!
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We have the same problem with our 13 yo kids. They're happy to ski with us for a day at each end of the hol, but reasonably enough don't want to much in between. This year, in St Anton, we stuck them into ski school for 3 days; the top kids' class was OK for them, could have been more demanding, but they had a much better time than with us. We also took a private instructor for our last day, and he took them off piste, meeting up with the OL and me for a bit of piste skiing now and then, which worked well. Last year they went to 'Piste to Powder', an off piste guiding/teaching outfit in St Anton, for a couple of days; pricey but excellent for them.
The private instructor/guide thing is expensive, not an option for us for more than a day or two at most. Ski school seems to work pretty well; if you find the right place, your son should enjoy it and learn something. Some schools run courses especially for competent teenagers (which was what our kids did), mixing up on piste, off piste, maybe some racing, messing about with kit such as snowbikes, that sort of thing. An off piste group lesson might work; your son should certainly be old enough to do that next year if not this year.
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Frosty the Snowman, Love that suggestion - why didn't I think of it! Its the excuse I need for more ski holidays
richmond, He doesnt like group lessons except once he went to Teen Extreme run by Evolution in Val d'isere and that was ok. Will have a look at St Anton and the Piste to Powder sounds a great idea - thanks
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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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| ruthie wrote: |
| richmond, He doesnt like group lessons except once he went to Teen Extreme run by Evolution in Val d'isere and that was ok. Will have a look at St Anton and the Piste to Powder sounds a great idea - thanks |
If he doesn't want to ski with you (fair enough) and doesn't want to or isn't allowed to ski on his own (fair enough), ski school is the least worst option. He can always stay at home if he doesn't like it. I'd be surprised if most ski schools of any size didn't provide a group for people like him, with the emphasis being as much on enjoyment as learning (and I'm sure that he can still learn stuff!). Some will be better than others, but he can't really complain if he's getting a ski hol and the option to ski with people of his own standard, can he?
Piste to Powder was great. I believe that you need to be 16 to join a group, which is of course much cheaper than a private day.
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richmond, He'll be 16 next season so Piste to Powder would suit him. It's not that he doesn't like skiing with us - he doesn't complain its just really obvious he has to wait all the time for us! Not a major problem I agree. We did let him ski on his own in Morzine meeting him at the bottom of blacks while we did the reds beside them. He was happy with that. I think the ski schools he went to a few times where just following along in a line and he would like more of a challenge I suppose.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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ruthie, I have the same problem with my now grown up kids. We still enjoy sking together though.
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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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Either a) start him on boarding or b) put him in race classes.
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The SCGB do family ski hols where it appears the kids go off and do their own thing, I've never been on any of their holidays.
http://www.skiclub.co.uk/skiclub/skifreshtracks/familyzone.asp
Family & Under 20
Hit the slopes with no worries whilst your children enjoy fun and games skiing around with Club leaders.
A unique concept for family skiing holidays; children get the most out of a rewarding week away, with Ski Club holiday leaders on hand to organise the week's programme – taking the strain off parents who are able to enjoy their break too! For families with children aged over 6 years flexibility is the key, as children ski in organised groups headed by a Ski Club leader. Mums and Dads can explore with other parents, ski with the rep in resort, or join the children's groups at their pace – the choice is yours. The leaders will make sure the days are action-packed and they will arrange some après-ski activities just in case there is still some unused energy to expend. With your kids preoccupied you are free to enjoy your holiday – whether you want to ski hard and fast all day, or take a long, leisurely lunch in one of the mountain restaurants.
N.B. Leaders are not qualified instructors; children must be able to follow them on blue and red pistes. If not, they will need to go to ski school at your expense
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You know it makes sense.
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Helen Beaumont, I suppose its a good problem to have  At least they are enjoying an active holiday. He skies with the rest of the family when we all go once a year (we have 3 grown up children) but the trouble comes on the extra holiday with just us old foggies!! So just looking for suggestions of courses etc that others have found to be good.
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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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kitenski, Thanks for the link. I have never heard of them. Will have a wee look.
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Poster: A snowHead
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ruthie, did you really say that you have never heard of the SCGB ?  (ducks....)
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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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ruthie - at 16 he can start doing his instructor qualification. So why not sign him up for a Level 1 Alpine instructor course somewhere like Morzine and you guys do holiday skiing at the same time.
You could also get him to try telemarking, which is extremely trendy at the moment.
Or at 16 he'd probably be allowed on a SnoWorks course.
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PhillipStanton, SnoWorks Courses look ideal for him - thanks for recommendation. Didn't know you could start instructor qualification so young. He told his careers adviser in school this year he wanted to be ski instructor. She just looked at him and smiled probably thought he'll grow out of that one.
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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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ruthie, I remember reading about another  who waxes skis and deliberately tunes his kid's skis to be very, very slow.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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ruthie, Do you have a dryslope nearby ? He could start on the instructor and racing route there ?
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If he's thinking about being a ski instructor then it might be as well to show him the harsh reality of it sooner than later - i.e. hard work and little "real" skiing.
It'll also provide a focus for his energies and require a lot of commitment as he'll need ski school shadowing experience before he can do the course, a first aid certificate and a child protection module. Details of the course are here.
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PhillipStanton, Yes I've already warned him about the fact that it might not be all its cracked up to be. Think I'll investigate the SnoWorks courses for next year as they sound ideal and then me and hubbie can get a break from having to ski from dawn till dusk!
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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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ruthie - if you look carefully you'll see that there are some all day courses. That'll learn him 
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ruthie, also bear in mind that if he goes to Uni, there's all sorts of fun to be had - whether just on holiday or at some of the University races (i presume there are Irish versions...) - so you may only need to keep him occupied for a couple of years...
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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We have a daughter who skis similarly - she so far is happy with ESF Competition classes - which generally are a mixture of on and off piste , challenging and fun , generally small numbers too , almost always French teenagers. However he may be too old for some ESF schools - they seem to vary upper limits between 13 - 15.
It seems to us to be a world away from the half term snake of 14 kids.
John
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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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David Murdoch, Yea he's the youngest of 4 children, the others all self sufficient now (thank goodness) so its only a matter of a few years and he's good fun to ski with. Not sure if our Uni's have ski clubs - I'm sure thats the first thing he will find out!
alltnaha, Those classes seem good, he hated the big classes.
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ruthie, you could also get him started in the park - v trendy, lots of cachet amongst mates.
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You know it makes sense.
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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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Lizzard, Good idea mm he'd have to do it on his own - I'm not attempting that!
Ordhan, We live in Northern Ireland and knew nothing about the IASI. Really interesting. Will just have to wait and see if he's serious enough about it but great to know the option is there thanks.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Ordhan wrote: |
| Not sure how close you are to the dendex in Kilternan but the instructors course starts in April www.iasisnowsports.com has all the details. They do BASI standard courses and just change they B to an I. It will give him a feel for what snow sports instructors have to do and how it is. |
The Irish Association of Snowsports Instructors (IASI) is an independent national body whose qualifications have international recognition. Training syllabuses are our own, devised by Derek Tate, who is Director of Training. It is by no means just a matter of BASI with the the B changed to I. There is of course a close relationship with BASI and our trainers are currently all BASI Trainers, but it is most certainly not some sort of adjunct of BASI.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Keen young teenage hot shot skiers might THINK they want to be instructors - and go through some courses - but not take it much further. My daughter is a dinghy sailing instructor and did the RYA courses required through our brilliant local sailing club. A lot of the keen racers who did it with her (who were technically more proficient, into tweaking rigging tensions etc etc) never did do any instructing, because it was just sooooo boring to be out in a slow dinghy with adult beginners, or scared 8 year olds. She did several summers, in UK and US, instructing and is now becoming a teacher. She really wanted to teach and that showed in her aptitude for teaching sailing.
I gather that many aspiring ski instructors give up at the "endless snowplough" stage - and that's the ones that can DO a decent snowplough! The dryslope route sounds a good way to develop. But even the top instructors have to scratch a living, as do sailing instructors. It's done for love, not money, but if youngsters (or older people) are more keen on what they do than how much money they make doing it, good for them, and good luck! I met a woman on a ski clinic week who had become a dry slope instructor in her 40s - she was several classes above me, but still spending her own money on improving her skiing.
I wonder how many of those Canadian "gap year" instructor course people will ever actually do any instructing?
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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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Ruthie, Tere are a couple or NI lads that do the race training in Dublin and I think there is a dry slope in Colraine asweel?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Ordhan, There is a dry slope in Craigavon about 40 mins away from us. What age do you have to be to do the race training?
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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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ruthie, In my club the youngest member started at 6.....
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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They start them in Dublin from 6/7 and then progress through I would say the average age is about 15-17
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| ski wrote: |
| ruthie, In my club the youngest member started at 6..... |
Blimey, that's late.
We've half a dozen under-6s skiing in local (dryslope) races. But it's only at six you can register as a racer and start doing national-level competition.
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Rob they have a kindergarden club for kids from 4, its just the racing proper starts at 6/7. At the last club races two of the kindergarden kids where quicker than the youngest race kids. The gloating from a certain ski instructor was relentless
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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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pam w, very low percentage.
But i'm not complaining (imagine BASI trying to survive on the subs and course fees of just the career instructors) and so will not join in with those who villify Gap year instructor courses.
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I have a similar "problem" as Ruthie, and am also looking for leads.
Miy two want to be stretched, but are 13 & 15 so at least one won't be old enough for Snoworks (and do they have courses in school holidays?) They are unfortunately too xenophobic to do an ESF class, so suggestions for english-speaking similar would be good. They don't want to become ski racers, but do a course for the fun of it.
Finally the younger one has asked about a snow-park/freestyle course - any suggestions for this?
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FAQ
of course maybe I can be excused cause I'm Irish? 
