 Poster: A snowHead
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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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Warren Smith has a deserved reputation for getting a step change in advanced intermediate skiers. The other major plus is that on any given week WSA will run 6-8 classes of different abilities which means you will be a group of similar ability and if you do find yourself in the wrong group it can be fixed.
I have no direct knowledge of the schools that rob@rar, lists, but one to one with a top instructor could certainly be as good but way more expensive than WSA group lessons.
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andyjc, This thread covers this point and suggests some further courses. My daughter who is 12 and I had 12 hours of lessons with easiski at Easter and this worked well if you go down the private tuition route. Not really more expensive than the other courses which tend to be quite expensive.
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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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andyjc, I would agree with the 3 companies that rob@rar has listed.
However on this occasion I would say Snoworks might be appropriate for you and your 15 year old son, because Snoworks have just brought out (in their news of 16th June) something called Junior All Terrain where over 13's can do an All Terrain week with people their own age. This would be better for you in my opinion as it is usually all adults on these courses (well on 4 of the weeks I've been on with Inspired to Ski and Snoworks it has been) so your son might get a bit bored, at least with the Snoworks Junior All Terrain he would have other teenagers his own age to chat to. They do Race weeks for them as well.
http://www.snoworks.co.uk/i-skiing/junior_all_terrain.html
http://www.snoworks.co.uk/i-skiing/i_skiing_planner.html
as can be seen from the planner above they have a Junior Race week in Tignes in October and a Junior All Terrain week in Dec/Jan in Courchevel and also on 22 February in Courchevel.
The Tignes date has an adult Piste Performance course running the same week which may or may not be appropriate for you but for the Junior All Terrain week in Courchevel in Dec/Jan I'm sure if you emailed them and explained they could sort you out with some tuition for yourself with someone that they know. If not then there is a BASI ski school in Courchevel owned by BASI Trainer Gareth Roberts where you could get some good quality tuition at the same time your son is on the Junior All Terrain course. That might be a possibility. Gareth works with Snoworks from time to time anyhow so he is familiar with the sorts of things they teach.
There is an adult All Terrain week running the same week as the Junior All Terrain week in Courchevel on 22nd February as I mentioned above if you go then. I think that's half term anyway isn't it?
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andyjc, If anyone promises you that you can become a great skier in a week they're lying. You can improve a fair bit, even a hell of a lot; but a week is not enough to do it all. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. 
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andyjc, I'd echo Colin B. You could always try easiski, if you can book her for a week - or maybe a week of mornings, using the afternoon for consolidation and free skiing. She does have a devoted fan club - with good reason.
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| easiski wrote: |
| andyjc, If anyone promises you that you can become a great skier in a week they're lying. You can improve a fair bit, even a hell of a lot; but a week is not enough to do it all. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. |
Damm...I was thinking of setting my standards on that American guy...Bode I think his name is...I quite like how he skis. I realise that there is no instant miracle,but need a kick up the backside I think. It's my own fault for watching them you tube video's.
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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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Hi andyyjc,
Good on ya for getting yourself on a course. I of course would recommend my own course for various reasons but that would be a bit silly to do that myself. To find out more about our courses check this link, http://www.warrensmith-skiacademy.com/about-the-course.htm
As far as the versus??? goes I would look at Alpine Coaching, Inspired to Ski, New Gen and the Development Centre (TDC). If you're heading to the USA have a look at Martin Bell's camps. There's some great coaching on offer out there, especially over the past 10 years. The standard of British ski coaching seems to get better year after year. Hope this helps. Good luck with keeping up with your son. No course in the world will keep you up to his level unfortunately. My son (6) started his winter last season with a between plough and parallel level and ended up his season skiing powder in May in Val d'Isere and ripping super dynamic parallel turns.
Believe it or not although I teach for a living, he did most of his development himself without too much coaching, just going for it in his own way. I would definitely get training to spend more years skiing within your sons level. Good luck with getting your coaching sorted.
Warren
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| warrensmith wrote: |
| .....My son (6) started his winter last season with a between plough and parallel level and ended up his season skiing powder in May in Val d'Isere and ripping super dynamic parallel turns. Believe it or not although I teach for a living, he did most of his development himself without too much coaching, just going for it in his own way...... |
But it's the total opposite when you start at 43  . Which is why I'll probably be back with Warren again in January. No pain no gain & all that.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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parlor, http://www.warrensmith-skiacademy.com/about-the-course_group-and-skier-levels.htm
"Group 4 Advanced
This group consists of skiers who can ski with confidence on Blues, Reds and Black runs. They can carve effectively from turn to turn on nicely groomed snow but are not so consistent when the snow is icy or un-groomed. Skiers in this group can get down steeps, moguls and freeride terrain with confidence and a semi consistent technique but lose control approximately 30% of the time. Skiers at this level want to develop performance towards skiing 40 degrees slopes with good technique and direct (zip) line moguls."
Yup, that's me 
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Hi warrensmith!
Glad to hear your boy is on the slopes!
Thanks for the plug. Just one correction - the kids' camps I run are actually in Zermatt rather than the USA:
http://www.powderbyrne.com/club.php?name=mb
Best of luck with your event at the weekend Warren!
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You know it makes sense.
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Hi Martin, Good to hear from you. Hope all is going good. Glad to hear you're in Zermatt. Are you there over the summer or just winter? Will let people know about Zermatt. See you in the autumn no doubt at the shows etc. All the best, Warren
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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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Just the Feb half-term and Easter in Zermatt.
The rest of the time I'm still in beautiful Montana ( http://www.yellowstoneclub.com/ ) - not sure if I'll be over for the ski shows this year, probably not.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I've been on a weeks course with Warren and really would recommend it. My skiing and confidence really improved. I had a few private lessons with Charlie (one of Warrens team) a year later with my fiancee and went to another level again. My other half could not believe where she skiied and how it improved her skiing. The problem to this is that once you have been on a course with Warren or his team you will struggle to find anyone good enough. We went with New Gen in Courchevel and after alot of discussion of how they could teach us we gave it a go and were very disappointed. We talked to the guy in charge and were told that the techniques we had been taught along were very wrong and of no use in modern skiing. We gav in with them after a couple of lessons and heard several bad reports from others.
Sorry for the rant, got a bit carried away. To summarise I would reccomend WSA or possibly Snow works ( freinds have recommended)
Will
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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 was on a WSA last year and would recommend. Although Warren was busy on the week I was there his team are nothing short of excellent ! Tom etc are really passionate about skiing and you will improve !! Good luck !
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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 did a snoworks course this year and it was very good and I feel I improved an awful lot in just one week.
I am interested to know what the core differences are between the courses everyone has suggested here. I'd like to try snoworks again and would/have recommend(ed) it however I don't have much to compare it with. It does seem as though many people stick with one or other "provider" and keep going back - I just wondered if someone could in summary say what the differences are?
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johnnyh,
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I just wondered if someone could in summary say what the differences are?
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Me too. I'm just about to book a week with either Snoworks or Inspired to Ski (all terrain, level 4) and I can't decide which. Location and accommodation are the same, and Inspired to Ski is a little less expensive (by about £80) but I wouldn't be too bothered about that if the tuition at Snoworks is better. Any advice would be welcome, thanks.
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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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johnnyh, Hurtle, I think a lot of this for many people comes down to personal preference and who they get on well with, who they don't, and who they found made a big difference for them last time and having had a big difference made, they then end up going with that company again hoping to get the same instructor etc etc and so a lot of people will have been to one company and then never end up trying another company because they were happy last time and perhaps don't want to risk changing and ending up with something worse.
Different strokes for different folks.
I think generally, most skiers at whatever level, if they put themselves into the hands of an ISTD/BASI Trainer like any of the guys/gals that run these courses, there is no doubt that they would improve/change what they do/take something useful away from the course. This is because the standard the instructors need to be at to be awarded the ISTD (International Ski Teachers Diploma) is so high. They do vary though in teaching styles. All depends on what works for you.
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Hurtle, I've skied with both ski schools (and when they were one company before they split), although I've stuck with Snoworks for the last four or five years. There is no significant difference in approach between the two schools and there is some overlap in terms of the instructors they use, although this seems to be far less than it was. Both ski schools use high quality instructors, offer a programme of group lessons for about 15 hours a week plus evening seminars and video feedback sessions. Snoworks has a wider range of courses (on-piste, off-piste, race, etc). There will not be a significant difference in technical approach, not least because the two key directors in each company, Phil Smith and Sally Chapman, were both closely involved in developing BASI's curriculum for British instructors (I think both schools only use Brit instructors). My impression is that Snoworks is probably the larger of the two schools, so is likely to have more clients per week which might make it easier to move people around into suitable groups.
In my experience there is little chance of getting the same instructor year after year with either of the two schools, so if it is very important to you that you are taught by one particular instructor you should probably make other arrangements. Over the years I've skied with a lot of different instructors with these ski schools and they have all been extremely high quality, with no significant differences in technical approach.
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rob@rar, thank you, that's very helpful.
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andyjc, try contacting Gavin Crosby at www.eurekaski.com in Serre Chevalier. He is a BASI trainer and offers excellent improvement clinics. You will get the same instructor if you return for another course.
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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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Hurtle,
Just to reinforce what rob@rar has written. Snowworks and Inspired to Ski are good. Their approach is similar. You will improve, you will enjoy, you will not be disappointed. I am booked in again for Tignes in Dec. A great way to kick off the season.
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Elder Statesman, which are you booked in with for Tignes? I'm going to Tignes with ItS.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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VolkAttivaS5, Dec 13-20, Off Piste. Hopefully another week with Rupert.
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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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VolklAttivaS5, Been twice to Tignes, inc last year. I was there the week after you. Just have to pray for a good dump of snow. Same as the last 2 years. See you there, in level 5.
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You know it makes sense.
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Elder Statesman, brill-see you there then and let's hope for good snow.  Brilliant last year wasn't it, I think you had a better week than me actually because all the snow had fallen from my week and settled by time it got to yours. During my week some of the runs were closed (not due to lack of snow) but due to avalanche risk because of that big dump first few days in December.
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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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VolklAttivaS5, Hi there, as you know we're on the ItoS Tignes course 13-20th Dec. I'm on All Mountain level 4 and husband level 5-6 but wanting to do off-piste too, so you may be in the same group? Good news that you progressed so well from your level 3 last year, well done. Let's hope they can work their magic on me 
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Poster: A snowHead
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Beverley, I don't know about that until we get there to be honest, because it depends on the standard of the Level 5's in my Off Piste group that week and the 4/5's below it, so although I went into a Level 5 group last time I did an Off Piste course, could be that that's too difficult this time depending on the standard of the people in it and I might get moved to 4/5 depending on the group standard in there if that one is more appropriate. Depends on all sorts. Also, the Off Piste groups will be different to the All Mountain groups, or they were every time I've been anyway.
The first day or so it should all sort itself out though so everyone is happy and in the best group for their needs. Sometimes people overestimate or underestimate what Level they are so the first day you do end up with a bit of swapping about. Time will tell.
Either way you and your husband should have an ace time.
The Off Piste Performance course concentrates mostly on off piste naturally, although they might do a little bit of piste work to practice certain skills. The course you and your husband are on that week I am on the week before, which will develop your All Mountain skills for using across the whole mountain wherever you might be so a lot of the time this will be done on piste but mostly in my experience at Level 4 and above anyway you normally do do a bit of off piste with them as well if the conditions allow it and the instructor thinks it will be a good idea for the group to do that. All depends but as I say difficult to say until you get there. When you arrive if you ask Dave Peek any questions you may have at the welcome evening/drink in the chalet then he will be more than happy to help you with that. He is a very helpful and kind chap although the others Rupert and Angus will be happy to help too.
Hope that helps.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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VolklAttivaS5, That all sounds sensible. Whatever people say about their levels I am quite confident that the instructors will be able to tell exactly what levels people are after a few runs. Fitness is not my problem, but the 'brake' in my head which switches on at a certain speed
Very much looking forward to it.
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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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Beverley, oh good. I'm sure you will have a whale of a time and learn loads.
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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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cathy, yeah, you know what's coming next since your OH has suggested you have a week away to yourself-he's probably got his eye on a ski trip as well that he would like to go on with his friends or something! No problems with that though eh as it's fair. Hey, when are you looking at going with Inspired to Ski possibly? I'm sure you'll enjoy yourself and improve a lot at the same time. Perhaps your OH could go on it same time even though you might be different levels for example?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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cathy, good for you. Think there are going to be a couple of other Snowheads on one of the Courchevel weeks. Hope you have a great time. The Dahu is in a brilliant location just literally down the road from the meeting point at La Croisette lift station in 1850.
Yes, heard there are single rooms without supplement, good for you getting one of them. Have you been on a course holiday before cathy?
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VolklAttivaS5, that'd be good if there are some other snowHeads around - yes, the chalet looks great & I haven't been to Courchevel before so really looking forward to it. I went on a Snoworks one a couple of years ago to Tignes early December, IskiaLot was also on that one.
I have a bunkbeds room apparently, but just for me. I think I'll do alternate nights on upper/lower 
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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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cathy, VolklAttivaS5, Oh good - some Tignes instruction experts! I'm also off to Tignes 14/12 with my 17 year old son who is about level 5, and I'm about level 3. I can't decide what would be better - the Inspired to Ski All mountain course for Stuart and the Piste perfortmance for me, or to use Evolution 2. Does anyone have a view/can help? Thanks
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noggy, first question. Have you already booked your accomodation?
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FAQ
something tells me I'm not really getting better! so it's time to do something about it. I can carve in a fashion, get down moguls in a fashion,ski steeps in a fasion....and so on. I want to be able to do all this alot better. So, do we go on one of these academy weeks? if so, who are the best? what are my alternatives to w/s? or should I go to the resort and get an equal amount of money worth of one to one with a good instructor? Are there "in resort" schools that would be just as good? if so where abouts? Your valuable experience please.
