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BASI COACH

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
sorry but I'm italian and I don't understand few thig about BASIsistem......;
I have 2 friends......without say the name.....that after 2 years from their erotest(one try 7 time the second 12 times....for pass it) now they just pass the coachig examination.....
my question is.......how we can become trainer if we never have done a race in our life......and how a feller who came here 8 years ago for learn to ski in one of my begginners class now teach to me cause he past his trainer course????
Is it that normal ??? did the English people know than the teacher they are paiing is just few years that is skiing???....so is it normal spend 50\60 euros for a lesson with someone that at the end have just few years more than me of experience???
why Basi don't do the same examination than the other ???
I'm very angry for that.....if we use the Basi sistem everywhere....in my town in Italy we are all ski instructor......we cannot try to make that examination a little bit nearer to the other??? we are a bit tired to teach to people that in few years using tha easy way thay become instructor.......if we carry on in this way in few years every british wiil be ski instructor.....and for us who ski everyday of my life ....will be no place....
my brother in law from begginers course in 6 years is Basi instructor.......that's good for him......but I cannot understand why????
SORRY FOR THAT .....BUT IT IS FEW YEAR THAT I ASK MISELF THAT......DON'T KILL ME .......
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
lungostyle, not sure what you are getting at Confused sounds like you are unhappy about the BASI system, for a british instructor to teach in certain countries they need to pass the euro test too, maybe you just need to do some race training like all the other people who pass their euro test

in val 'd Aosta a british instructor can only work for a week [if i remember correctly] without passing a local test, even then they can only teach for 4 weeks unless they pass something else
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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?
lungostyle, A BASI 'Coach' qualification is not the same as a BASI 'Instructor' qualification.
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Spyderman, you better explain it clearly...i'm not sure anyone understands it fully....i sure as hell get lost and english [well scottish] is my first language
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lungostyle, The BASI Instructor scheme is made up of 4 levels, for Level 1(lowest) which allows teaching in UK artificial slopes. Level 2 allows teaching in resorts, Ski Teacher gives ISIA status and Ski Teacher ISTD allows for autonomous teaching.
The BASI Coaching scheme also has 4 levels, Level 1 is designed for local clubs, through to Level 4 which is National Team standard.

Instructors are exactly that, Instructing either within a ski school or autonomous with respect to ISTD level.
Coaches are enhancing performance, usually with people known to them over an extended period, normally within clubs or a performance/race/freestyle coaching environment.
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lungostyle, the BASI ISTD is considered to be the same level as the Italian and French top qualifications. I don't quite understand your post, but if someone gained their ISTD and became a trainer only 8 years after starting to ski, they must have been an exceptionally talented skier and full time on snow since the first time they put on skis. I can't think of anyone who's done that?

Does it really matter how many years someone has been skiing? It's ability that counts.
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lungostyle, I know it's not your native language - I speak a couple of languages other than English too. However I don't quite understand what you are driving at. Could you please try to explain it a bit more clearly? I think you are unhappy about BASI Level 2 instructors with little skiing experience and no experience of racing, teaching beginners in the mountains in Italy? It isn't necessary to be a racer to be very good at teaching most beginners to ski. I'm afraid the large majority of everyday ski instructing is to beginners and early intermediates and isn't inherently very difficult so many people are able to gain the skills and knowledge then pass the courses required to do it. There is greater professional protectionism for ski instructors in France, where you teach, so you have to demonstrate an ability to race to get a ticket to work freely and that stops instructors qualified only at a low level from another country from competing and bringing prices down.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
beanie1, fully agree.

Be it BASI or any other system, to reach ISTD you have to be a damn good skier and an awesome teacher. The number of years my instructor or trainer has been skiing is, in my opinion is far, far less important than ability. Ask me if I was training from an ISTD who has been skiing for ten years or a passed over has been continental who might have been skiing for forty years, but never really reached the standard, then I know who I'd pick...

With regards specifically to BASI, they're standards have been deemed to be at the appropriate levels by the ISIA, and have also been accepted by fellow Eurogroup countries - some achievement to get the French (as well as others) to agree to accept the qualifications on the same level.

lungostyle, if your problem is with British instructors passing their Eurotest, so what? If you're good enough to ski within the required time then you are good enough to ski within the required time. It does not matter how long you've been skiing. I've been playing rugby for over fifteen years, but am not particularly good. Matt Banahan has been playing for abut three years and has been mooted at times as a potential international... Confused
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lungostyle wrote:
...how a feller who came here 8 years ago for learn to ski in one of my begginners class now teach to me cause he past his trainer course????

...
my brother in law from begginers course in 6 years is Basi instructor...

It's ability that's important - not how long you've been skiing.
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as I know lungostyle, I may have a better understanding of what he's trying to ask. He is concerned that a BASI person who is not ISTD and who has failed the eurotest several times can become a race coach. I have to say I find it odd myself that people can become race coaches with no racing experience and without the ability to ski at eurotest (or TT for lower levels).

WRT length of time skiing: bearing in mind that ISTDs and probably ISIAs might take people off piste, mountain experience is relevant. However his brother-in-law is a very talented skier.

I think to a great extent his post reflects the concern of a number of instructors from the alpine nations. Not that the top level is not good enough, but that there any many people being 'qualified' at a much lower level. this concern should not be ignored or denigrated or we risk the old trouble breaking out again. I am not familiar with the current BASI coaching system, but I have seen some CSIA and BASI lower level coaches ski ............. nuf said!
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easiski, is that an argument in favour of scrapping all lower level instructor and coach qualifications? Skiing would be an unusual professional system if there was no intermediate qualifications available to those aspiring professionals who needed to work and gain experience en route to full certification.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
easiski, I used to swim competitively, my club coach got some fantastic results right across the country, with some of the people he trained going on to the British team.
He couldn't swim, never even got wet, yet a brilliant inspired Coach who really knew his stuff.
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
The best footballers (any code) seldom make the best coaches.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
rob@rar, Not really (although the French don't have any they are the minority), but I really do wish that Level 2 as it's now known (Grade 3) was still called assistant ski instructor. The problem as I see it is that there are a large number of people with the lower levels who go to the alps and boast about being ski instructors or coaches, and then the locals see them ski.

Spyderman, laundryman, Agreed, and there have been cases in skiing too - Stenmark's coach most famously.

Luca apparently got an email from someone who had been in one of his beginner classes 8 years ago and has just passed his coach - but I don't suppose it was the top one .... you can imagine that for someone like Luca it's a big shock - he's thinking in terms of high level coaches ... His english is very good, but his confidence in writing it is not high, so don't let's chase him off, read what he's written carefully with an strong italian accent. Shocked

I certainly do not always agree with him (almost never in fact), but surely it's interesting to have another point of view? I suspect that his thoughts are quite representative of a number of career instructors from alpine places. rolling eyes
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
easiski, I think it's excellent that Luca is posting, and admire him greatly for doing so in a foreign language. Long may it continue.

I know what you mean about Grade 3s being of variable quality. Some of what I see is pretty shocking, some is very admirable but mostly those I've seen are at least good enough to teach novice skiers. However, I see a similar spread of ability amongst fully qualified instructors as well. I'm sure you've seen plenty of ESF Nationals who can't teach for toffee. Some of the Maestri I saw in Pila last week (where I was doing the Interski thing) didn't seem to be shining examples of a modern skiing either.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
easiski, The descriptions of the BASI Coaching courses are on the website. Their Level 2 is essentially an "Assistant Race Coach", to get Level 3 you need to pass the Eurotest.

Most race coaches just stand around in long coats and touring boots all day anyway.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
What need to be considered here is allot of people coach or teach skiing as amateur, and why not! How many of the concerned professionals on here are willing to turn up and coach kids for sweet FA on their weekend off? Think we can know the answer to that question don't we.

I have been involved in clubs all my life and applaud the people that volunteer their time to help grass roots skiers (kids) get in to the sport for nothing other than the joy of watching people participate.

I was one of those snoty little kids who used to turn up at my local slope and receive coaching and guidance from an enthusiastic amature coach. With this grass roots grounding I went on to make skiing my profession. I personally owe allot to our so called "lower level" coaches.

So they call themselves coaches when they are on holiday.....who cares, who's ego is really being rattled!

Most Alpine and other nations are members of IVSI (International Federation for snowsport instructors) www.ivsi.info (France and Italy also by the way) who's whole remit is to serve the interest of amateur and club coaching staff.

Anyone willing to give up their time and PAY to take a club coaching award, fair play to you, you get my full support!
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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?
no guys.....sorry......it is me that probably I'm not so clear.......I'm not talking about ski instructor like me.....normal teaching in a skischool or independent.......I have those 2 friends that in just few years of ski they become trainer ......they teach to the racer or to the people who wnat become instructor.......and that is very bad.......
I know that for be a good teacher we don't need to be a very good skiers........sometimes also instructor who ski badly they teach much better than other.......and so I agree with the basi sistem on that.......I have just few problem to understand why sometimes they make difficult on freeride for example and easy on the race tecnique......but in general I can also apreciate the sistem......
but those 2 guys 8 years ago they were in my class......me instructor and them begginners.........and know they can train your national team......or another team ......or all the young british who want become instructor......and after I rtace at high level all my life , I can say to you that an instructor is not a trainer.......for correct racer we need minimu an experience of race......but also an experience on what we need fro go fast........
we are talking about stilling money from people that without know they will book training course from someone who in not able to teach to a beginner.......
and here I read about euro test........the euro test don't teach to train rfor race.......it is just a stupid way for say if you are good or not........personally I think that the euro test is a real stupid thing........
I can pass the eurotest skiing in fackie........but is not that the point.......the point it is to do not permit to someone to train after 8 years of experience on the snow.....and surely with no experience at all about race.......I can agree he can work in a skischool ......but just with low level.......if not the reality is that cause basi don't want adapte to the other country prefere produce idiots who still money ........
and robrar.......leave the maestri alone......that year in les 2 alpes the most of the basi teacher they don't ski down the "combe valantine".....but cause they speach good english they are paid 5 euros more than all the other.......but black run .....no thank I take the gondola for go down........
think that in italy mister Alberto Tomba and Cristian Ghedina they didn't pass their examination at the first time..........so thinking that they win in2 more than 70 world cup race......
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lungostyle, am I reading you right, these people have become BASI trainers when you consider that they are not competent to become instructors at all? Is that based on their ability or (lack of) experience? Surely all trainers are ISTDs? Or have they become race coaches? Do you know what level they are coaching?
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no they can become instructor normal ....like me.......but for train a world cup racer for example in Italy we need the same qualification of them.......and it is that the problem......I just say that I understand become instructor......but coach or trainer or in wich way you want to call............so tomba was the atlete......thoeni was his trainer.......that kind of trainer..... pratically it is like the prof of an university have not finished the obligatory school.....but can teach to the uniùverity.......for me it is crazy......I race and I know.... we need a lot of quality for be a trainer......but in the ski......that is a single sport....not a team sport like football.......the experience of race for the trainer is basic.......without race in your life you cannot know what happens when you are there on your own waiting the 5 second before explode.........a trainer is a trainer.......and we cannot give that qualification to everybodi.....
I have no idea about wich level......(estd basi isia all this for me is arab....i'm a mountain man......I don't care about letter who doesn't mean nothing......the people who have lessons with me can juge me not few mafia boss of a federation)............ they just send me this mail telling me that now they have full of opportunity of jobs.........and one of these day they come here to teach me.......they was jocking I know, but trust me , was very hard smile.......
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lungostyle,

Trainer is sometimes the title used in Europe for a person that coaches racers. In the UK we have:

BASI trainers - appointed by BASI to train / assess instructors. All are ISTD for minimum 2 years.

Coaches
Level 1 - Award to train kids who are basically good little skiers but looking for a challange. Kids are not yet racing, its about development.

Level 2 - award for people who work in clubs assisting with the coaching / or an instructor who is running a basic training session (Ski Schools Product)

Level 3 - (Euro test required) Train kids at participation level (the kids are now racing and maybe in FIS races)

Level 4 - Qualification for professional coaches running national teams.

Which one causes you a problem?

PSG
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lungostyle wrote:
they just send me this mail telling me that now they have full of opportunity of jobs.........and one of these day they come here to teach me.......they was jocking I know, but trust me , was very hard smile.......


I can see how that would get your back up! I know nowt about it, but I would imagine world cup coaching is much more difficult to break into than simply getting a level 1 coaching qualification for example
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lungostyle, To be a level 4 you are a professional coach. You have been a racer at a high level / have a university degree in sport science (for example) and have passed all the coaching modules. 5 years of education as well as being a very high level performer at some point.

The other levels are for working with kids in clubs on a sunday morning (example). These clubs dont have access or money to hire a professional coach! The "local" coach is working in the bank monday to Friday (example).???

So should all our little clubs hire a team of professional coaches to train 6 year olds?

PSG
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eng_ch, Why would that get your back up! Its never going to happen so laugh with them! Why do people get so ego obsessed at other peoples dreams. Surley Lungostyle is confident and happy with his position in life and skiing?
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gilleski, if lungostyle is (was) unaware of the coaching levels in the Basi system and is already put out because he thinks they are coaching world cup racers after he taught them to ski only 8 years ago, then I can see that it might well put his back up to have people of significantly less experience and skill even joke about coaching him; if he thinks they're coaching WC level, then who says it's never going to happen? (in his perception I mean) I would be less than chuffed if I were given the impression that a sparkly new language graduate had been appointed to the chartered linguist committee to sit in judgement over me, however unlikely that eventuality might be in reality. Now he knows, maybe he can enjoy the joke for what it is Wink
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I'm not sure about what they pass......they are frinds now.....they just tell me that now they have the rigth to teach me......and cause we was jocking all those year about I was a racer .....I think that level 3 or level 4........
aniway I can maybe be wrong......i was thinking that everycountry do the same.....like in italy..:
.instructor (only full qualified....no stagiare....) because the client when he book he book for the best .......not for different level of teacher.....or do you think is good in france we give childreen class of 12\16 to a "stagiaire" who have to experience of skool for instructor.......and that is what happens with the stagiaire....
federal trainer.......trainer fro every level......from the top racer to the young 10 years od racer
istruttore nazionale......who are qualified for prepare the new instructor........
I was not knowing there are 4 level of trainer and how many for normal teacher???other 4.......big confusion.......and the client pay always the same....or for have a level one is cheaper than have the level4......????
like someone like what is in this level???
what mean the kids are now racing so in fis race.....in italy for participate to the FIS circuit......you need to be in the best 10 of your age of Italy.......but we are talking about thousands of kids......like the race of a town have minimum 130 racer of avery age......starting form 6 years od......
IT IS NOT ENOUGH BE A RACER FOR BE A FIS RACER......me for arrive in the european cup I have to be in the best 4 of my age........and that not that easy...like you write......and so for train someone who is in the best 10 of the country I DON'T WANT A FELLER WHO HAVE 8 YEARS OF EXPEIENCE ON THE SNOW......BUT I WANT SOMEONE WHO HAVE THE SAME EXPERIENCE OF LIFE.......CAUSE IT IS DIFFERENT TRAIN EVERYDAY OF YOUR LIFE WHEN YOU ARE 6.....AND I DID IT.....BUT IF I HAVE NOT VERY GOOD TRAINER YOU GONNA HAVE PSICOLOGICAL PROBLE.....AND YOU DON'T EVEN WIN NOTHING......
ahaha thank you for explain me what mean coach.........but I had an idea also me about ......


ANIWAY WE ARE GOING TOO FAR.........I'M NOT THAT STUPID.....SORRY IF I TRY TO TALK ALSO WITH BRITISH PEOPLE ABOUT SNOW......
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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eng_ch, I can see that point. Think its a culture thing as trainer/coach has a very different status in Europe. I think the comments from his formers students are cheeky, but funny! If one of my students on a BASI level 1 course said " Im gunna get my ISTD and run BASI one day" I would say "fair play to you, go for you life"

PSG
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gilleski, well said!

I coach at a local dry slope although have little race experience myself. lungostyle, seems to have got the wrong end of the stick as to what the coaching award (BASI Coach L2, CSCF L1) qualifies you to do - it’s aimed at working with children who are just beginning to get into performance skiing. When the children first join our club they are aged about 6 - 10 and still at “racing snowplough” stage - i’m sure i’m more than able to “coach” that level! There’s certainly no suggestion that someone with my level of qualification would be able to teach someone with a eurotest pass anything at all. We’re lucky in that a couple of our club coaches are ex-national team members, so there’s plenty of knowledge and experience to pass on - but with sometimes as many as 30 - 40 children on a Saturday afternoon they couldn’t do it on their own!
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
lungostyle, I think your friends are winding you up a bit (and it's working - I can hear the steam coming out of your ears from my house!)

When I was training the clubs at Aldershot I was then a BASI 2, with racing experience as a youngster and a short stint one winter with the DHO. Most of the kids/adults that I trained could barely ski to start with, and basically most of what we did was teach them to ski. Then go to the races with them, help them look at the course and so on. Many of them became successful in a small way because we taught them to ski properly before we let them into the gates, and then taught them line before we let them try to go fast. I'm sure you'll agree that if you ski a good line you'll be fairly fast anyway. So although 2 of the kids did go on to the English team level and Tom Ondrusz became All England Champion (on plastic), generally the level I was working with was lower than most of my current clients.

These are the clubs that most of these coaches work with - on plastic or in snowdomes. Very little chance to do anything on real snow you see, so I think they're really having a joke with you, and probably knowing your temperament are laughing right now.

ps: gilleski, is one of our top guys.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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gilleski well said in coming to the defence of amateur and low-level coaches.

This appears to be the crux
Quote:

So they call themselves coaches when they are on holiday.....who cares, who's ego is really being rattled!


In previous threads on sH career instructors have objected in principle to amateurs gaining ski instructor/coach qualifications and I must say I think this is what underpins it.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
slikedges, Well - this is part of it. No-one would mind if part time or amateur instructors were truthful - but when presented with someone who is a career ski teacher many do say 'I'm an instructor too' without adding the rider (until pressed) that they don't actually mean it in the same way. For those of us who work full time on snow, it's not that we don't understand and appreciate all the part-time part qualified instructors working on dry slopes and snow domes etc. but it's a bit galling when a Level 1 or 2 tries to put themselves on a par with ISIA or ISTD. It took years, and a fortune, and a lot of very hard work to get there, and in the case of the local alpine instructors a whole lifetime of skiing and study. If your chief surgical nurse started describing herself as a surgeon, you'd be annoyed wouldn't you?

gilleski, when I trained Aldershot I worked full time at Sandown and trained Aldershot for nothing. I also got all the other well qualified full time instructors involved so we had an excellent team in the end.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
easiski, Is your objection that someone chooses to instruct part-time or that they maybe haven't achieved the same level yet?
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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?
easiski wrote:
it's a bit galling when a Level 1 or 2 tries to put themselves on a par with ISIA or ISTD

That pretence lasts all of 30 seconds when you see them ski. It's a dumb thing to try and fool other instructors about your abilities.
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Quote:

If your chief surgical nurse started describing herself as a surgeon, you'd be annoyed wouldn't you?


Isn't it more a case of comparing Kew under-8s with coaching Manchester City?
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
rob@rar, problem is it washes with a heap of the public...

I have lost count of the folks that have told me how their mate BOB(the builder Wink ) is a qualified instructor - then you see BOB ski...

Reminds me of the day I was hanging around waiting to nab one of the trainers I wanted to ski with .... but he was working supervising... so I had to wait until he sent the groups out with instructors.... He told me to wait with the advanced instructors (who were waiting for their groups to be assigned)... As I wandered up one of them (who knew me) asked what I was doing there... I said I was waiting for Hugo for a lesson... Someone else said "oh you want an instructor?" to which another responded "there are plenty down there" - and he pointed at the milling mob waiting to take the beginner classes... I jokingly replied "Yeah but I ski better than some of them" to which the first instructor repied "Yes you do" "In fact sadly you ski better than most of them"

In Oz it is often that BOB is CSIA qualified... ie he did a CSIA 1 & 2 course and has never taught a class on snow... but I know plenty of PSIA folks fit the bill, and APSI 1... In defence of CSIA at least everyone teaching is a CSIA 1... unlike us where we let anyone teach if they get through the hiring clinic... to get "through" the hiring clinic... well if the resort needs warm bods more than the number that turn up then anything will do... I know of times when folks that turn up to be snowboard instructors and have NEVER skied before were hired as ski instructors!!!

Having a different label for the really qualified folks versus the ones that are just doing a spot of teaching with no real training or experience would be useful in explaining the difference to people...

Otherwise you get the "ski instructors cannot ski" comments far too often
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little tiger wrote:
rob@rar, problem is it washes with a heap of the public...

Perhaps for the majority of that public it is not such an important issue? I'm all in favour of making sure that only good instructors are put in front of clients when on a mountain, but would hate to see a situation where fully qualified instructors are tempted to "pull the ladder up behind them" because the profession needs a well respected system of progression in qualifications and experience. In an ideal situation the public would understand enough about instructors qualifications to be able to make judgements about who they hire, but that is entirely unrealistic so it should be up to ski schools and professional bodies to set appropriate standards. As soon as I realised the situation I decided I was happy to pay the premium to ski schools who only employed high quality, fully qualified instructors. But for many people it will be an economic decision only, and they will have a higher chance of ending up with a bit of a duffer...
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rob@rar, but being labelled an "assistant race coach" or "assistant ski instructor" would be a more realistic name for these folks...

Then it is more obvious what someone is paying for... atm you may pay the same for a national team coach working in the local ski school as for a level 1 instructor... and have no idea of what you are getting...

I'd taken to refusing to take anything less than an instructor trainer unless I had a specific instructor that had been suggested to me... not because the other folks were not capable... but because the standard was so variable and you cannot tell what you are getting... (well not true my home resort would tell me all the certs in all disciplines of any potential candidates)
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
It's the same though in any profession, you'll get people qualified to different levels.
A guy could call himself quite rightly a professional racing driver and race saloons for a living or you could be Lewis Hamilton. Same job, different level.
A Pilot could fly light aircraft or a 747, still both pros.
Why knock the guys that have just passed their first level qualifications? ISTD's started in exactly the same position. Lewis Hamilton drove around Stevenage with L Plates on.

I see guys working in the Alps, who probably qualified 30/40 years ago and they're still teaching the same way as they did then. I'd rather be taught by someone more recently qualified, who is up to date and keen to impart what they've learnt.

Ski Instructors do have 'different labels' as to what qualification they have and what to expect from each level. I don't see a problem.
Likewise I don't have a problem with part-time either, quite often they're a lot keener than someone who looks at a lesson as just another day at the office.

As Rob says, it's pretty dumb to compare yourself if you're a Level 1 as the same standard as an ISTD
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little tiger wrote:
rob@rar, but being labelled an "assistant race coach" or "assistant ski instructor" would be a more realistic name for these folks...

I wouldn't have a problem with that, but I think some clients might have. I've not given it much thought, but Junior & Senior instructors might be a more acceptable title.
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little tiger, I think that "assistant race coach" is very apt for what most people below L3 will be doing - they will indeed be assisting, helping the head coach achieve his aims for the training session. However, I'm not sure myself about the title "assistant ski instructor", when you're out there instructing a group (whether you're L1 or ISTD) you are on your own (sort of), and you're not assisting another instructor in getting something out of your client. Apprentice instructor or something similar (sort of like the French) is much more appropriate I would say, indicating that they are still new and developing their skills, that is if there really was a need to further distinguish between new and experienced instructors.
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