 Poster: A snowHead
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I am thinking of doing the level 1 course later in the year (probably at Braehead, although dry slope options also available).
I have read all the stuff on the BASI site, but would be interested in hearing what actually happens during the course on a practical level. I assume there is some workshop type teaching, some study of the manual and some practical ski-ing. What sort of things so you do on the slopes?
I am still not clear about what you can do after the course itself. I know you have to put in 35 hours at a school but what does that tend to consist of?
Any other tips or thoughts would be welcome. Many 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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I am still not clear about what you can do after the course itself. I know you have to put in 35 hours at a school but what does that tend to consist of?
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After the course you will need to do a 2 day first aid course, a child protection course and 35 hrs shadowing to validate the qualification. Then you will be qualified to teach on atificial slopes.
The course is also the prerequisite for BASI L2 which you can do after another 35 hrs shadowing.
I've not actually done the course (it was Trainee Instructor in my day), but I'm sure someone who's done it recently will be along to fill in the detail.
In terms of level you need to be able to do basic parallel on red runs.
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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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Lorenzo, I did the L1 course a couple of years ago, although in resort rather than an indoor slope. The course seemed to divide naturally into three areas: personal performance; demoing Central Theme progression (complete beginners through to early parallel skiing); and delivering sample lessons (to your fellow students on the course).
Personal performance covered the range of steering methods, so we did short and long radius turns which were both edged and skidded on blues red and blacks, some bumps and some steeps (on piste only). I think some of this work took us beyond the level required by the assessment criteria, but it was a good foundation for the L2 course I did a few weeks later.
Central Theme demos took up a lot of time, and we were expected to be very accurate in our body movements in all the CT elements, showing good rate and range of movement. This was a challenge to everyone in my group as few of us seemed to ski with that level of accuracy in our day to day skiing, and none of us had done much snowploughing and plough parallels recently.
The teaching demos were a bit nerve-wracking if you'd not done that before, but were OK provided you gave a bit of thought to how to present your CT demos to new skiers in a safe and enjoyable manner.
After skiing each day we spent a couple of hours in the classroom covering some of the wealth of material that is included in the BASI Alpine manual, complementing the on-snow activities we did. These sessions were a good opportunity to clear up any confusion you had about technique or teaching.
As beanie1 said, to complete the L1 qualification you need to do 35 hours ski school experience (after you have done the L1 course). This can be shadowing instructors (useful) or doing things such as working on the equipment issue desk in a ski school (less useful, but good way to get to the hours). The 2-day First Aid needs to be with an approved provider, although BASI didn't have a clear definition of what that was. I did mine with St John Ambulance, which was a generic activity 1st aid course and was very dull. A much better option would have been a course with BASP, although if you want to do this book early as they are very popular. The Child Protection course that you must do is now available online, so easy to complete at any time.
In terms of knowing whether you are at the right level the best way is probably to get a 1 hour lesson with a BASI Tutor or Trainer. They can take a look at all aspects of your skiing and advise if you're at the right kind of level and if some aspects need development. The only tip I'd give is to get somebody who knows how to do good CT demos to help you practice before you do the course. I did this for three or four hours and it made a big difference to how I got on with the L1 course.
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beanie1, rob@rar, thanks for the replies and all the helpful info. Much appreciated!
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Sleipnir, Well done you! You deserve that beer.
Yes, it is a great feeling. This time yesterday I was convinced that I was going to fail so today has been a very good day.
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Sleipnir, Kitty, congrats and well done 
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Sleipnir, Well done mate. There's been loads of guys shadowing recently at Hemel, don't think it would be a problem doing a few hours. Always thankful of a helping hand.
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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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| Kitty wrote: |
| This time yesterday I was convinced that I was going to fail |
That was never going to happen 
Congratulations!
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Kitty, Sleipnir, Well done 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Sleipnir, Kitty,
What did they get you to do in the tests? What did you find toughest?
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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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| RPF wrote: |
Sleipnir, Kitty,
What did they get you to do in the tests? What did you find toughest? |
Of all of the Central Theme work, the one area that I struggled with the most was plough parallel. As it's a halfway house, not one thing or the other, it's something that you never really encounter yourself in your own skiing. In demoing it though you really have to show the various elements, plough, matching the (uphill) ski late in the turn and then eventually earlier and earlier until you reach a parallel turn
The one thing that brought all of the Central Theme home to me is that when you are instructing others it has to be mega clear, precise and in some respects, a little 'exagerated' in order to show beginners what you are wanting them to do. Also be very patient and smooth.......(rather than trying to force things)
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RPF, Loads of Central Theme work, short turns and longer carved turns, teaching sessions. Carving isn't really my forte so I guess I struggled most with that. We also had some fairly zippy bumps to play in which took a bit of getting used to (although bumps aren't actually a part of the course).
Although my Central Theme needed tidying, I have been teaching for a while so I kind of knew what was expected.
The most difficult drills for me were the one legged skiing stuff. I need to go and practice those, preferably when no one else is looking!
rob@rar, What is your course like? What is the course content? I assume, having seen you all ski, that you are all pretty experienced skiers 
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You know it makes sense.
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| Kitty wrote: |
| rob@rar, What is your course like? What is the course content? I assume, having seen you all ski, that you are all pretty experienced skiers |
It's a good course, with great supporting materials and the Trainer, Ross Green, knows his stuff (raced on WC circuit for a few years, was top 30 ranked, 15th at the 2002 Olympics in the combined, etc). The group are pretty good, including one who is in the GB squad for his age group. Some of the drills are evil and the video feedback sessions take no prisoners, but I enjoyed the first day.
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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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rob@rar, Pete said the trainer was a pretty hot skier and that he had competed at Olympic level. do you need an interpreter though?!
What is the entry level requirement for the course?
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Poster: A snowHead
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Kitty, he's Scottish, so although I miss the odd word here and there I don't need a interpreter as such
Not sure what the entry level is for the course. I suspect not that high as this is the first qualification in the 4 level coaching pathway and BASI won't want to exclude too many people from starting to develop coaching skills.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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rob@rar, there's Scottish and Scottish so I just wondered if it was a challenge!
I think that Spydie is pretty interested in doing the course at some point soon.
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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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| Kitty wrote: |
| I think that Spydie is pretty interested in doing the course at some point soon. |
He'd have no problem with it, I'm sure.
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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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Sleipnir, Practice, practice and more practice is definitely the key for all of the things you mention. When you go shadowing perhaps allow an extra half hour before of after just to do the things you are a bit shaky on. Plough parallels are the most difficult thing to demo well IMO.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Sleipnir, that sort of comment makes me wonder why they were doing the course  I for one need all the practice and feedback I can get. I think you can get a bit lazy and go off the boil if you don't do some training or even just concentrate on certain elements of your skiing for a period whilst on holiday. I know I did.
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that sort of comment makes me wonder why they were doing the course
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Kitty if I tell you that one person in our group failed the technical aspects of the course........I'll leave you to figure out who 
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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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learn new stuff and then practice and practice until I get it right!!!
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Its the best way to enjoy snowdome skiing is to go with a few goals to work on.
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I think you can get a bit lazy and go off the boil if you don't do some training or even just concentrate on certain elements of your skiing for a period whilst on holiday
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I find it too easy to get distracted on holidays by steeps, powder moguls, fast long pistes etc. etc. to work on the less exciting aspects so regular practice indoors is ideal. Any drill that makes the descent longer than the lift back up is good enough for me 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| rob@rar wrote: |
| Kitty wrote: |
| rob@rar, What is your course like? What is the course content? I assume, having seen you all ski, that you are all pretty experienced skiers |
It's a good course, with great supporting materials and the Trainer, Ross Green, knows his stuff (raced on WC circuit for a few years, was top 30 ranked, 15th at the 2002 Olympics in the combined, etc). The group are pretty good, including one who is in the GB squad for his age group. Some of the drills are evil and the video feedback sessions take no prisoners, but I enjoyed the first day. |
The course looked pretty good from what I saw of the guys today apart from one guy in an aqua blue jacket  Some of the lads were pretty handy.
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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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fatbob, 
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You know it makes sense.
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| rob@rar wrote: |
In terms of knowing whether you are at the right level the best way is probably to get a 1 hour lesson with a BASI Tutor or Trainer. They can take a look at all aspects of your skiing and advise if you're at the right kind of level and if some aspects need development. |
Can anyone suggest where I could do this (lesson with BASI trainer) in Scotland. I am in Perth, so all of Scotland is within travelling distance!
I would really like to do the level 1 in September but, although I have skied for 20+ years, my last lesson was more than 10 years ago. I guess I may have to do some preliminary work and hold off til next year. Difficult to tell though.
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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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Lorenzo, contact the BASI office (www.basi.org.uk) to ask for some contact details. I'm sure there would be somebody at/near the Braehead snowdome.
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Poster: A snowHead
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FlyingStantoni,
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He's a BASI Trainer - so, "above" Level 4.
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Hm, I think most Level 4s would contradict you there! Trainer is a job, not a level - to pass your level 4 you have to be as good as the trainer.
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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 done, Sleipnir!
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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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Sleipnir, Kitty, - congratulations and well done!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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beanie1, pedant alert, but a trainer perhaps, not the trainer  I doubt many people would get close to Ross Green's level of skiing.
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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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beanie1, yes, but I think you only get invited to become a trainer once you've got your level 4 anyway, so yes also to FlyingStantoni and Sideshow_Bob.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Sideshow_Bob, sorry yes being a pedant! No, most people would never come close to Ross' level of skiing... I just know a few L4s who don't like the misconception that being a trainer is somehow a "higer" level of qualification than L4 itself.
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beanie1, Im one of them! Im a trainer and a level 4. Level 4 is my qualification and trainer is an appointment.
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