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How to become a snowboard instructor?

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Hi All,

I'm interested in learning to become a snowboarding instructor in the near future and wondered how to go about this?

Has anyone else been on a course? If so, please can you recommend one to me?

Thanks guys!
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
do basi 1, do a 1st aid course, learn what not to do with small children, empty the ski school bin for 35 hours. You are now a level one snowboard instructor.
Spend 70 hours watching people falling backwards and cracking their skulls open, do basi 2. You are now a level 2 snowboard instructor.
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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?
Jode_123, As Jonny luv plums, says:

http://www.basi.org.uk/module_info.aspx?mid=142


Although there is also the SSE version. It will depend on where you want to teach and what courses are being ran at your local centre.

http://www.snowsportengland.org.uk/level_1_snowboard_instructor-2784.html

If you want to teach in the Alps then the BASI option give you slightly more opportunity for work, depending.
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 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
Thanks david@mediacopy, that website is great. I'm after doing a course in England and to try to get into coaching part time at the local centres, rather than abroad and the snow sport england one has everything I need and courses are availble in August next year which is a perfect!
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Jode_123, Maybe try & hook up with your local ski centre and see if they will let you shadow some lessons. They may run some instructor training sessions that you can drop into so that you can get some training before attending.
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 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
I've just spoken to someone from Snow Sports England - they don't run many Level 1 snowboarding Intructor courses as they aren't very popular. I'll be looking at doing one next year and they have told me if I can get 6 people together, they will run a course for us.

Please let me know if you'll be interested.

Thanks

Jodie
ski holidays
 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
I think they are lying and are just more interested in skiing, just my 2p worth. BASI do their courses in the fridges too.
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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!
Jode_123, sounds a bit bizarre to me - BASI seem to fill a zillion courses every year.
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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.
Jode_123, Sometimes (often?) snow centres will run a course for staff so SSE (or BASI) will not have it listed, so get in touch with your local slope. I'm already ticketed up with both, so can't help with numbers I'm afraid.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Simply learn to do an impersonation of God and you will be half way there wink
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Laughing
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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.
Jode_123, do the BASI L1 course, really. If you then decide you want to teach in the Alps at some point in the future, you will just need to do the L2. If you start off with SSE then decide you want to teach overseas, you will need to swap to BASI anyway, and start with L1 again.

I think the fact that BASI run and fill loads and loads of L1 Snowboard courses every year, but SSE don't run many because they struggle to fill them, tells you a lot. BASI run regular courses indoors in the UK. If you're based in Kent Hemel's probably closest for you.
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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
Great, thanks all, I'll have a look at the BASI courses and also speak to the instructors at Hemel.
ski holidays
 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Jode_123, I teach (skiing) at Hemel. Anything in general you want to know, or is it snowboard related?
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Hey, rob@rar, great - I've decided to do a course end of next year at Hemel Hempstead (BASI L1). And understand I will need to 'shadow'someone for 35 hours before I am certified. Do you have any contacts of boarding instrustors which I could possibly speak to? I'm also looking to do a few lessons next year before I go on the course to make sure I'm up to scratch.

Thanks
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Jode_123, shadowers are always very welcome at The Snow Centre (and most other artificial slopes, I'm sure) so you won't need to ask a named instructor for shadowing experience. When you do your L1 course just ask about shadowing opportunities are and your Trainer will explain who you need to speak to. It's a good idea to take a lesson beforehand to check that you're at the right level to start to course and maybe to identify some aspects of your boarding that you could practise beforehand. There are one or two guys who tach boarding at Hemel who also run the L1 courses so you should get a lesson with one of those. best thing to do wold be to email the Head of the Snowsport School, Pete Gillespie, to explain what you want to do and he will recommend the right person. I'll send you Pete's email by PM.

In addition to your 35 hours shadowing you will also need to do a 2-day 1st aid course, have a CRB check via Disclosure Scotland and complete an online child protection course before you are issued with your L1 licence.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
rob@rar, definitely Disclosure Scotland? Why? Mr L is doing BASI I in November and will find it easier to get a CRB check from them than the English authority.
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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?
Lizzard, yep, BASI is Disclosure Scotland no doubt because they have their head office north of the boarder.

On the subject of CRB, it turns out that SSE will accept a BASI derived CRB if you complete a form. I expect it works in the other direction too, should you be a member of both organisations.
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 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
david@mediacopy wrote:
Lizzard, yep, BASI is Disclosure Scotland no doubt because they have their head office north of the boarder.

That's right.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
david@mediacopy, I think BASI and the HNGBs have reached an agreement whereby one CRB check is good for all. That's what I heard anyway, but I'm not sure I've seen it formally announced anywhere yet.
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 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
beanie1, It seems to be the case. My SSE CRB has ran out and they sent some forms over to give permission for basi to send them a copy of the Scottish document.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
david@mediacopy, would they accept a French equivalent?
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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!
Lizzard wrote:
david@mediacopy, would they accept a French equivalent?

No, I don't think they will.
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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.
Lizzard, no I don't think so. There are quite strict rules, it's not a case of the organisations being difficult.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
I think if you had 5 years in a country they accept the one for the country you live in, I could have done a swiss one but wouldnt have helped me much Wink
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
It would be a bit silly if they insisted on an UK one when he's been resident in France for the past eight years and could have been committing lord knows what sort of atrocities here which their check wouldn't reveal. (Not that he has, I hasten to make clear.)
ski holidays
 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.
Are you really sure you want to be a snowboard instructor? It seems like the coolest job in the world but in actuality, its one of the most stressful, tiring, underpaid and aggrovating jobs I have ever had the displeasure of doing. It can be fun at times but its really not that great. If your not in the UK, you will spend 10 years being s**t on and passed over by what ever natives you decide to work with and spend most of your time at the bottom of the mountain not getting to do any real riding apart from your day off but by that point you will be so tired you will just want to sleep. If you decide to stay in the UK, its a different story, you will end up getting paid approximately sod all per hour and ONLY for the hours you are teaching whilst what ever centre you decide to work for gets all the dough. you could have a lesson at 8am and then nothing all day till your other lesson of the day at 9pm but you still have to wait around just incase someone comes in for a lesson which never happens... so thats £14 for the 14 hours you have been at work... on a 'good' day you can be working every hour from open till close which is good for the bank balance but terrible for your body, mind and soul... You will get treated like a lacky by the centre management because you are bottom of the barrel as far as they are concerned. They ski of course... and on top of this, you have to pay enormous sums of money for the privilage of being a snowboard instructor...

Its not all like that... but there are much better jobs
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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
Bigpantsjayke, wow, that's pretty negative! You appear to really hate your job, don't think there are any other instructors who post on here who feel quite so strongly. Sure, everyone admits there are downsides, but I don't think it's a job you'd do unless you loved it?
ski holidays
 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
I dont hate my job, I bloody love my job... Im not a snowboard instructor anymore... There were good days and bad days but on the whole its something that seems like the coolest job in the world but is soooo far from it. I was just posting a worst case scenario to save any future disillusionment.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
snozone's also put there full time instructors on a salary as well mate so it doesnt matter how many lessons you give Wink
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Q: What's the difference between a snowboarder and a snowboard instructor?

A: Two weeks.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
q whats the difference between a ski teacher and god?

a. God doesnt walk around thinking he can ski.
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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?
What's the difference between a ski school snake and a real snake?


The real snake has the asshole at the back!
ski holidays
 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
When it comes to teaching snowboarding, although Bigpantsjayke, is a bit harsh, he does have quite a fair point. Most boarders want lessons at the early stage but then prefer to do there own thing. That means hours of teaching the basics without much fun doing the harder stuff with motivated clients. I have not been involved much in snow domes or dry slopes but in many resorts there is a pecking order for getting the best clients so as an outsider and a newboy, it is hard to get the better lessons very often. Working private if you can arrange it is a better way to go. You can get the work you want once you have a built up a client base and as long as you know the area well. If teaching is your thing then go for it, but it is not the best way to enjoy the season at least for me, if you like doing hard stuff when the conditions are right.
ski holidays
 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
rorie, lulz.
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