Dyspraxia to ski or to board

A snowHead

My nine year old is dyspraxic but is keen to start snow sports. My wife and I are skiers, but he fancies boarding. What would be easier to pick up?

A snowHead

grant, Taught some to ski with it, they learnt by emulation I found, so need to be behind the instructor, most had little fear and were always egging me on to go faster or why don't we go through those trees?

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

thanks for that

You need to Login to know who's really who.

Actually i think snowboarding is easier than skiing but then if you are learning to ski the instructor will put like a ski bra on so they can only do snowplough and cant excape. If they want to board book a boarding lesson

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

grant,
I think it will depend on how much he wants it and how much perseverence he has. Snowboarding involves lots of falls for even the most balance savvy spatially aware person. If he is the sort of kid who can just get on with it, fall, get up, fall etc then great, if not perhaps skis would involve fewer bruises/opportunities for tantrums. Very Happy

You'll need to Register first of course.

grant, difficult one, I'd suggest maybe having a taster lesson of each before deciding, let him try boarding first since that's what he's keen to do, I'm really not sure which would be harder to learn for someone with dyspraxia, as lilywhite, says snowboarding involves lost of falling especially at first and with both feet clamped to a board this could give problems, but on the other hand skiing may actually require better coordination which might make it harder to achieve, sorry I can't be more help and good luck Little Angel

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Good advice, if the conditions remain good a morning trip to Glenshee beckons over the next couple of weekends, I'll keep y'all posted

After all it is free

I would be interested to see how he goes with this, and I really hope he can do it!!. Talking a fair bit older mind - my 19 year old friend is fairly dyspraxic - he is ok walking, working on his computers etc, but really struggles to ride a bike. He would like to give snowboarding a go? He is a tough lad, easily able to take plenty of falls, rolls etc. Do you think he'll be able to get into boarding? And if he really struggles with boarding, should he try skiing? It is easier having 2 independently operated planks as to one plank?

crazy_skier_jules, my 19 year old son is dyspraxic but perhaps not seriously so as he CAN do lots of physical things that we were warned would probably be problematic i.e: activities requiring a high degree of co-ordination, such as riding a bike. He learned to ski at about 12 years old (after trying a dry slope in the UK) and loves it although I can spot him coming down the slope, form far away, due to his stance etc., - he's not the most graceful of skier but gets down, rarely if ever falls and has virtually no fear! He did try a snowboarding taster session at Chill Factore with his younger brother, but neither of them liked it - this may just have been down to the fact that they'd be starting from scratch again when they can already ski, rather than an inherent balance or co-ordination issues. You could try speaking to a Disability Snowsports instructor at your nearest fridge and they may be able to advise from a more technical standpoint Very Happy

I think the thing to keep in mind is that it's probably not impossible and if he really wants to do it, he probably will. If we'd heeded the doom and gloom we were told, or he was less determined, he may never have tried, and not doesn't only apply to skiing - he also plays golf and swims like a fish!

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

Anniepen, that's great, thanks. My nearest is Chill factore or Castleford Xscape although Xscape is much easier for my friend who doesn't drive, on public transport. From your personal experience, it sounds like my friend Adam should be able to do one of the two. As he is starting from scratch he may not find boarding so frustrating. Fingers crossed!

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

If you can, see if he can have a taster of both in the UK as that will give you an idea.

Personally, I think skiing would be marginally easier as balancing on two skis facing forward is initially easier than balancing on one edge facing sideways. Coordinating two skis will be challenging but he will still fall less when skiing, so more likely to want to keep going? It depends on his personality and perserverance levels. If he is tough, as you say, then try boarding and see.

The other year, I helped out with a boy of 13 learning to ski while on a school trip, and while the first few days he did struggle to control his skis and stop, and was behind his contemporaries in terms of progress, by the end of the week he was able to compete in the school 'slalom' race on an easy blue piste. Yes his posture was not the most efficient, but he had great fun and was so pleased with himself for digging deep and achieving.

snow reports

my niece is mildly dyspraxic and skis with a verve and enthusiasm that means I have to struggle to keep up. Her technique seems to have got better recently too, and not entirely sure how as she's not had any lessons recently

being both a boarder and a skier myself, I would have thought boarding would be better for those with lower co-ordination, as there's less to go wrong..

I have a dyspraxic client who does well but struggles with verbal instructions and follow me show me works well... Not sure much in it between boarding and skiing but if you two are skiers perhaps it would help your child to be able to follow you two and pick up learning that way as opposed to trying to pattern your movements on skis with a board..

Help!!

Dyspraxia to ski or to board

snowHeads Forum Index >>> Disability Snow Sport