Miscellaneous

AZA_Misc1993_Part2

Special PurchaEe Eligibility F onn for purchases of ski equipmentfor p ersonal use . .. Member's signa[Ure: _____ ~___iHi_-___,--'---____:-,_, .. AFFILIATION I verify that the person listed above is a member of PSlA and is worki ng at (name of ski area) ____ ~ __ ~---- for the 1992-93 ski season, This person is working on the following basis: (check one) o Full time (Defined 35 primary employment for the ski season with an established schedule of at least 30 hours per week.) o Part time (Defined as an established schedule of fewer than 30 hours per week.) Director's signature: - - ----:--c:,,---r.----,- Date: PROCEDURE FOR USING THE FORM 1. Member gets director's signature, verifying that the member is working at the area and indicating whether the employment is fu ll or part time. 2. Member checks with local ski retail shop to see if the retail­er is panicipating in this program. 3. Member shows retai ler the signed "Eligibility Form" and cur­rent membership card. Retailer confimls eligibi lity for special purchase. 4. Retai ler provides information to member on pa.qicipacing man­ufacturers, including which equipment is availab e and how to order it. 5. Member selects equipment, makes arrangements for payment, fi lls our coupon for each selected item, and signs coupon(s). Retailer removes coupon(s) for items selected. Retai ler signs each coupon and mai ls it to the PSIA national office. The following schedule is included as a suggested guide for the retailer to use on ski items that are not already established in a manufacturer's program_ SUGGESTED OPTIONAL BENEFITS SCHEDULE for merchandise not avai lable through an equipment supplier's program INSTRUC STATUS BENEFITS '" REDUCTION 1. Full Time Full Certified or Assoc. Certified 2. Part Time 3. 4. Full Certified or Assoc. Certified Full Time Registered Part Time Registered 2 pes SkiS/Bindings 45% off Suggested and I pr Boots 1 pr SkislBindings 1 pr Boots I pr SkiS/Bindings 1 pr Boors I pr SkislBindings 1 pr Boots Retail Price 35% off Suggested Retail Price 25% off Suggested Retail Price 20% off Suggested Retail Price FULL TIME A member must work for a recognized ski school as primary employment for the ski season wirh an estab­lished schedule of at least 30 hours per week. PART TIME A member must work for a recognized ski school and have an established schedule of fewer than 30 hours per week. NOTE Nor all manufacturer's programs cover all levels of insrruccors. NOTE 1.lf this "Eligibility Form" is not presented, the retailer will assume the persrm 's 1I0t a member of PSIA. If the form is not signed by the appropriate director, the retailer will assume the ind' , ual is not active. Coupons should remain attached to the" Eligibility Form n until a purchase is made. 2. The use of the second coupon for skis and bindings requires verification by the director that the in iVl IftJf-1 ........... _ .. a fuff-time PSI A employee with fuff or associate certification. FIRST DAY ON SKIS HOW TO FTND YOUR EDGE D-TEAM SELECTIONS AND THE WIJ\NERS ARE ... REA.DERS SPEAK OUT SURVEY RESULTS IN PSIA REVAMPS ATS MATERIALS COLLECT THEM ALL OFFICIAL SUPPLIER TO,THE PSIA DEMO TEAM .A <3!>1992 BAI Photo: Tom Lippert TIlE PROFESS IONAL SK IER EXECUTIVE EDITOR Klllilctrl~'k EDITOR Rdl('(:C:l \'(I, Ayers ASSIST .... NT EDITOR ]),1\'id L Cmwfnrd TECHNICAL AOVISORY BOARD JI, ris V;lgncrs,Clw'I"""'" l owclil lurr John Arm,trong Doug !'ringle Ja.:k Copdand Alexandra Smith Hl'rh D.IVI) Sue Sp.;'llccr ADV ERTI S ING SA LE S 1\'l.lrk Dorsey, Mllrk"/m}: DIrl!(IM I'rnfc,siol1n] Ski In~lructors of America ~uilc 10 I. 133 South Van Gordun Street lnkcwoocl. CO 80228 A RT PRODU CTION ArchCIYP", Inc. THE PR OF ESSIO NA L SKI ER As;1O uffklal public.lIion of the ]'roft"SSional Ski InstruCTors of America amlth,' U,llfCU Siale) !lk, Ct),1ch,'S Ass""3t1on and IS pubbshl~ Ihr,,,, IIUI("S II year. TI1(' Proft'jjIQl~" Skier is a regis­tered Imd(' name of 'he Professional Ski In5lructors of Am!.'ri· C,I and fhe I'S IA Education FOllnd<1tion. ISSN 1 0';S · 1314 C HANGE O F ADDRESS Address ch,\Og~ •. lIld inquiril:S r~gMding subs<;ripTiuns should Ix· addrcb.,·d (u Th(' l'ruf"Hi()u<l1 Sku'r, Sun.: 101. 133 South V,w Gonion Street, L:tkcw""d. CO R022R. Add rcs~ changes Call110! be lll<1dc lI'ithoUl the old "ddress ,\Od ZII' code as well 3S Ihe new. The pOSt offkc will nm forwMd copies unless yuu pruvide <1ddi l lul1;tl po.t ~ge. I{cplaccmc1ll eupi,'s cannut be guaralUn·,1 MANUSCRIPTS AND A RT The rrofl'S~io",i1 Skier illl'i tes The submission of m~llllscripts. phOIO<, and IC( fcrs 10 [he edilOr flOm its r':;lders. All m.nerial submitted becomes [he propeny of I'SIA, ~mless accompa· nied by a stamped . sdf·;tddrn.<"d mailing container. Send submlSSluns [u: Thl' l'rvffSSloll.,/ Sklfr. Suite 101, U3 Somh V~n Gordon Strcct. Lakewood. CO 80128. For more infor­mafion. call (303) 987·9J9(). 01992 b)' the l'rof~Slonal Sk, Instru("tors of America and Ihl' 1'51A &lIIC<111011 fuundallun. No pan of thiS publication ma)' IX" reprodlK<"d by an)' ml-chamcal, photogr..ph..;, or ekc­Ironic pTOCl .... ' without thc express ",rillen pcnnission of PSIA. Opinions presented In Tbe l'rofessi0l1<l1 Skier arc those uf the iodl"ldu'll authors and do nOT n<xcSS3nly reprcsem Ihe 0pullons or poItClt·~ of Ihe I'rokS}10nal Ski Inslructors of Amenca, Ihe Unill'it Stales SkI Coaches Association. or Itrc PSIA Educmion FoundaTion. PRESIDENTICHAIRMAN Of THE BOA RD 11111 Hetrick E XEC UTI V E DIRECTOR Sll'phen M. Over l'mfl'~,i()I1'll Ski In'trIlCIOTS of Americ~ Sui te 10 I. I J.l South Van Gordon Street Lakewood. CO 80228 EXECUTIVE V I C E PRESIDENT Bru,,;: ~kCllT!"1II VICE PRE SI DENT, O PER A TI O NS Mark Anderson VICE PRESIDENT , COMMUNICATIONS RUlh ~kCldl,\Od EDUCATION FOUNDATION '\\31( Lundberg, D .. u tor E DU CATIO N STE ER ING COMM ITTEE JUTIS V,,).:ners, CJMlrfll'rJOJl DI V ISIO N REPRESENTATIVES AlASKA BTI"C ~ l cCurtain CUHRAl ~lark Andcrwn EASl(~N Sherman \'(!hue I NH~M OU NTA I N Gent 1',llmer NORTHERN INTE~MOUNTAIN Harold SI'1Ilgcr NOIITIHIIN 1I0CKY MOUNTAIN Joan ROSTad NORTHWEST Tim Koser 1I 0C~ Y MOUNTAIN RUlh M,'Cldland WESTEIIN J{)hn Armstrong COVER PHOTO BY SCOTT MARKEWITZ BE A PREP STAR PAGE 8 MONO; SKlIING COMES OF AGE PAGE 14 ENVIRONMENTAL GOALS EST ABLI SHED PAGE 1 9 THE PROFESSIONAL SKIER I I I I I II I " SHUT UP AND SKI· An ea rl y-season guide to getting your skis back under you by Jack Copeland ................................................................................. _ BEATING EXAM ANXIETY • Preparation is your t icket to peak performance by Sue Spencer ...................................................................................... .. MAKING THE CONNECTION • Five ways to spark the learni ng partnership by Mernter Blakeslee ............................................................................ IIiJ I 11 I I ( I I " PSIA RELEASES NEW AMERICAN TEACHINCi SYSTEM MATERIALS by Max Lundberg and Stephen M. Over .... .... .. .............. .. .. ........ .. .. .... .. ..... 12 PSIA SELECTS ALPINE DEMONSTRATION TEAM by David L. Crawford .. .... .. ...... .. .. .. ........ ...................... .. .... .................... .. 14 PSIA BOARD MEETINCi UPDATE by Ruth McClelland .................................... .................. .......................... 16 NEW ACCESSORIES CATALOCi OFFERS CiREAT VALUES by Stephen M. Over ........................................ .............. ........................... 17 SURVEY SAYS ... RESULTS OF THE MACiAZINE READERSHIP SURVEY by Rebecca W. Ayers ................................................................................. 18 ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE SETS CiOALS FOR 1992-93 by Gwen Allard .. .. ............................ ........................................................ 19 THE BENEFITS OF CORPORATE SPONSORSHIPS by Mark Dorsey ................. .............. .. .. ... ....... ............ ... ........ .. .................. 20 FINDINCi YOUR COMFORT ZONE, THE LAWS OF LAYERINCi by Nick Allen ............................................................................................ 22 Il I I' I II I .11 I: 1\ T S ADAPTIVE M o no·ski ing , A Brea kthrough of the '80s ............ ....................... 24 BAC; OF TRICKS Watering Down the Bumps ...................... ........... ........................ 27 CHILDREN COACHINCi COMMENTARY EDITOR'S NOTE INDEX Pedal and Settle .................. .... ..................................................... 28 Building Castles in rhe Snow ................ ......... ... ... ......... ... ............. )0 Developing Stance in Children ................... .. ........................ .. .. ... )1 Alpine Racing Staremenr Developed ....................... ... ... ... ... ......... JJ What is Sk i T eaching All About' ................................................. is The Professional Skier is Red esigned ........................................... 4 Index of Pu b lished Articles ...................... .. .................................. 44 LETTERS Lerrers from Readers ................................................................... fiO NEWS BRIEFS National Boa rd Elects Executive Committee ................................ 40 PSIA Schedu les Women's Education College Beaver Creek to Host Chi ldren's Symposium PSIA, The North Face, Du Pont Develop "Super Suit" Instructor Wins Colora do Award Dates Set fo r PSIA Nationa l Acad em y Nation a l Office Installs TolI·free Fax N umber PSI A 1992-93 Schedu le of Events NORDIC Double Po les and Diagonal Strides, Cross·Country C lass ics ........ 36 SKI SCHOOL Why You Should Train Your Staff in Snowboardi ng .................. 44 FALL 92 THE PROF ESS IONA L SKIER • 4 E D ITO R'S NOT E Notice anything different? The issue of The Professional Skier you are holding has a new for­mat and a new design. The pre­vious version of TPS served us well, but PSIA has made significant strides in the past seve ra l yea rs, and we want the membership publication to keep pace with that progress. Many of th e changes you will see were inspired by the input we received from the 1992 Readership Survey (see page 18 for the survey results). We asked 2,000 randomly selected readers if they thought we should give TPS a more contempo­ra ry graphic appearance, expand its coverage of the various di sciplines, offer more hands-on teaching infor­marion and an index of published articles, and use more color (if we could do it and still keep costs down). The consensus was yes. Although this is the first issue of the redesign, you might have noticed some ma jor changes we made to the TPS format last sea­son. We divided the magazine up into three sections: features, arti­cl es, and d epa rtments. Also, to broaden the scope of the maga-zine' we es tablished standing depart­ments for Adaptive, American Teaching System (ATS ), Chi ld ren, Coach ing, Commentary, Lette rs, News Briefs, Nordic, Ski School, and Snowboarding. One of the strongest messages we gar from our readership survey was that ski teachers want hands-on, practical teach­ing tips to appl y on the hill. With this issue, we are introducing the Bag of Tricks department (page 27). We th ink this will be one of our most widely read section s. We've added a magazine index (page 49), since so many of you use the magazi ne as a reference piece. Pertinent artic les from the last th ree years are THI PRO P ISSIONA L SKIIR included. Also, we've livened up our fea­tures section this issue with two color illustrations. We'll continue ro use occa­sional splashes of color, cost permitting. Another difference this year is our method of issue identification. Last sea­son our issues were Winter One 1991-92, FIHST DAY ON SK IS 11m TO !'I\1l \1)1 H r llel D-TEAM SELF.CTIONS \ \1) 1m. 'II 1\ \HI~ \111 H 1·:11 DI·:n8 SPEA K OL T ~I 11\1.\ 1! 1. ~11.l" 1\ PSllI HI-:\ \\MPS KrS " IATEHIAIS (I~ tH I 1111.\1 \11 THE REDESIGNED TPS DEBUTS WITH AN IMPROVED FORMAT AND A BOLD NEW LOOK. Winter Two 1991-92, and Winter Three 1991-92. From now on, we'll identify each issue by season, for example, Fall 1992, Winter 1993, and Spri ng 1993. A magazine redesign requires logic and c rea ti vity. We sea rched high and low for a grap hic design firm that would offer both, and finally settled on Archetype, Inc., of Denver, Colorado. The folks at Archetype have managed to inject bold imagi nation into these pages whi le maintaining a fanati ca l attention to detail. The new design begins with the logo on the cover. This is the first t ime in seven years the logo has been changed. FA LL 9 2 We wamed this important cover elemenr to be more conremporary, compatible with the cover design, and pleasing on the eye. The logo is in a typeface called Bauer Bodoni. We opted for a vertical look, since that has a better appearance at the top of a magazine cover. The basic elements of our re­design arc apparent 011 th is page, and the general pattern is repeated throughom the magazi ne. The fea ­ture a rticles, whi le retaining some of these cOl11mon elcmcnrs,will have a different look from issue to issue. Three typefaces a re used. The body copy for this column and most of the magazine is in Saban. We chose this elegant se rif typeface for its readability and its compatibility with mher typefaces. Bauer Bodonj, rhe same typeface we're using for the cover logo, is another beautiful serif being used for the headl ines and the large capi tal letter at the beginning of the copy. We selected Syntax, a clean, no-fu ss typeface, for the ritle of th is column, Editor's Note, and for our other depart-ment ti tl es. We're also using Syn­tax for our subheadings, bylines, photo captions, and page number folios. We've retained the three-column grid format because of the flexib ility it offers in adve rti sing and photo placement. We cannot put out a publi cation that every member will like, but we've tried to put o ut a magazine that most of you will be proud of. Our purpose in redesign ing The Professional Skier is to make the magazine attractive, clear, and orga nized. We li ke the res ults, and we hope you will, too . • 1aA~ V. Ufft-t· R~rc~A w. AYERS EDITOR I I I I I I I I FOR CRYING OUT LOUD our· selves in our chosen obsessions: hang gliding, rock climbing, water skiing, sail boarding, cycl ing, motocross, golf, tennis ... Then each fall we launch en thusiastica lly into a conditioning pro­gram to develop our endurance, strength, and flexibility. Sooner or la ter, the Pacific high breaks down, a storm slides across the Gulf of Alaska, and bingo: ski season is here. How do we get started again on skis each season? How do we get o ur minds and ollr legs back in rhe groove? I asked these questions of current and fo rmer PSIA Demonstration Team mem­bers, U.S. Ski Team members, PSIA examiners, and long-time instructors. You might think they would come up with a million different approaches for sta rting the season, but they didn 't. The consensus was: just sta rt free ski ing; don't talk a lot about tec hnique; and use basic drills and tasks to spotlight skills. In other words, • THE PROFESSIONAL SKIER Even'one to InakU1~~~"'O(lt~r11:arlsil:ion skiing is ski, don't talk . We get back into the groove more rapid ly when we focus on balance and rhythm, when we just feel the flow . (Sk iing is, after all, a sport of sensation.) Don't get hung up on technical stuff. See if you can make six runs in a row without thinking about technique. Focus instead 011 awareness. Listen to your body. It may say something like: "Hey, you're losing your balance to the inside of each turn," or "You keep catching your edges." Select some tasks or drills to work on what your body tells you. It is surprisi ng just how many differ­ent problems can be worked out with a few basic tasks and exercises. ONE-SKI TURNS ng on th" lsldii;;;';'i~er' tries, take it one step furrher. Lift only th, tai l of the inside ski. Then try li fti ng on l: the tip. Then lift the entire ski evenly of the snow. This will help YOll not only" balance over the outside ski , but to cente yourself on that ski. Make some turns on the ins ide ski. Lif the outside ski. Don't bank! Keep your self centered over the ins ide ski, and keel your shoulders square to the hill. Next, try 10 turns on one ski, then 1 ( on the other. Turning on one ski is a tas ~ that pays huge dividends even if you prac tice it only brieAy. Your balance and senSI of center will quickly improve, and yOt will be well on your way to feeling com fortable on skis again. SHORT TURNS Ba lance is the most fundamental of the There a re several different shorr (Urns, al1( skills we use in skiing. Try some (Urns lift- you shou ld practice them a ll. They are ~ ing the inside ski-it's a simple task, but great way to add variety and excitemen FAll 92 to your skiing. They im ,&Ave~'!f, quickness, timing, rh ,~~j)lltfskill ing. And they' re just plai fu n. Start out with hop turns. How many can you make? For how long can you do them? Can you go fo r a minute solid? Can you do them with no pole plants? How a bout with retrac tion in stead of exten­sion? Can you do rhem on a stee p hill? In th e bumps? Next try short skidded rurns, a lmost linked hockey slides, but with more shape. Try keeping your skis fl at on the snow. Can you make these turns without catch­ing edges? Can yo u do them without being too much on the inside ski? Are you endi ng up bowlegged? Y OLl won' t be able to (U rn wi th out edging movements, but you ca n feel how little edge it takes to inAucl1ce th e sha pe of the turn. Feel how modern skis bend. If you ro ll them up on edge and stand in the cemers, the tips and tails will bend, laying out a sweet arc with no help at a ll. Now experiment wi th edging move-menrs. Try va rying the degree of edging movements thro ug ho ut the a rc of the rum. Pay attention [0 the feeli ngs you get when emphasiz ing edge at the end of the turn. Nore the amOUI1( of press ure ar this po int in th e a rc. Then inc rease edging movements ea rl ier in the turn. See how early you can ger rhe sk is ro bend and still keep a short radi us. Have you ever tr ied wede ln? Have you ever heard of wedeln? It's a fall- line maneuver that in vo lves quick turns in whi ch rhe ta ils are lifted and rhe ri ps remain pinned down and centered in front of the body. The Austrians based a whole rechnique 0 11 it in the '19505. Wedeling will help you regain your stance and your feci for pressuring and edgi ng movements. If you don't know it, get someone on the ski school who has had experience with this manuever to show it [0 you. Short turns are a great way to inte­grate many di fferenr blends of skills. And, if you do them aggressively, they're good exercise, too. FAl l 9 2 IlW$TR ATIOJol.V MIRHN DISIGJoI GROUP TRAVERSES AND SIDESLIPS These are incredibly val uable drills ar rhe start of the season. In fact, many instruc­tors might argue that they rea lly a re nor drill s at all, but are absolutely vital ski lls o f skiing. Start in a traverse. Check your postion. Check the track in rhe snow. There should be no skid or arc, and the edges should hold. Now roll rhe sk is down rhe hill unril you begin a diagonal sidesli p. Roll them back. Practice moving fro m a traverse to a sides li p, then again ro a traverse. This drill reaches nor onl y the subrle movements and positions of edge control , but also hel ps you develop a fi ne rouch for pressure and ba lance. When you feel cocky, try it th rough a bum p field. HOCKEY SLIDES This is another useful drill to prepa re fo r performa nce sk iing-especially when fo l­lowed with edge sets. Hockey slides are a little tricky. Sta rr stra ight running down continued 01/ page 50 .... THE PROFESSIONAL SKIER 7 ....... xam BY SUE SPENCER Not a sound came from the crowd. All eyes were on the human form arc­ing through the air, then twisting and spinning until he was almost a blur. It was over in a few seconds. The diver entered the water with hardly a splash, and the crowd exploded with applause for the near-perfect effort. Throughout the recellt Olympics in Barcelona this year, I was contin­ually awed by divers, gymnasts, and many other world-class athletes who turned in perfornzallces that seemed to go beyond the realm of human capability. I thought about what it mtlst have taken for these athletes to perform at stich a level of excellence and consistency despite the pressure they felt. All the athletes-regardless of the discipline-shared a common thread: they were prepared. Unbe ­lievably well prepared! 8 THE PROFESSIONAL SKIER \ A"~r o, 0' "'~,;oo ,"" ~"m, for PSIA-£ and an active examiner for 14 years, I'm directly invo lved in helping members prepare for various skills certifi­cation exams. Through the years I've seen candidates come and go. I've seen stellar performances, and I've seen dismal ones. I've found that in skiing, as with any sport, the overriding factor in sepa rating the good from the not-so-good is prepara­tion. With adequate preparation, a skier not only improves his or her chances of passing a certification exam, but also vir­tually guarantees that the examination will be a more enjoyable experience. This article is intended to help you prepare for tha, day when your skills and knowledge wi ll be pu, to the 'est. Certification is the culmination of an evolutionary process-a process in which FAll 92 knowledge and skills are acquired through experience. The best way to get this experi ­ence is to work on a regular basis in a ski school that provides training opportuni­ties (i.e., free skiing, on- and off-snow clin­ics, opportunities to teach all available levels of classes, and peer coaching) . Another aspect of this evolutionary process is your motivation and diligence as a ski teacher. If you can make the learn­ing experience exciting for your cUStOmers and help affect positi ve outcomes for them, the same will begin to happen for you, the in structor. Through experience you will successfully solve problems for yourself and will be able to create exer­cise lines and progressions out of need, rather than pu lling them out of a book, hoping tha, some wi ll work. Through day-to-day teach ing YOLI will learn more and more about people, including how ro deal with those who learn differentl y and those who have goals different from your own. The in structor " in the trenches" develops a solid framework into which he or she can logically fit the techn ica l in fo r­mation garnered off the hill or at a clinic. I see far roo many instructors going ping into the various PSIA educational materials. Start by stud ying the second edition of the American Teaching System manu a ls (ava ilable this fall) and orher educational reference ma teri als listed in the Accessories catalog. Also review the following art ic les pub li shed in The Professional Skier (Winter Two 1991-92 ) As you work to improve your demos and free skiing, incorpo rate some vari­a bles to help im prove you r versatility. Work with differen t combinations of speed, radius, and terrain, even in your demos. Seek out a variety of snow condi­tions du ring the weeks of preparation. Practice ta sks that improve your agility, 'Preparation is your ticket to peak performance about exam preparation in a frenetic way. Too often, these people lose sight of the facr that exam preparation is closely tied to their responsibilities and activities in the ski school. The most critica l aspects of exam preparation relate to your develop­ment into a quality ski teacher working in a quality ski school. With that in mind, the specific, op­erationa l as pects of the exam become straight-forwa rd. Here are some ideas that should help you manage rhe exam process effectively. SKIING PORTION • MasterATS I sometimes hea r complaints from candidates who fa il the skiing section. "I'm a stronger skier than so-and-so," they say. "I was better in the bumps and out­skied him for three days." Often candidates come to an exam un awa re that their skiing movement patterns are inconsistent with the A TS Sk iing Model. This may be related to stance, turn initiation, hip or shoulder position, or other elements of skiing. An instructor may be quite functiona l, but if his or her skiing mechanics are not those described in rhe Skiing Model, that per­son is nor certifiable. Develop a worki ng knowledge of rhe components of the Skiing Model, incl ud­ing rhe Skills Concept, the Common Skill Featu res, and, most importa nt, the Cen­ter Line. The best way ro do this is by tap-last season: "The Skiing Model: Nor Just Anorher Prerry Face" by Mark Dorsey with Mike Porter, and "The Teaching Model: Just Say Know," by Steve Still. Furthermore, be sure to get feedback from your tra iner(s) early in the prepara­tion process . That way, you wi ll have plenty of time to make a ny changes in your skiing to show the correct mechanics and movement patterns. a Demolish Mediocrity In most division exams, demonstra­tion maneuvers are an important part of the sk iing assessment. Since these maneu­vers are Center Line standards, not final forms, they provide an excellent way for examiners to assess skill application and skill development in candidates. Many a world-class gymnast or di ve r has learned the hard way-by losing a championship match-the importance of practicing requ ired movements or routines until they are flawless. Do the same with demos before going to an exam. The discipline and learning associated with the process will be to your benefit. a Be a Chameleon You may be able to predict what will be expected of you during the demon­stration maneuve rs, but other skiing tasks in the certification exam may challenge your a bility to adapt. Good skiing means being ski lled and versatile enough to adapt to any situation . FALL 92 stance, and balance. The resu lts will be greater sel f-confidence and th e ability to handle a variety of tasks and challenges. II Develop Dynamic Elements Develop good "flow" to your skiing movements. (If someone looks at your back as you ski away, it should look as if you are being pu lled continuously down the hill on an S-shaped c1orhesline.) Try to work both skis all the way through the turn; inside leg activity is the key here. Work to create early and progressive edg­ing and angles in the body that match the demands of the situation. These are a ll im portant elements that exa miners will look for. By knowing about them, you can gear ski ing practice sessions to help develop and refine your skiing. Video can be ve ry beneficial as you evaluate your skiing. Get a fri end to video­tape YOll, and then review and analyze your performance. If possible, ask a tra iner to assist in your evaluation. Video can also be used to help YOll acquire a visua l image of desired sk iing movements. A number of good videos a re or will be available this fall, including the new "ATS: Alpine Ski­ing" videos (Cat. Nos. 662 and 663) and rhe PSIA " Images" video (Cat. No. 260). TEACHING PORTION Be Passionate When you have the opportunity to lead the group on exa m day, teach from continued 011 page 52 .... THE PROFESSIONAL SKIER • Making the Five Ways to S park th e Learning Partnership BY MERMER BLAKESLEE Once, after I introduced myself to a 13-year-old kid standing in the pri­vate lesson line, his mother turned to him and said, " Listen, now, to what she says." Nor knowing I could hear, he asked back, honestly, although a little sullen ly, " Why?" I liked him insrandy. He was ver­balizing the question most students ask themselves: "Why should J learn from you?" This is a challenge we as teachers face in the introduction of every lesson. To overcome this obstacle, we must spark the learning partnership. Here are five "essentials" for doing so: ... Develop the student's trust. ..... Read the student. ..... Ask permission. ..... Feel "technical empathy." ..... Set the tone. When we teach someone to ski , we ask them to change their physical (and sometimes mental) behavior. This takes courage on the stud ent's parr, because learning often involves failure. For us to put a student into such a vu lnerable position, we must ha ve that person's trust. I usually hate formulas, but I made this rather loose one anyway: COMFORT + RESPECf = TRUST. To earn a student's trust, we must not only command respect, but we muSt also provide the student with a sense of com­fort so that he or she feels safe enough to take risks in the lesson. By respect, I mean that the student '0 THE PROFESSIONAL SKIER realizes and appreciates the fact that we have the knowledge and ability to help the student learn. We win that respect by iden­tifying and helping the student achieve reasonable goals. By comfort, I mean that th e student is not so intimidated by our expertise and the surroundings that he or she is unreceptive to communication and lea rning. We establish a sense of comfort by acknowledging the student's concerns and discomfort in an alien environment, and by making it clear that one of our pri­mary goals is to help them acclimate to that environment. Once we have estab­lished both comfort and respect, the stu­dent will trust us, listen to us, and we can get on to the learning at hand. Depending on the type of student and his or her level of performance, you may need to illicit either more respect or mot;e comfort. A fear victim needs a heavy dose of comfort, for example, but when teach­ing a self-deluded teenager in the bumps, it might be necessary to beef up the respect side of the formula, and turn it on as hard as you can for a run. In most lessons, however, a teacher appeals to both elements of trust simulta­neously. Respect and comfort can work in two different realms. In the human realm, we make a student comfortable by relat­ing to the person as an equal-a fellow human being-and seeing his or her value outside the skiing environment. But at the same time, we gain that person's respect in the realm of sk iing, where we have spent a lot of time and energy. We are the experts, but only in this limited realm. FALL 92 Read the Student I think our ability to " read" our students is one of the most important abi lities required of LIS as ski teachers. Reading our students means assessing and responding to their verbal and non-verbal feedb~ck, which tells us how they are reacting to us as instructors and how they are assimilating the information we are giving them. Otherwise we are simply imparting information and se rving our own agenda without checking for their understanding. To get the student to emerge from behind the goggles requires good ques­tioning skills. The types of questions we ask and the tone in which we ask them can either inspire or inhibit communica­tion. Understanding this doesn't require a course in management skills. Inappropri­ately familar questions such as: "How long have you been married?", "Are YOll happy?", and "Do you have problems?" would instantly shut most people down and cloud the focus of the lesson. Strive for discllssion that is appropriate for the situation. Remember to ask ques­tions that are open-ended to encourage students to talk about themselves and open up to you. For example, "So how did you get hooked on this sport?" is an open-ended question that shows you interest in the student as a person and also lends a com­fortable, conversational tone to the lesson. You don't have to know rules. Just try to be sensitive to the student's level of open­nesss and adjust your behavior accordingly. continued on page 56 ~