• W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 • O N T A R I O || 1

W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 || c s i a o n t a r i o . c o m

ARE YOU A “PRO OF THE WEEK”?

FUN DAY MOVES TO BEAVER VALLEY

BETTER FOOD FOR BETTER PERFORMANCE

TIPS FROM OUR PROS || EVENTS || MEET THE 2015 INTERSKI TEAM

O N T A R I O

CONGRATULATIONS

STEVE YOUNG ON MAKING THE 2015

INTERSKI TEAM!

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• W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 • O N T A R I O || 3

DIRECTORS

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Tom Dovey Communication/Outreach

Matt Cuccaro Ottawa Liaison

Allison SharpeMagazine/Sponsorship

Andrew HansenIT/Website

Ed YoungTreasurer

Anik GaumondSecretary & Member Events

Simon HoldenLevel 1 Program

AJ Leeming Technical Liaison

Miranda SorensenChair

Kevin McMillan Vice Chair

Celebrating GreatnessA s a new 15 year old instructor I

remember being so impressed with my session leaders and course

conductors. They were knowledgeable and they were experts in their abilities to impart the information needed to improve. Most of all I was impressed with how comfortable and confident they led and entertained their groups.

For a while I tried to imitate some of their approaches. I tried to re-tell the jokes I had heard and adapt some of their stories of ski adventures. I tried to be an entertainer. What a failure that was. Tip: You need to remember the punch line of a joke to make it funny.

I eventually found my own groove, my own approach with my students, my own personal stamp that matched who I was. And I found that my students preferred the real me, which was a relief because I was topping the list of failed joke telling.

Each of us, as an instructor, has our own style. We offer our students a unique experience when we take them out on the

slopes and try to help them to reach their skiing goals. We all have our tricks to help create a memorable lesson and convert our students into lifelong skiers.

CSIA Ontario wants to help recognize and celebrate all instructors this winter. We have initiated a program called “Be the Pro of the Week” with our sponsor Big White Resort.

Each week your Snow School Director will submit the name of an outstanding pro to the CSIA Ontario office. (I know this will be a challenge to choose among so many excellent pros).

At the end of the season, one lucky pro will win a ski trip to beautiful Big White, BC, including ski sessions with Josh Foster, a truly great instructor!

I look forward to seeing you on March 29th at Beaver Valley for this year’s Fun Day, James Bond 007 style, when we announce the winner. Until then follow us on Facebook to see all the great pros nominated for “Be the Pro of the Week”. ◆

Miranda Sorensen, Chair, CSIA Ontario

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MIRANDA SORENSEN AND A MANSFIELD PRO OF THE WEEK - KELLY REYNOLDS.

CHAIR’Sletter

4 || O N T A R I O • c s i a o n t a r i o . c o m •

WINTER2015

EDITORIAL TEAMAllison SharpeEditor

Shelagh MulveneyAdministration

Tom Dovey, Kevin McMillan and Stuart TeatherProof Reading

CSIA ONTARIO OFFICE3 Concorde Gate, Suite 209Toronto OntarioT: 416-426-7261 F: 416-426-7261info@csiaontario.com

DESIGN & PUBLISHINGLaura WeatherstonK9 strategy+designk9-sd.com

PHOTO CONTRIBUTORSAndrew Elsdon and John Evely

CONTRIBUTORSTodd Arthur, Warren Jobbitt, AJ Leeming, Jim Peever, Kathy Prophet, Jeff Sinclair, Mike Weiss and Steve Young

PRINTINGTed SouthamCober Evolving Solutions

csiaontario.comfacebook.com/csiaontario

Publication Mail Agreement 41057019Printed using a sustainable resource

COVER PHOTO Andrew Elsdon, CLLiK.com Skier: Steve Young

O N T A R I O CONTENTSEditorial .......................................... 5

Ontario Events ............................. 6

Bursary Winner ............................. 7

Interski Team ............................ 8-9

A Personal Journey .................... 10

Teaching Tip ............................... 11

Food for Performance .............. 14

Our History ................................. 15

Feedback Tip ............................. 16

Training Women Pros ................ 18

Jeff’s Tip ...................................... 19

Equipment Tip ........................... 20

National Update ........................ 21

A Member’s Question .............. 22

• W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 • O N T A R I O || 5

100 ft vertical no whip pleaseW here did you learn to ski? My first

alpine descent was the front hill

of my family home in Violet Hill

near Shelburne Ontario. Christmas morning

in my pajamas, sliding down fresh snow on my

new Fischer skis and achieving my first snow

plow stop. The rest of that winter was spent at

Mansfield on school day trips taking lessons

and developing a snow plow turn.

People, experiences and places play an important role in how we develop and who we become. According to Dr. Phil you can trace this through 10 defining moments, 7 critical choices and 5 pivotal people. I’m not a regular viewer of Dr. Phil, but this idea has stuck with me and I often consider how external factors shape us.

But does it matter where we learn to ski? Are expectations lowered because we start on small inclines?

What I think is important is that the location is accessible so that you can increase your frequency of practice. People

make a difference because their attitudes will shape the atmosphere that will entice you back. Training is important too if you hope to stick out the learning curve. And of course snow is critical whether it is natural or man-made. Can you get to it and can you get there often and do you want to get to it because of the people and atmosphere are the important factors.

What is less important for where you start is variety, difficulty, vertical and prestige.

Through this issue of Ski Pro Ontario, we asked our 2015 Interski Team where they learned to ski and you’ll proudly see that many began here in Ontario or at small humble hills. We take another historical look at a local hill in Scarborough that provided first-exposure to skiers in the Toronto area during the 60’s and 70’s. And we have more tips to help you develop lifelong skiers.

We invite you to consider your first des-cent and think about how you support the development resorts around us. If you live

in a city with a municipal ski hill, encourage your elected official to support its exist-ence. Maybe go back and visit your first hill if it still exists and support that area by telling others about it as a place to learn.

Why are the big resorts busy? They have huge marketing budgets; smaller hills will rely on word of mouth and recommendations.

It doesn’t matter that a ski hill has a Starbucks at the bottom when you make your first stop. Mom’s hot chocolate at the end of a busy afternoon climbing up and down my front hill was better than any Grande, skinny, Mocha Latte, no whip – any day. ◆

Allison Sharpe, Editor

EDITOR'Sthoughts

6 || O N T A R I O • c s i a o n t a r i o . c o m •

LICENSE TO SKIFUN DAY 007Sunday March 29BEAVER VALLEY

Join us for a fun James Bond themed day of skiing, on-hill activities including the Synchro Competition for the Golden Ski and a fantastic après with great prizes.

ONTARIOevents

ANNUAL AWARDS DINNER & GENERAL MEETING

for more information and to register for ontario events please visit csiaontario.com

Thursday May 28 at 6 pmDELTA MARKHAM

Join us to celebrate the end of another successful season and our award winners of 2015.

*Hall of Fame Ring

• W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 • O N T A R I O || 7

BURSARYwinner

385 West St S, OrilliaCall Mike Davenport direct to qualify for the CSIA discount1-888-719-9994www.davenportsubaru.com

FEAR NO WEATHERthe ski slopes are in

Subaru country!

CSIA SKI PRO EXCLUSIVE OFFERSave $1,500 o� the purchase of a new Subaru at Davenport Subaru Orillia

($750 CSIA rebate from Subaru and $750 additional rebate from Davenport Subaru)

Davenport_Subaru_Winter2014.indd 1 2014-09-25 1:04 PM

CONGRATULATIONS

MELANIE GUNSCH

2014 CSIA ONTARIO BURSARY RECIPIENT

Melanie Gunsch is this year’s winner of the CSIA Ontario Bursary with Georgian College’s Snow Resort Operations Program. Mel is in her second year of the program where she has been demonstrating academic merit, leadership skills and a strong commitment to the ski industry.

Mel continues to work at developing her capabilities as a Level 1 CSIA and Level 2 CASI instructor as well as advancing her Level 1 Avalanche Safety Certification.

Originally an Ontario skier from the great Chicopee Ski and Summer Resort she is now gaining great knowledge and experience while enjoying her full-time co-op placement at Sunshine Village Ski Resort in Banff Alberta.

8 || O N T A R I O • c s i a o n t a r i o . c o m •

T he High Performance program initiated 3 years ago to promote skiing and ski teaching

excellence at all levels has been a huge success. This January, 50 High Performance Team

members took to the slopes to showcase their teaching and skiing. Ten members were

then selected to represent our CSIA membership at Interski in Argentina.

Researching and developing our education model is an on-going, ever evolving process.

Attending Interski forces our organization to prove theories and not simply speculate on their merit.

Our team will not only gather information from 35 other ski nations, but will also share our tech-

nical approach, methodology and education/professional development system.

The audience of 1,200 of the world’s top ski instructors and educators will, to say the least, serve

as a critical eye. Here, our team members will have an opportunity to validate what we do with the

best of the best.

Watch for training highlights this season as our team prepares for the event. Full reports on the

event and the other countries’ performances and presentations will be published and showcased

next fall in the national Ski Pro magazine and at CSIA Members’ Conventions.

MEET OUR 2015 INTERSKI TEAM:STEVE YOUNG

CSIA 4, Level 4

Course Conductor,

CSCF 2

Technical Director,

Craigleith Ski Club,

Collingwood, ON

Learned to ski at Talisman in Kimberley, ON

“It has been my long time goal to represent

the CSIA and Ontario at Interski. I am very

excited to be a part of Interski to share what

we do and to learn from others.”

SUNNY VERREAULT

CSIA 4, Level 4

Course Conductor,

CSCF Performance

Coach

Interski Team mem-

ber 2003 and 2007

Head Coach, Le Valinouët Ski Club, QC

Learned to ski at Do-Mi-Ski, QC

“I am excited to build team spirit with all these

great and experienced skiers and ski teachers.

I look forward to bringing back different

approaches and methods of training to keep

improving our Canadian skier development

tools.”

KYLE ARMSTRONG

CSIA 4, CSCF 2,

Level 3 Course

Conductor, Snow

Park Cert Conductor

Instructor/Trainer

and Bow Valley Kids

Supervisor, Lake Louise, AB

Learned to ski at Snow Valley and Horseshoe

Valley, in Barrie, ON

“I am looking forward to learning how other

countries are staying current with our ever

evolving sport and to show them how we are

leaders in skiing and teaching through all of

our diverse experiences on snow.”

INTERSKI 2015

Ushuaia, Argentina

FRÉDÉRIK

LÉPINE

CSIA 4, Level 4

Course Conductor,

CSCF 2

Technical Director

and Ski Instructor at

Ski Bromont, QC

Learned to ski at Mont Shefford in Eastern

Township, PQ

“It’s an opportunity and an honour to

represent the CSIA. I’m working to develop

our sport and my objective at Interski is to

learn and observe new aspects of our sport.

After Interski I hope to share this information

with our members. My motto is ‘be better

together’.”

CASEY BOUIUS

CSIA 4, Level

4 Course

Conductor, CSCF

Performance Coach,

Development

Course Facilitator,

Canadian Avalanche Association Level 1,

Interski Team member 2011

Technical Director Ski & Snowboard School,

Sunshine Village, Banff, AB

Learned to ski at Snow Valley in Barrie, ON

“Over the last few Interski’s, Canada has

been on the front of everyone’s interest with

our new-age approach and methods. Last

Interski I believe we really showed them our

talent with our skiing ability and our open

approach to teaching. This time around I feel

our presentation and method of Experiential

Learning will bring everything together.”

INTERSKIteam

JEFF MARKS

CSIA 4, Level 4

Course Conductor,

CSCF 2, CASI 1

CSIA Educational

Development

Coordinator (West), Instructor and Trainer,

Lake Louise, AB

Learned to ski at Marmot Basin, Jasper, AB

“The thought of going to an amazing part of

the world and representing a vast group of

people who love this sport as much as I do

gives me a huge sense of pride.”

MAGGIE GRAHAM

CSIA 4, Level 4

Course Conductor,

CSCF Performance

Coach, Development

Level Facilitator,

Alpine Canada Level 2, NCCP Level 3,

Interski Team member 2011

Instructor and Trainer, Mont Tremblant, QC

Learned to ski at Camp Fortune, QC

“Given the individual nature of alpine skiing, I

am looking forward to being a team mem-

ber and having the opportunity to exchange

information with my colleagues and learn from

them. It’s an opportunity to showcase why

Canada is a leader on the world stage and how

the CSIA is moving forward into the future.”

NATALIE MOREL

CSIA 4, Level 4

Course Conductor,

CSCF 2, Interski

Team member 2007

Snow School

Supervisor, Whistler Blackcomb, BC

Learned to ski at Mont Ste-Anne, QC

“This will be an amazing opportunity to

exchange our ways of skiing and teaching with

other countries. I also look forward to bringing

back information for our members.”

SIMON CHAPLEAU

CSIA 4, Level 4

Course Conductor,

CSCF 2,

Ski School Director

Hotel du Lac, Club

Tremblant

Learned to ski at local hills north of Montréal

“Excited to learn and share different visions of

skiing from all around the world!”

OLIVIER GODBOUT

CSIA 4, CSCF

3, Snowpark

Certification,

Avalanche

Operations Level 1

Private Instructor/Staff Trainer, Whistler

Blackcomb, BC

Learned to ski at Massif du Sud, QC

“I can’t wait to ski with the Interski Team and to

collectively push our limits on skis as far as we can

as a team! This meeting will also provide us with

a wider understanding of today’s ski industry and

where, as Canadians, we are situated in this field

of competence and how proud we can be!”

INTERSKI COACHING STAFF:HEAD COACH: WARREN JOBBITT

CSIA 4, Level 4 Course Conductor, CSCF 2

Interski Team member 2007, Assistant

Coach 2011, Manager of Educational

Development West

Learned to ski at Candy Mountain in Thunder

Bay, ON

“It is a great honor to be the Head Coach of the Interski team. It is an amazing team that repre-sents every single member of the CSIA. In the end, it’s all about the organization as a whole.”

ASSISTANT HEAD COACH: JOHN GILLIES

CSIA 4, Level 4 Course Conductor, CSCF

2, Interski Head Coach 2003, 2007, 2011,

Manager of Educational Development

(East)

Learned to ski at Twin Oaks in Annapolis

Valley, Nova Scotia

“I look forward to helping where I can, but also spending more time attending workshops and presentations. We have an exciting, youthful team and I am excited to share this experience with them.”

HEAD OF DELEGATION: MARTIN JEAN

CSIA 4, CSCF 3 Performance Coach, Interski

involvements since 1983 in different cap-

acities as a demonstrator, manager, coach

and head of delegation, CSIA Director of

Education and Member Services

Learned to ski behind my house in my hometown

“All the Interski Congresses have been different and the CSIA has always managed to present a meaningful presentation.”

10 || O N T A R I O • c s i a o n t a r i o . c o m •

Millions of turns. Thousands of lessons taught. Countless hours perfecting technique and the art

of teaching. All for specific goals such as certification, course conducting, Interski and coaching the Interski team. All are part of my journey to date.

Thinking back, the most satisfying moments are the ones where smiles were created; the smiles on the faces of beginner skiers, my children, loved ones and CSIA members.

Take a moment and think back to the start of the journey that has taken you where you are today. Was it the cool wind on your face, the sound of your boots as you walked across cold, crisp snow, the antici-pation as you stepped into your bindings,

the first gliding sensation, the exhilaration of accelerating down the mountain or the power of your first carved turn?

Skiing and ski teaching are all about pas-sion. Time takes an entirely different course if you are doing what you love. Time can stand still in those moments when it’s just you and the mountain.

Skiing feeds your spirit, your energy, your passion. It’s when skiing becomes your heart and soul that ski teaching becomes who you are. Why do you teach skiing? Because you are a leader, you inspire great-ness in others. Teaching is an art form, it’s not enough to just know your stuff, because you need to excite people, engage them, peak imagination and fuel their creativity.

Get out there and ski, ski your butt off, try

something new every day. � Fuel your spirit and feed your creativity � Engage your mind, your body and your

soul � Challenge yourself and energize your

skiing Make every turn count, make every day

the best day ever. It doesn’t matter what colour pin you wear or the marks you got on your last ski off. You need to teach every lesson to share your passion, because it’s the next smile that you create that will start a special journey of another lifelong skier just like you. ◆

Warren Jobbitt, CSIA Level 4, CSCF 2, Manager of Educational Development (West), Head Coach Interski 2015

A Personal Journey

• W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 • O N T A R I O || 11

TEACHINGtip

EXPERIENCE: Create the learning experience based on the snow conditions that you have on the day. Powder, ice, groomed or slush. It is important to teach people how to ski on what they have in front of them.

The role of the instructor is to choose a focus and assign a task, asking a question so that the learner is engaged in the process of reflecting on how they are skiing will help you to assess their understanding.

For example you might say, “feel your weight on the heel of the foot as you finish the turn, tell me if you feel the edge of the ski grips the snow or not”. The answer will tell you if more instruction is required or if you can challenge them.

REFLECTION:As the student skis reflecting on the task and answering the question, you should watch assessing whether the student is able to do the assigned task.

CONCEPTUALIZATION: As the student puts into words what they felt, you need to listen

to what the student has to say so that you can see if what they say matches what you saw. This is one of the most important things we can do as teachers.

Matching the observation of the student and the instructor creates clarity and helps the student know when they have it and when they don’t. This is important because it makes it easier for the student to continue to practice on their own.

EXPERIMENTATION: Your role is to assess the student by watching and listening so that you will know when it is time to experiment. To experiment, you can change the speed, move to different terrain, or simply change up the turn shape. Knowing when to challenge the student is key, watch for them to start doing the task with confidence. Listen to their explana-tions. Challenge them when they have a clearer understanding.

Give this method a try and see if it helps you get results with your students! ◆

Steve Young, CSIA 4, CSCF 2, High Performance Team Member, Interski Team 2015

Experiential Education

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12 || O N T A R I O • c s i a o n t a r i o . c o m •

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Dan Renauld CSIA level 4, CSIA level 4 examiner, CSCF level 3 and CSIA Interski Demo Team Member.

• W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 • O N T A R I O || 13

PHOTO: ANDREW ELSDON, CLLiK PHOTOGRAPHY

SKIER: KAYLA DOERING

SKIpro

14 || O N T A R I O • c s i a o n t a r i o . c o m •

HEALTHYeating

A s life seems to be getting busier by the minute, finding time to prepare healthy meals can be challenging. Healthy eating is an integral part of preparation for performing well on the slopes both mentally and physically.

LUNCHIt is all to easy to grab lunch on the go when the best choices aren’t always available. Fortunately there are plenty of great options on the market like the bento box container for packing your own lunch. Make sure you have protein along with fresh fruit and vegetables. Here is a great Quinoa Stew recipe for the thermos that gives you plenty of protein and veggies for lots of energy as well as tumeric, a natural anti-inflammatory.

LENTIL QUINOA STEW� 1 diced onion� 1 clove minced garlic� 2 tbsp olive oil� 1 cup red lentils� 6 cups chopped vegetables (hard ones

like carrots, beets, squash, sweet potato)� 2 cups quinoa� 2 cups cauliflower� 3 cups baby kale or baby spinach� 8 cups water� 2 tsp herbamere seasoning salt� 1 ½ tsp tumeric� 1 tbsp dried thyme� 1 tbsp cumin

Sauté onions and garlic for 5 minutes. Stir in lentils, sauté 1 minute. Add 6 cups of chopped hard vegetables and sauté 10 minutes. Pour in 4 cups of water, bring to a boil then reduce and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in quinoa, cauliflower, tumeric, thyme, cumin and 4 remaining cups of water; bring to a boil then reduce and simmer for 15 minutes. Turn down to low and add baby kale stirring until wilted. Season with salt and pepper. Serves 6.HIGH PERFORMANCE TIP: Hydration

is key. Drinking plenty of water to replace fluids lost through perspiration is very im-portant. Water helps keep our joints lubri-cated and reduces muscle fatigue. Adding an EnerC packet to your water provides vitamins and minerals to aid in muscle re-covery. Remember that tea, coffee and soft drinks dehydrate the body. If you like sports drinks try 100% coconut water to obtain electrolytes.

DINNERHave dinner ready before you get home. Prepare Chocolate Lovers Chili which gets its rich flavour and colour from antioxidant rich cocoa powder. All you will have to do is prepare a salad and warm some artisan style bread so there will not be any time for snacking.

CHOCOLATE LOVERS CHILI� 2 tbsp olive oil� 1 diced onion� 2 cloves minced garlic� 1 cup mushrooms quartered� 1 cup frozen corn� 1 498 ml can black beans� 1 498 ml can kidney beans� 2 796 ml cans dices tomatoes� ¼ cup cocoa powder� 2 tbsp maple syrup or packed brown

sugar� 2 tbsp chili powder� 2 tsp dried oregano � 2 tsp cumin� pinch to taste chipotle powder

*for non-vegetarian add 2 cups diced cooked chicken or browned lean ground beefSauté onions, garlic in olive oil over medium

heat for 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and diced carrots. Cook for 5 minutes. Once onions, carrots and mushrooms are cooked, transfer to the crock pot with all remaining ingredients. Stir well, place lid on securely and cook on low for 8 hours. To serve, top with your favourites like sour cream, avocado or shredded cheese. Serves 6.

HIGH PERFORMANCE TIP: Chili powder is thermogenic, which aids in boosting your metabolism for extra energy on the hill and increases your body heat for warmth.

Just like it’s never too late to learn how to ski, it’s never too late to develop healthy eating habits! We won’t tell if you sneak the odd poutine & pint! ◆

Todd Arthur, CSIA Level 2, High Performance Team Member

Meanwhile back at the Chalet …

GOOD FOOD ON THE GO

• W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 • O N T A R I O || 15

OURhistory

T he Rouge Valley Ski Center was picturesquely nestled in the forested valley in the east end of Scarborough

where Sheppard Avenue takes a sharp bend to the south near the Eagle Nest Pub. Hugo Gambin manager and owner of Olympic Inn and Restaurant was inspired by Peter Pelta and others to develop the 90 foot vertical incline as a Learn-To-Ski center in 1966.

New-to-skiing patrons were equipped with rentals provided by ‘Happy Howard’ Ski Shop and crossed the wooden walkway over the swimming reservoir of the Rouge River to awaiting instructors for their free 1-hour lesson.

The area was equipped with a snowmaking system, bright towered lights, a beginner rope tow, a high-speed, glove-destroying row tope that took you to the top of the advanced blue runs and a T-bar lift on the other side of the hill. There was also a back side with a truck wide winding trail that dared only expert skiers to venture, bringing you back to the T-bar base station.

The charm of the hotel and cozy restaurant afforded parents and non-skiers the atmosphere to enjoy après ski.

This was more than just a ski playground for novices. It was quite a development environment for ski instructors to train for Level 1, 2 and 3 certifications and for alpine racers to refine their competitive skills. As a result of the passionate energy of Ricki Peters, Caper Valley was also the home training ground for freestyle skiers and hosted many freestyle championships.

For many, this was the site of their first skiing experience. Others, like me, were introduced to the CSIA and lifelong careers as dedicated ski professionals.

After only two seasons of operation, a fire leveled the hotel, restaurant and rental shop. This unfortunate event led to the sale of this area to new owners, REPAC Construction Company, and the artful reverse naming of the ski center to ‘Caper’ Valley.

A new round-house lodge was built at the base of the hill that allowed for better visual displays of on-hill activities and also sometimes served as an immovable end-stop for out-of-control skiers. Construction trailers were used for the rental shop, ticket sales and staff changing room facilities.

Under the leadership of Verne Brandt and

FIRE and ICEROUGE/CAPER VALLEY – FORMER SCARBOROUGH AREA SKI CENTRE

his “rouge” swiss uniformed staff, the public continued to develop their skills that would be utilized through-out the regions of North American ski resorts.

A natural event that occurred in 1972 led to the extinction of this area. The break-away of an ice dam and rising water flooded the basin of the hill. A meter high level of water and ice created costly damage to the base chalet and lift loading areas.

At the same time Toronto amalgamated with Scarborough and this area of land was designated as parkland under new zoning.

Evaluating the costs and the risk associ-ated in continuing to operate Caper Valley Ski Center, REPAC was forced to dissolve its operation and sell its property rights to the municipality. Public pressure persuaded Metro Parks to at least operate the area until 1980 when the lifts stopped for good. ◆

Michael Weiss, CSIA Level 4, CSCF Level 3

16 || O N T A R I O • c s i a o n t a r i o . c o m •

FEEDBACKtip

W e all know one, have taught one, or been one – the Feedback Junkie.

“HOW WERE THOSE TURNS?”“DID YOU SEE THAT RUN?” “HOW ABOUT NOW… IS IT FIXED?”

We tend to fuel this trait in our students by using instruction like, “you wait here, I will wave you down when I am ready; I want to watch your skiing”. This sets the expectation that we will TELL them how they are skiing.

Breaking the feedback cycle can help you build (and become) a stronger skier, a more self-sufficient skier, a more aware skier.

So how do we accomplish this? The trick is building an experience and getting your skiers to self-assess. This can be a difficult task if your lesson is related to ‘proper form’; but is incredibly effective and easy if you build your session around functional skiing and outcomes.

Challenge your students to ski faster or slower, make more turns or fewer turns, spray snow at a certain point in the arc or maybe to move inside and try to touch their hip or

Cracking the ‘FEEDBACK JUNKIE’

hand to the snow. Set up the experience so that they know if they were successful. Then all you need to do is ask them to assess their completion of the task.

The question could be a yes/no or maybe ask if they got it 25%, 50%, or 75% of the time or where they managed to spray some snow. Then you can follow up with building their understanding. Suddenly a comment like “can you spray snow and get grip when you are on the inside ski?” starts to mean a lot more to your students because they are able to link the experience to their outcome or feeling.

Cracking the Feedback Junkie will do a few things for your teaching. You will spend less time dissecting every second of a turn and spend that time looking at outcomes like balance. You will not need to talk with each student about their run, instead you will engage them by thinking about what they accomplished. You will find yourself skiing more and talking less. Best of all, you will create a skier who is aware of what they are doing. A skier who knows when something works and understands how they can create the outcome they want.

Does this mean assessment is dead? No, not at all. It simply means your assess-ment focuses on the challenge at hand. Rather than saying what YOU SEE, you help them understand what THEY FEEL. Your assessment will guide you towards picking the challenge that will build new feelings and select terrain that is best for the experience.

Does this mean development is all about questions? No, absolutely not. Your development strategies will become more impactful because you will select tactics that link to sensations and understanding. Your skiers will make changes they NEED in order to generate the outcomes of the challenge.

Cracking the Feedback Junkie is tough. People want to know how they did. The trick is giving them an experience where they know how they did and then provide that thumbs up or high five that we all crave. Give them an experience with some outcomes and sensations that they can remember and re-create on their own time. ◆

AJ Leeming, CSIA 4, CSCF 2, High Performance Team Member

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PHOTO: ANDREW ELSDON, CLLiK PHOTOGRAPHY

SKIER: BEN BORIS

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FORwomen

W ithin the CSIA, 36% of our mem-bership is female. As the level of certification increases there is

a drastic decline of active female members. Seven percent of all Level 3s are female and only 0.01% of Level 4s are female.

The Women in Skiing initiative (a sub group of the Education Committee) is currently working with experts to identify and share methodologies specific to the development of female skiers. The hope

is that these methodologies will become national program modules in 2016.

Until then, creating awareness of the differences between females and males will help instructors make small lesson plan adjustments that may greatly improve the lesson experience for many female skiers.

There are a number of physical differ-ences starting with the “Q” angle (the an-gle the femur comes out of the hip socket). This affects balance, the base of support,

TRAINING WOMEN PROS

alignment, maximum force and finesse. Muscular volume is also less in women

than in men which generally results in less strength.

A lower center of mass and a greater distribution of weight towards the hips may also impact a women’s ability to maintain a centered mobile stance.

Just as important are some psycho-logical differences. Sometimes a lack of self-confidence and self-doubting can be a key barrier to a female skier’s performance. Even if female skiers are competent in their skills, a lack of confidence will affect their ability to perform these skills.

Sadly there is a sense of the “Imposter Syndrome”, i.e., a feeling of whether one deserves to be where they are. A female skier will often question if she is good enough or worry others will find out she is not as good as they think she is.

There is a real fear of failure and being judged. In a mixed ski group you might observe your female skiers hanging back and/or waiting at the back of the group.

It is important to remember that a female skier may ruminate for a long time over a negative comment or perceived poor performance while her male counterpart will tend to let it go and move on.

There will be more information to come as we delve into the training needs of female skiers. Until then watch for ways you can make all of your students feel part of your group and encourage all improvements. ◆

Kathy Prophet, CSIA Level 4, CSCF Level 2

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JEFF’Stip

HOW DID THAT FEEL?

“PEOPLE WILL FORGET

WHAT YOU SAID, PEOPLE WILL FORGET

WHAT YOU DID, BUT PEOPLE WILL NEVER FORGET HOW YOU MADE THEM FEEL.”

– MAYA ANGELOU

Ok , so here it is … turn your femurs in the pelvic girdle, maintain the separation

so you can edge well, make sure you have access to all the joints so you can bend to balance and control pressures and co-ordinate your movements for good flow.

HOW DID YOU “FEEL” AFTER THAT RUN? The above information is great, accurate, effective and what we as pros and coaches need to know and understand.

Using questions to involve your students however, is better and trying to relate a feeling with perception and observation is excellent!

As a skier have you ever been asked the question, “how did that feel?” As an instructor or coach have you ever asked that question?

Good learning or good teaching happens when your student answers, “I felt back at the start of my turn” or “I felt better balance at the beginning” or “I skidded at the end” or “I had better grip”.

But what if the answer to the question is completely differently? What if you hear “I felt wonderful, I felt free, that made me happy”. Are you getting poor results because there is not a technical response?

If you get this kind of response then I believe you are on to something great.

As working ski pros we have the best office in the world, it inspires joy, pleasure, thrills, wonder, fun and more. Help your students and athletes feel wonderful. ◆

Jeff Sinclair, CSIA Level 4, CSCF Level 2

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SOME OTHER TIPS:� Keep your boot buckles

a little loose to allow for better circulation.

� Change your socks at lunch to a clean, dry pair.

� Ski bumps or short turns to keep your heartrate going.

� And take warm-up breaks. You don’t need to be a hero!

EQUIPMENTtip

Do you have your own helpful tips? Please follow us on Facebook and share your tip with a photo. We’d love to have more ideas for making a ski day fun even in -30C temperatures! ◆

Keeping WarmO n a recent CSIA course taking place in below 30 temperatures we started sharing

tips for keeping fingers and toes warm. Here are just a few of the tried and true ideas that you might find helpful the next cold day you are out on the slopes.

ANDREW’S TIP: Double up with a combo of boot heaters

and Boot Gloves. This pair will keep your feet happy all day long. The

Boot Gloves increase your boot temperature by 7C and will ensure you don’t lose all the nice heat from your heaters or chemical packs.

ANNE’S TIP: Layer up. Consider what you own and plan to wear layers under your ski suit. Don’t forget your legs need layers too and you can likely fit 2-3 pairs of base layers under our bulky ski pants.

DINA’S TIP: Instead of placing a chemical pack in the palm of your hand where it makes gripping your ski pole nearly impossible, place it on your wrist inside your glove where blood flows to your hand and fingers.

ALLISON’S TIP: Carry a handy and fashionable roll of Duct Tape with you to cover up the toe seams of your boots so that snow and cold air is kept out. At lunch make sure to take off your boots so that your feet warm up. And take your liners out of your boots at the end of each day to completely dry so that your next day of skiing starts out right.

CATHY’S TIP: Choose a neck warmer that isn’t too bulky but can easily cover your nose and cheeks. The Buff works well because it dries quickly and the material is breathable and SPF proof.

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NATIONALupdate

With a great ski season already underway in Ontario I thought it appropriate to provide an

update of CSIA initiatives and tasks that have been occupying the time and effort of your national staff. To do this justice I would need a full magazine to elaborate on the exhaustive list of items that are on our radar; so instead I will provide you with a “high level fly-by” consisting of points of interest that have the greatest effect on our membership and services.

PROGRAMSLast season’s launch of the Level 2 modular program was received well by our membership and with this season’s enrollment surpassing previous years we

can verify that this was a success. This sea-son we have launched a similar program for the Level 3. We believe the results will indicate that this contemporary approach will be a benefit to our membership and incent continued development through additional training opportunities.

INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIPSWe are working on future relationships with CADS (Canadian Association for Disabled Skiing) and CANSI (Canadian Association of Nordic Ski Instructors). We see diversity to be a strength and working strategically with these strong organizations can add benefits for all involved.

NATIONAL UPDATE

INTERSKIOur Interski team of delegates has been finalized. This accomplished and well de-serving team should inspire many members to become better instructors. In September 2015 at Cerro Castor, Ushuaia, Argentina, the team will demonstrate and describe our technique and teaching methodology to other teams from around the world.

Here are a few more initiatives that have our attention:� CSCF/ACA integration and the

understanding and development of our relationship with ACA

� Launching a new Snow School Directors Club to better communicate with other ski industry leaders

� Piloting a coaching fundamentals module

� Initiating a project to review our education content and delivery system

You can head out on your next ski day knowing you have dedicated and high functioning teams of staff at the regional and national levels that work tirelessly for our incredible organization.

Please enjoy the rest of your 2015 season. ◆

Jim Peever, Vice Chair, CSIA National Board

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What happened to keeping things simple?

HAS IT REALLY BECOME THIS COMPLICATED?”The answer is no. Over time, the CSIA has dedicated countless hours of research and development involving some of the great-est minds in skiing from around the globe, external experts in physics, biomechanics and education. To be leaders and in-novators in our profession, it takes a pro-gressive attempt at evolving and changing. There are many reasons why our technical approach has evolved to what it is today. Every step along the way has allowed us to grow and simplify what you see today.

The current CSIA Technical Reference is an evolution of all (and even more) of the list above.1. Turning is lead by the lower body and the

ski design2. Managing upper and lower body

separation allows for angulation to provide grip

3. Use of all joints helps maintain a cen-tered stance and provides the ability to manage forces acting on the ski and skier

4. Coordinated movement patterns direct the forces acting on the skis and the momentum of the skier from turn to turn

Remember, the Technical Reference is a set of guiding principles in efficient and effective skiing. We teach skiers how to move in order to achieve this goal. These movements are described by skiing skills.

Skiing and teaching skiing should be fun and simple. The CSIA will continue to research and develop to assist ski pros around the country. So throw out that list and focus on the current Technical Reference to help develop the skiing skills in your students. ◆

We recently received an an-onymous article from one of our members and thought

this would be a great opportunity to help everyone understand the evolution of our technical understanding to today’s Technical Reference for skill development.

“I am a CSIA instructor who took my Level 1 and Level 2 courses back in the late 1980’s. I have been a good member – at-tending my PDP every other season, partici-pating in PTS training days, attending a

Amember’sQUESTION

few CSIA Fall Conventions and even one CSIA “Spring Fling” and I faithfully teach on weekends at a small resort in Barrie. The CSIA has been a big part of my life for almost half my life.

When I took my Level 1 all those years ago, I remember the five skills that summarized our CSIA Technique:� Stance & Balance� Pivoting� Edging� Pressure Control� Timing & Coordination

Pretty simple, but after a few years of using the 5 skiing skills, the subsequent CSIA manuals started evolving with new technical information and teaching meth-odologies and my list seems to be getting really long. Some of the innovations added since the early 80’s:

TECHNICAL REFERENCE

TEACHING METHODOLOGY

FIVE SKIING SKILLS

FAST TRACK TO PARALLEL

THREE TURN PHASES

SKIER DEVELOPMENT MODEL

FOUR PLANES OF BALANCE

SIX STEPS TO A GOOD LESSON

BASIC COMPETENCIES

FOUR LEARNING STYLES

ADVANCED COMPETENCIES

THE CANADIAN APPROACH

As a ski instructor, you strongly infl uence the positive conduct of those hitting the slopes.

This guidance is especially critical for beginners to ensure they learn safe skiing behaviour

right from day one.

In partnership with CSIA, the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA)

produced a training video that focuses on the safety role that ski instructors

play and highlights the RideSmart Ski Lift Safety program.

To view the video, visit csiaontario.com/tssa.

As an organization whose goal is to enhance public safety, TSSA

appreciates your efforts to help us reach this goal. Collectively,

let’s continue to work together to improve our record and stress

the importance of hill and lift safety for all.

tssa.org | safetyinfo.ca