Skiing is Believing: What I Learned at Snowsports School
 



Norman Kreutz, Director of Snowsports

"I don't want to hear 'I know exactly what I'm doing wrong'. I want to hear: 'I know what I can do to continue to improve my skiing' after a student is finished a lesson", declares Norman Kreutz, the Director of Showsports for Silver Star Mountain Resort. And after just completing the three-day CSIA (Canadian Ski Instructors' Alliance) Level One course, I get it.  The Snowsports School strives for excellence.  The instructors want to help you improve your skiing; they want to give you some tools so you can keep improving your skiing.  And they also want you to have a really good time!

It had taken some courage for me to show up for this course.  After all, there was a forty year age difference between myself, the instructor, and more than half the other students and my skiing style was dated to say the least.  The class, geared up and ready to go, had assembled in front of the Ski School building.  Joel Wood and Pat Gerrie, our instructors, did not give anyone a chance to feel awkward.  There was a warmth and inclusiveness in their voices as they connected with each of us confirming our names with a smile and a nod.  After a very brief introduction we were off.  The course had begun.

Norman Kreutz first visited Silver Star in 1983. Already a 'level 4', (the highest level of certification for Canadian Ski Instructors), he was blown away by the great people and tons of snow, and was thrilled to be offered the job of Assistant Ski School Director in 1984. His skills and talents quickly attracted several more expert ski instructors.  But in 1988, still maintaining his home in Vernon, he took on the job as Western Course Director for the CSIA.  After developing and implementing programs at a national and international level for 14 years, he returned to Silver Star in 2002 bringing his CSIA expertise with him and the mantra ‘excellence is the way to go (in ski teaching)’. 
 
On the first day of our course the conditions are less than ideal, and very different than what I’ve come to expect at Silver Star.  Rather than the usual ample powder snow, it is heavy wet snow and foggy.  On the magic carpet where we are experiencing what skiing might be like the very first time, the drizzle and dullness contributes to me feeling like the students I might be teaching.  There are no technical terms, we are learning the basics of ski instruction by observing, feeling, and doing. And as the day progresses we begin to look at our own skiing in a similar tactile way.



Taking a moment to observe and comment

“If you have 8 students, as an instructor, you need to develop 8 private lessons within that group lesson”.  Norman continues, “ski school doesn’t give you a job, you teach and develop relationships with your clients; you are a ski professional”. But he adds “it’s what happens in the fabric of the lesson that is the essence of instruction”.  Silver Star maintains a high level of ‘level 4s’, currently 9 of the120 instructors on staff.  And there is an extensive training program for all the instructors, beginning with a full week of training early in the season.  Experienced instructors share their knowledge with novices and training is on-going through the season, making all instructors ‘students of the sport’.  Norman explains that it takes 28 days to change motor patterns.  Awareness is only the beginning of ski improvement.

CSIA level 1 group with instructor Joel Wood

By day two everything seems to be a learning/teaching opportunity. The temperature has dropped today and the ski runs are firm packed with icy patches.  First hand we understand the impact that terrain choice could have on a ski lesson. We watch skiers as we ride the lift, we watch each other and our instructor.  We learn to ‘feel our skiing’ and begin to internalize the basic skills of the sport.   We easily share our observations and thoughts; our instructor leads us and encourages us.



The Snowsports School at Silver Star offers instruction for downhill skiing, snowboarding and Nordic (including telemarking) skiing.  About a third of all the instructors come from other countries, a mix of Scandinavians, British, Europeans, South Americans, and Australians and New Zealanders. Ski methodology has been standardized internationally through organizations such as Interski, an international congress of ski instructors that meets every 4 years.  Through CSIA Silver Star instructors have taken part in Interski  demonstrations and exchanges at the world level.

Fresh snow and sunshine; time for some "guided mileage"

 Day three we are blessed with fresh snow and blue skies.  Joel takes us around the mountain using every different terrain as a teachable moment.  We teach each other and observe each other.  Then we just put on some miles, after all every lesson needs to have lots of ‘guided mileage’. Our day on the hill ends at the Adventure Centre, with some more teaching and observing.  There is plenty of happy banter, squeals of delight as these little kids discover the joy of being able to ski.

Trying out teaching aids at the Adventure Centre

Later we are presented with certificates and pins, we are now part of the family of CSIA, and many of the ski school staff had come to welcome us aboard.  But although our course is completed we are all aware this is only a beginning.