Instructor Question

SkierPTI’ve been thinking about getting me level 1/2 ski instructor cert this year. For anyone who does instruct, I have a question.

Most lessons are given through the resort, but are private lessons allowed as a private contractor?

I’ve always wondered if coaches and such I see are employed by the resort or what? I’m assuming major liability and legal issues, so I’m coming to NS for answers!

SkierPTI’ve been thinking about getting me level 1/2 ski instructor cert this year. For anyone who does instruct, I have a question.

Most lessons are given through the resort, but are private lessons allowed as a private contractor?

I’ve always wondered if coaches and such I see are employed by the resort or what? I’m assuming major liability and legal issues, so I’m coming to NS for answers!

hoodratz47Psia 2 here. Psia sucks so much. Everyone has to be homogenized. Which is just not possible.

SkierPTDamn it. So probably not worth for me to get level 1 if it’s a side hustle type gig then

SkierPTDamn it. So probably not worth for me to get level 1 if it’s a side hustle type gig then

Corey_O132At the end of the day though you have to instruct a good amount to make back what you paid for your certs. It can be worth it, but fuck PSIA. It's a fucking garbage organization that doesn't actually look out for the good of instructors, and sucks money out of people to certify ski instructor & then has memebership dues every year. Plus they have a ton of old fucks who think they're gods at skiing because of their technical form, but can't ski anything that's not a groomer. They push "proper form" when skiing at a high level should be more of an expression of style, not form.

I think maybe 10-15 years ago it might've been a decent organization from what I've heard from some old heads. However, now it's devolved to trash and is super money driven. FUCK PSIA, save your money or just get your cert 1, meet some rich folks and instruct their kids every season & get tipped good.

nmwninjartHow much are these certificates and membership fees?

SkierPTWhat was the process like for level 1? Level 2? The site isn’t very clear….

ReformedBMany ski areas have a anti-"poaching" policy. Meaning you cannot use their facility's for coaching/instructing, and that all coaching/instructing is done by the company.

SkierPTDamn it. So probably not worth for me to get level 1 if it’s a side hustle type gig then

b0ssPrivate lesson work is good enough and that way you are legally protected. Wouldn't mess with under the table lessons unless client is flying me out to their destination and we ski as “friends”.

cydwhitAgree with everything everyone else said. Resorts lock down who can and can't coach there, for good reason. Same goes for guides, although plenty of folks moonlight as unlicensed guides and get paid in gift cards. When shit hits the fan, you're in big trouble.

The only sorta workaround I've seen is nannying. In big mountain towns nannying can be a sweet gig. Plenty of rich folks don't want to have to see/ski with their kids all day. So they'll hire somebody to babysit them. If that somebody makes their kids better at skiing while they're at it, awesome! I went on a tinder date with a girl who had a pretty sweet gig, she'd pick up these kids from their slope side McMansion, and get paid $25 an hour all day to ski with them, coach them a little, and feed them lunch and crap. Shit, some folks even have live-in nannies.

SkierPTGiving it more thought the last few days, this was actually an idea I had. A nanny or “chaperone” title.

DeebieSkeebiesCoaching for a program is the same thing too, haha. Lot's of chaperoning and making sure they're not doing anything dumb, saying bad stuff, being mean to their teammates, and stuff like that. Think of it as a form of childcare on skis. Its fun if you're into it. Some kids are tough to deal with however.

DeebieSkeebiesCoaching for a program is the same thing too, haha. Lot's of chaperoning and making sure they're not doing anything dumb, saying bad stuff, being mean to their teammates, and stuff like that. Think of it as a form of childcare on skis. Its fun if you're into it. Some kids are tough to deal with however.

SkierPTAnd this, as a private contractor, isn’t illegal or frowned on?

ajbskibest to set up a LLC and get permission/contract from a ski resort to conduct business there.

-At lake louise, no instruction beyond the ski school, ski club and CSIA functions were permitted officially.
-At mslm in ontario (a privatley owned ski hill), basically everyone is able to get permission. they run louis ski school, goldenhawks ski school, freestyle ontario, agenda freeski, axis freestyle (defunct) and a bunch more out of the hill. many of these ski schools dont have csia accredited instructors.

unofficially anything goes. if approached you can just say "im teaching my friends" and there is nothing wrong with that. just make sure you have the right coverage incase shit goes south.

jompcockCoach a freestyle team if you can. Better pay, get to actually shred the mtn, ski park etc.

ajbskialso, in csia:

-level 1 course is just about how to teach beginners. first timers to people who have been skiing a couple of times. initiating the fundamentals without the technical knowledge.

-level 2 course is about teaching people to transition from beginner to intermediate. getting the students to ask and be able to self reflect whether they are using techniques or not. (initiating the turn from the lower body, separation for angulation, mobility in the hips knees ankles for balance, rhythm and coordination)

-level 3 is about teaching people to consolidate the techniques. i.e where to balance at which point for different types of turn shapes and terrain

-level 4 is about teaching refinement. how to get more performance on more challenging terrain. most instructors never actually make it to this level.

at each of these levels you have to be able to not only demonstrate that your skiing abilities/technique/understanding is there, but also that you can teach it. drills, exercises, non vocal feedback and so on. then you go through all the levels again for teaching new instructors how to teach.

I would strongly recommend to anyone to take a ski instructors course if they want to understand the kinematics that are involved in skiing. On the other hand it really does ruin a lot of the fun you have skiing. think of someone who obsessed with their golf swing to the point where golfing is more of a chore than leisure. since becoming a coach and instructor, im constantly thinking/being critical about my turn shape and my body position instead of just going out and having fun.

powpatroli’m doing my csia level 3 this year, any tips? i’m confident in getting the ski section but feel like the teach might need some refinement.

cool_nameWho the fuck would hire a ski instructor if it didn’t let you skip the lines?

hoodratz47So I work weekends at Anthony lakes. I work full time at a hospital in LaGrande. I work up there so I get my pass and letters to other ski areas. If I teach a lesson or two it pays for my gas up to ski. That's why I do it. Also I get really stoked on teaching kids and helping adults fine tune there skills. And for full honesty I only ski the psia way when we have yearly recertification.

It can be fun. It can also be really lame

r00kieObligatory screw PSIA. When I worked all of my hills team were hired as private contractors for the hills ski school. Could you possibly do that on your own? Maybe but you'd have to pay for your pass and keep all things under the table real hush hush which makes it too hard to build a client base that would make it worth it. Also you get the benefit of assumed credibility when working through the resort. Hard to trust somebody doing it on their own in a gray market kind of way.

r00kieAnthony Lakes? Taking a group of stuodents from the organization I work with up there in March and getting them in lessons before we ski the rest of the day. Hope to see ya there!

hoodratz47I would love to help with that!!!! I definitely use some psia stuff. But for me. I try to make each student ski the best way thier own bodies can handle. No human is exactly the same. No stance is the same. No ankle flexion is the same. I hate the Pisa homogenized attitude. I've had psia tech team guys either be. ONE WAY TO DO IT. And there are the really good ones who are very subjective.

Tldr you will enjoy Anthony lakes. I'll be in a green and black jacket with green goggles and NS stickers on my skis. Just ask how to get to chads gap

SkierPTThoughts on the term “Ski Nanny” or “babysitter” or “chaperone” ?

SkierPTThoughts on the term “Ski Nanny” or “babysitter” or “chaperone” ?