GAP SKI INSTRUCTOR PROGRAM

2007 GAP Ski Instructor Course Review

Henrik Cavalli, 20 - Student I chose the Wartren Smith Ski Academy GAP Course due to the focus on improving personal performance as well as achieving the teaching qualification. You needed to be a good intermediate skier to start the course.  Levels and styles ranged from intermediate skiers to very experienced fast skiers and to skiers skilled at freestyle jumping etc.

We would meet Warren and the other instructors at 10.15am up the mountain ready for the daily warm up.  So I would try and get up the mountain a bit earlier for some warm up and / or practice runs beforehand.  This gave a chance for a bit of freesking and to practice any pointers or tips that Warren and the boys had given the day before.  After the warm up session we would split up into our various groups and our ski coach would run through the key focus' we would be concentrating on that day.  Eg, short radius turns, carving, moguls, variables etc.    We would practice different exercises to help achieve these.   Two times a week we would be filmed so we could see our progress (or not!) at video analysis evenings.   We would stop for a quick half an hour lunch and then carry on skiing until 3pm with our coaches.  Then we would have time for freeskiing or a quick beer on the mountain!

All the coaches were brillaint. They were all really enthusiastic and so made me want to change my technique to improve and to reach the next stage in ability.  They gave the reasons why certain techniques worked to improve performance which all made sense.  They were all pretty good skiers too!!!

The course covered a whole range of things from improving basic technique of weight distribution on skis, body stance and movements etc through to improving technique on various types of slopes ie. bumps, variable snow conditions, steeps, improving various skiing skills such as short radius turns, carving, turning in powder snow and importance of effective pole planting and arm carriage.  The course also included teaching skills and practicing demostrating the snowplough through to basic parallel turns in preparation for the BASI assessment weeks.

Apart from skiing we undertook a two day first aid course (one day inside and one day putting theory into practice on the mountain with role play), a one day avalanche awareness course, we had a lecture on ski maintenance and pilates exercises to strengthen the core and to practise exercises to help the key muscles for skiing.  At the start of the courses Warren gave us warm up exercises and stretches that would be key in improving our performance on the mountain.

There was a real mix of ages, personalities and professions on the course from 16 - 52 year olds, from teachers, doctors and policemen to accountants, engineers, school and university leaders. This is the difference from other GAP courses and is another reason why I chose this course as I knew it wouldn't just be 18 year old school leavers. Everyone made an effort to get along with everyone else regardless of age group and quite often everyone would be out together in the evenings.

Instructor training included drafting lesson plans, practising consistent demonstrations suitable for teaching beginners up until basic parallel, work experience within a swiss ski school teaching children and adults, teaching in front of friends on the course (much more difficult!) and learning about safety issues on the slopes while in charge of groups. Now I have my BASI 3 qualification, I intend to experience teaching, improve my personal skiing, meet lots of great people and eventually reach my BASI 1 qualification.

Now I finally have no more A frame - yee haww!!!  I have definitely got off the skiing plateau I seemed to have been on the last 10 years which is really exciting and I am much more confident and competent skiing in variable snow conditions and off piste which was my target.

Its great to be in a resort for 9 weeks as you experience the whole range of skiing and snow conditons, although Verbier is quite big the centre of town is pretty compact which is great for a night out as you bump into people that you know all the time.  There are a good variety of bars and restaurants for all price ranges.  The accommodation was really well located and the food was amazing in the chalet.

I would definitely recommend the course for people wanting to improve there ski technique. the highlights for me on this course were getting rid of my A Frame and improving skiing on and off the piste.  The video analyis really helped to see where improvements were needed and how you really needed to exaggerate new techniques to make a real difference.

Having 9 weeks solid in a ski resort and meeting a great bunch of people was a great experience!

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