Instructor Training
Verbier – Winter 2012
GAP Year Ski Instructor Course Dates
From 7th January – 10th March 2012
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About the GAP Year Ski Instructor Course
The Academy is famous for its level of experience at training ski instructors and performance skiing athletes. Over the past 10 years, more than 500 ski instructors have benefited from coaching at the Academy. The GAP Ski Instructor course is run in association with BASI (British Association of Snowsports Instructors) and consists of nine weeks residence in the prestigious resort of Verbier, Switzerland. It takes successful students up to BASI Level 2 (Formally known as BASI 3) ski instructor level is designed to develop the following aspects of the students skiing skills:
• Personal Development for Performance Carving, Moguls, Steeps, Freeride,
• Powder, Freestyle with Warren Smith and his Academy Team
• Preparation for BASI Level 1 Ski Instructor Course
• Understanding and effective use of the BASI Central Theme
• BASI Level 1 Instructor Course – 5 Days
• BASP 2 Day First Aid Course
• Avalanche and Mountain Awareness Courses
• Ski Maintenance Training
• Sport Psychology and Science
• Ski Biomechanics and its importance with Ski Instruction
• Professional Video Filming and Analysis
• Core and Ski Specific Physical Training
• BASI Level 2 Ski Instructor Course – 10 Days
Course Fees: £7,699 (With Half Board Accommodation)
About the Ski Instructor Qualification
The qualification for the course is part of the BASI (British Association of Snowsport Instructors) ski instructor sylabis. BASI is the national governing body for ski instructing in the UK. BASI is a member of the ISIA (International Ski Instructors Association) and Eurogroup.
The BASI Level 2 qualification (formally BASI 3) will enable you to work in most ski schools in Europe. All ski schools in Verbier accept the BASI Level 2 qualification for full or part time employment opportunities.
To obtain the BASI level 2 qualification as part of the GAP program you will complete a 5 day BASI Level 1 Ski Instructor Course (week 2) and a 10 day BASI Level 2 Ski Instructor Course (week 8 and 9).
A Typical week
During the course of a typical week, you will participate in several daily activities from aspects of athletic skiing to video analysis and learning progressions of teaching.
- On Snow
Coaching will run from Sunday to Friday each week. It will start at 10am and finish at 3pm. Meeting place for the coaching sessions will be at Ruinettes lift station in the Verbier ski area. After two or three warm up runs we will work through an aerobic warm up routine that will last for about 15 minutes developing flexibility in your muscles. During the day coaching will develop your personal skiing level and focus on Carving, Steeps, Moguls, Freeskiing and All Terrain skiing. Skiers will normally work in small groups relevant to your skiing level and ability.
The coaching will pick up and identify your weaker turning direction. Nearly all skiers have a weaker turn direction, and with the Academy Biomechanics Assessment this will be identified, worked on and corrected. It is also treated as an educational insight into teaching your first clients and how to look for weaknesses and check out Left/Right side body differences.
Lunch will be from 12.30 to 1.00pm each day. After lunch, coaching will be developed further and drills that were worked on in the morning will be put into practice on specific terrain. Coaching will finish at 3pm. At this time you can free ski or head down and rest. Lifts in Verbier are open from 8.45am to 4.45pm so there is ample time to ski for yourself.
2 days a week (Monday and Thursday), video analysis will take place during the days skiing. This footage will be analysed later that evening at the chalet. A full analysis will take place on your skiing and any biomechanical issues you have with your skiing will be visually explained with a specific process of how you will change and modify your skiing.
- Off Snow
There is much for you to do after skiing. The first thing will be to run yourself through a warm down and stretch routine with the same stretching elements as the warm up routine in the morning. After that, you should (strongly recommended) make notes from the days skiing on the personal feedback you received and teaching progressions worked on. After you have completed this, you are free to do what you please and in Verbier there is no shortage of activity to keep you occupied.
The Accommodation
The accommodation for the nine weeks is with Ski Freedom who are a small and professional ski operator that have been offering ski chalet holidays in Verbier for over 16 years and are always pleased to welcome many of their guests back year upon year.
Panossiere
The Panossiere is a fantastic, newly renovated apartment in the well known Venus building, located just 80 metres from the main Medran lifts on the slopes. It is just a 2 minute walk from the nightlife, shops and restaurants and 5 minutes walk to Verbier’s centre. Guests have the added benefit of being able to ski in/out from the property as it is located on the 2nd floor of a small apartment building adjacent to the to the main blue piste that arrives in the town.
Panossiere has 1 triple, 2 twin/double bedrooms and 1 bedroom with bunks and 2 bathrooms. The cosy lounge and dining area leads out onto the large terrace and lawn overlooking Verbier and the Val de Bagnes. There is WIFI Internet throughout.
Prafleuri
The Prafleuri is in the same building as the Panossiere meaning the GAP students are all close together at the same ski in / ski out location in the enviable location at the foot of the main piste the everyone descends at the end of the day.
Prafleuri has 1 twin/double bedroom and 1 bedroom with bunks and 1 large bathroom. The cosy lounge and dining area leads out onto the large terrace overlooking Verbier and the Val de Bagnes. WIFI Internet throughout.
Breakfast will be served in the chalet each morning from 7.30 – 8.30am. The evening meal will be served between 7.30 and 8pm every night.
Video analysis will take place in the Ski Freedom chalets twice a week before dinner on a Monday and Thursday night.
On the Mountain
One of the worlds premiere off-piste and extreme skiing resorts, Verbier has it all. An attractive chalet style village nestles in a sunny, panoramic setting with over 400km of varied snow conditions, including probably the most exciting off-piste you’ll ever find.
In the La Chaux area, Televerbier prepare and maintain one of the best snowparks in Europe, with a permanent Skiercross run and a varied selection of hits, ramps, pipes and tabletops. Although there are over 400km’s of excellently groomed pistes, the off piste terrain is even more vast with another 400km’s plus of ski area.
It has over 1800m of vertical skiing descending from Mont-Fort to the resort which is why expert skiers come to Verbier to challenge themselves on the legendary steeps and off-piste Verbier has to offer. Descents include the couloirs of Le Creblet, Vallon D’Arbi, Rock Garden, Mont Gele, Mont Fort and Bec des Rosses. All of this make Verbier the ideal location for any skier who wants to develop strong technique and the necessary all mountain skills to pass Ski Instructor exams.
Payment Details
Course Fees: £7,699 (With Half Board Accommodation)
Included in the Cost of the GAP Year Ski Instructor Course
• 5 weeks Personal Ski Development and Performance Coaching with
• Warren Smith and his Academy Team
• Preparation for BASI Level 1 Instructor Course
• Understanding and Using the BASI Central Theme
• BASI Level 1 Instructor Course – 5 Days
• BASP Emergency First Aid Course – 2 Days
• Avalanche and Mountain Safety Course with UIAGM Guide
• Sport Psychology and Sports Science
• Ski Biomechanics and its importance with Ski Instruction
• Professional Video Filming and Analysis
• Core Strength Building and Ski Specific Physical Training
• BASI Level 2 Instructor Training Course – 10 Days
• 1/2 Board Accommodation for 9 weeks in the centre of Verbier
• Full Season Lift Pass (Nov to April) for Verbier and the 4 Vallees Resorts
• BASI Manuals & Course Material
• Biomechanical Assessment on Skier Symmetry and Alignment
• Off Mountain Video Analysis 2 times a week
• Ski Maintenance Training
Not Included
• Once in the resort, you will have to pay an additional 100CHF Resort Tax
• £35 for the Child Protection Module.
• If you wish to have internet set in your chalet, you will need to discuss this with the other GAP students that you are sharing and then ask Ski Freedom to have this done. This can usually be done a few days after you arrive in resort at a small seasonal charge.
Recommendation
A Strong recommendation from the Academy team would be to stay until the end of the season if you can. Your ski pass is valid until the end of the season and many of the students from last year decided to finish the ski season either working in the ski school or free skiing. Other students had booked flights back at the end of the course, and had said to us they would have preferred to stay, therefore we would strongly suggest this.
Payment
Payment for the Warren Smith Ski Academy GAP Program in Verbier will be taken in 3 separate instalments which are as follows: An initial deposit of £1000.00 will be taken upon receiving your booking form. A second instalment of £2000.00 will be taken on or before 30th October 2011 with the final payment of £4699 on 30th November 2011. All 3 instalments will be taken from the card details provided on the booking form. For any payment queries please use our contact form.
Pre-Course Assessment
All applicants will need to go through a telephone interview with Warren Smith before receiving a placement on the course. The aim of the interview is for Warren to assess your skiing standard, experience and general attitude towards the course. Contact Warren on +44 7775 500599 or his Swiss number +41 79 359 6566 to arrange a convenient telephone interview time.
