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Ski Coaches Skills & Tasks

GPAS Snowboarders’ Skills and Tasks

 1. Communication skills

 2. Self-awareness of limitations

 3. Awareness of students’ limitations

 4. Knowledge of Skiers' Code

 5. Balance

 6. Legs/feet position

 7. Hand/pole position

 8. Upper body position

 9. Weight distribution

 10. Rotary/Steering

 11. Edging

 12. Turning

Potential Practice Exercises

  1. Side stepping

  2. Traversing

  3. Hockey stops

  4. Skating

  5. 100 step-turns

  6. Turns with tail lift - lift tail of inside ski, keeping tip on the ground throughout the turn

  7. Cheating turns - start facing directly downhill and make half a turn

  8. Schlopy turns - downhill hand on waist, uphill hand reaching forward/down, then switch hands in the turn

  9. Varied turn shapes and sizes

Detailed Explanations of Skills/Tasks

  1. Communication skills – ability to explain, ask appropriate questions, direct activities, not ramble on

  2. Self-awareness of limitations – Does the coach know not to take on a lesson he/she cannot handle?

  3. Awareness of students’ limitations – does the coach have the foresight to recognize participant limitations and ability to say “no” if necessary

  4. Knowledge of Skiers’ Responsibility Code – Ski in control with speed and turns that are appropriate for the conditions; Stop in a safe place; People downhill/ahead have right of way; Yield to uphill traffic, etc.

  5. Balance - fore and aft, side to side, head to toe; not in back seat minimally

  6. Legs/feet position – shoulder width apart, not tight together; positioned for independent leg action; flexing and extending to absorb variations in snow

  7. Hand/pole position – holding a lunch tray; optimally with correct pole touches for timing turns

  8. Upper body position - Quiet; searation at waist; shoulders & arms open to new turn; minimally, not square over skis and no major UP movements at start of turn

  9. Weight distribution – both skis remain on the snow throughout a turn; weight on both skis with more pressure on downhill ski

  10. Rotary/Steering – feet and legs actively steering, especially the inside ski, without being forced or rushed

  11. Edging – appropriate to terrain, type of turn and speed; as a result of angles in the knees and hips, not tipping the whole body; angulation instead of inclination

  12. Turning – minimally, able to complete good wedge christies; optimally, able to complete parallel turns

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