Alpine Team member Geoff Krill plays in the pow at Cerro Castor Resort.


performance. I like the notion that bodily movements are abilities; it implies a rawer, undeveloped range of possibilities. Marie Cat, representing the Canadian Association of


Nordic Ski Instructors, explained that the focus on abilities was a step back from talking more specifi cally about the skills. She outlined these four movements for nordic skiing: 1. Centered and mobile 2. Lower body leads the turning eff ort 3. T e skier’s weight remains steadily balanced against the edges of both skis


4. Rhythm and momentum –Scott McGee, PSIA Nordic Team Coach


CROATIA


Pathway to Simplicity Like instructors in


the U.S. and around the world, the Croatians are learning that a simplistic approach to teaching is the way to go. Simple instructions and guided-discovery practices, along with terrain-based learning are having higher rates of success amongst students.


youtu.be/9y8p4wAz_PM


Top Takeaway: T is was good reminder for me as an adaptive instructor that not everything needs to be explained in great detail because of adaptive equipment, disabilities, etc. However, it is important to look at the desired outcome and explain what needs to be tipped, twisted, or bent to achieve the goal.


– Geoff Krill, PSIA-AASI Adaptive Team


Don’t Over-Teach In skiing with the Croatians, I noticed our techniques


diff er but our approach to teaching is similar. T ey try not to get in the way of the learner, providing situations that are conducive


38 | 32 DEGREES • WINTER 2016


Top Takeaway: Croatia’s goal is to share simplicity in how skill development and choosing the correct terrain can streamline the pathway to advancements. My teammates and I found it refreshing that other countries shared a similar philosophy. – Heidi Ettlinger, PSIA Alpine Team


to learning without over-teaching. T ey say, “80 to 90 percent of new skiers will fi gure out on their own that they direct pressure to the outside ski,” so they don’t bother mentioning that to students except those who don’t pick it up on their own. Technically, the Croatians speak of a diff erence between


skis being “tipped” and the skis being “engaged.” A ski can be tipped on edge, but not engaged. As an example, from their version of our “open stance parallel” turn, the skis are both tipped onto the new edge very early in the turn, but don’t engage (grip, bend,) until late in the arc – the higher the performance, the earlier the engagement.


Top Takeaway: American instructors can over-complicate lessons with too much information. It’s better to provide students with experiences that will facilitate learning. Also, we often hear instructors talking about seeking “earlier edge angles.” As a mindset, it works for me to seek “earlier edge engagement.” I try to engage in my equipment to use the ski as a tool to aff ect the arc, versus just as a vehicle to ride on. – Matt Boyd, PSIA Alpine Team


Keep it Simple T e Croatian Team presented on the importance matching the easiest terrain to new skiers so that their initial experience is not polluted by compensating for terrain that is above their skill level. T ey emphasized introducing simple steps as a foundation for blending in advanced skills as the terrain gets more challenging. T ey reiterated to keep instructions simple; introducing basic elements of maintaining ankle fl exion and contact with the front of the boot, patience when guiding the ski tips into the fall line, and engagement or release of the edges.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124  |  Page 125  |  Page 126  |  Page 127  |  Page 128  |  Page 129  |  Page 130  |  Page 131  |  Page 132