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Learn more about Donny Kanovsky’s certifi cation journey as he pursues his Level II.
worked and what didn’t. Practice putting your fi nger on why things went well and why they didn’t. T is will help you gain better control over causes and eff ects, and will ultimately help you become a better athlete and instructor. Balance your snowsports aspirations
In the hunt for Level II certifi cation, Donny Kanovsky has learned to take stock in the feedback of evaluators and work with friends and mentors to improve.
QCome to terms with uncontrollable factors. Kevin thought he was on track for his Level II snowboard exam until thin snow closed his mountain and wiped out any opportunity to train. “If that wasn’t bad enough, the kid I was borrowing equipment from packed up his gear and took it home!” he said. As a result Kevin was left high and dry two weeks before the event. Exams are a subjective experience
who can help you relax and be yourself. Are you uneasy riding in high-pressure situations? Set yourself up for high-stakes practice, perhaps under the lift or in front of a video camera. T ankfully, most of the things we do are in our control!
Q Be accountable. “Have your friends watch you,” advised Donny. Use peers, mentors, and trainers to help gauge progress and make sure you are following through with the plans you set for yourself.
and there are human, social, and weather factors that you can’t control. “Have a backup plan,” advised Kevin. “Consider your training and preparation, your gear, your transportation, and your housing. Get your ducks in a row.”
92 | 32 DEGREES • WINTER 2016
QCreate opportunities for success. We learn best from successful experiences, not from banging our heads against the wall with overly diffi cult tasks. While you are focused on improving your skills and pushing yourself, be sure to do it in a manner that will allow regular successes along the way. “I skied the same bump run all day long, all by myself,” recounted Scott. “I fell a few times, but I got there.”
If you said you’d practice your demos but are spending all your free time in the park, then you need a reality check.
QPlan for setbacks. If you expect occasional missteps, you’ll be ready for them when they inevitably arise. Psychology professor Gabriele Oettingen suggests creating a plan that anticipates obstacles and includes strategies for what you’ll do when they occur. Kathy watched fellow instructors return from exams devastated by failing. “I had to ask myself, ‘How would I feel if I failed?’ I went in prepared for that,” she said. “In the end, I had a wonderful experience even though I didn’t pass.”
QPractice accurate attributions. Every day off ers opportunities to refl ect on what
QAdjust as necessary to maintain forward progress and motivation. Refl ect on your overall progress on a regular basis. Find a balance between focused training and relaxed free riding. Keep reminding yourself why you are working toward this goal in the fi rst place, and work with your trainers to keep on track without burning out. As necessary, adjust your strategy to
with the rest of your activities. Are you vying to clinch your Freestyle Specialist 2 in the same week that you’re defending your PhD thesis? You might want to reconsider that. Are you feeling stale in your 9-to-5 desk job? Maybe some added challenge is just what you need in life. Ideally, your snowsports goals will be in balance with the rest of your life, and vice versa. Alicia, who was grappling with a vision impairment, found herself battling depression as well. She returned to skiing, and this became an essential part of her recovery. “Being on skis and improving on skis gave me motivation to get better,” she said. Alicia attributes this well-rounded approach as vital to enhancing her health and her skiing.
tweak the specifi c skills and intensity as you hone in on your goal. Kathy recalls the feeling of knowing when she was ready to pass her exam. “Eventually I changed my attitude. I used to hope to pass and hope that I was doing it right,” she said. “But after so much training, I realized it was time for me to show them what I can do.”
COURTESY OF DONNY KANOVSKY
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