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May, 2025

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Coaching: Do's, Don'ts, and any general advice.

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GayWolf420
Posts: 38105 - Karma: 129,826
Very interested in helping out the local freeride team this winter (Park City United if anyone on here is familiar or is a coach as well.) Figured it would be a decent way to spend Saturdays while getting kids stoked on skiing and getting a free pass.

Anyways, besides the obvious stresses of dealing with children especially younger ones, I was just wondering if there was any advice current or former coaches (even instructors, too) could bestow onto someone like me who is very interested in helping out with getting little kids stoked on skiing. I am a fairly decent skier so im not worried about my ability, confident enough to teach kids the basics (how to pop, slide rails, basic shit like three's, five's, etc.), but was just wondering what are some of the Do's, Don'ts and any sort of general advice that would be beneficial to a greenhorn coach like myself. Not really focused on getting little 5 year olds hucking meat, just want to get them stoked on skiing and teach them a real emphasis of having fun and whatnot.


Thanks, NS family.
10 years ago
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.Roockley.
Posts: 3872 - Karma: 4,146
if you're teaching younger kids don't worry so much about progression, keep it based on fun and play games (you can incorporate skills into them). if the kids get bored they wont want to ski anymore
10 years ago
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Swandog7
Posts: 4957 - Karma: 9,033
I recommend playing games. Play like follow the leader so they copy you and will work on stuff. Also incorporate like funny stuff into it. Depending on how young, maybe say slide this box while making a funny noise or something.
10 years ago
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jdfreeski2
Posts: 210 - Karma: 439
Let them do what feature they want just teach them how first.
10 years ago
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J-C
Posts: 1138 - Karma: 3,683
Try to adjust the level of the lesson for every kid. Some will want to try everything while others will be more conservative. Same goes for progression, some kid will learn super fast while others will have more trouble. SO keep that in mind while planning your lesson. I also like to use my phone to film the kid and show them what they did wrong because they can see it rather then you trying to explain it to them. Other then that good luck man, it's extremely fun and rewarding when your kids learn something new and are stoked about it.
10 years ago
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kalle.
Posts: 771 - Karma: 4,932
don't make it a cheap way to ski yourself. you need to be all in and have fun with the kids, those kids will notice if your not passionate about doing it.
as a coach, i love to see the kids get stoked on just skiing, even more than i am.
10 years ago
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Rice
Posts: 311 - Karma: 2,230
I'm not a coach but if you show them how to do the trick by actually doing it, it helps a lot

also, have it so that if they land it, you'll do a trick i.e. they learn their first 3, you do a cork 7. It makes the skiing fun and progressive..
10 years ago
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GayWolf420
Posts: 38105 - Karma: 129,826
jdfreeski2Let them do what feature they want just teach them how first.


kalle.don't make it a cheap way to ski yourself. you need to be all in and have fun with the kids, those kids will notice if your not passionate about doing it.
as a coach, i love to see the kids get stoked on just skiing, even more than i am.


Good advice in here, thanks. If I do get the gig, my main two focuses will be fun and freedom. Letting the kids ski what they want but also being there to show them how to, and also making sure they're having fun.
10 years ago
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GayWolf420
Posts: 38105 - Karma: 129,826
Kim_Jong-IllestTry to adjust the level of the lesson for every kid. Some will want to try everything while others will be more conservative. Same goes for progression, some kid will learn super fast while others will have more trouble. SO keep that in mind while planning your lesson. I also like to use my phone to film the kid and show them what they did wrong because they can see it rather then you trying to explain it to them. Other then that good luck man, it's extremely fun and rewarding when your kids learn something new and are stoked about it.

This is good stuff, as well. Progression will obviously come at one point in time but I just want the kids to have a good day of skiing and have a blast, really.

Anything else that is important? I would also love to take kids upper mtn and ski some real terrain instead of park. Do any of you folks do that as well?
10 years ago
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SofaKingSick
Posts: 9741 - Karma: 65,767
my advice would be to go back to the basics with your own skiing

ill assume youre pretty sick, and when youre good you can afford to get sloppy. your muscle memory keeps your shins pressed into your boot tongues, the right muscles flexed, etc, but a kid following and emulating you might just see a guy standing sort of straight up and relaxed. so id suggest being more conscious of having that 4 point stance a little more obviously than you would normally

my 2 cents
10 years ago
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Daski
Posts: 659 - Karma: 2,395
I haven't coached a lot, but I do tutor, and that is similar in the aspect of needing to keep things fun. Kids don't want to learn from a boring person with no passion. Kids retain more, learn more, and want to do whatever they're doing more if it is enjoyable. Just be a fun, talkative person. Play games, be funny, and show them how much fun skiing is!
10 years ago
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kalle.
Posts: 771 - Karma: 4,932
DeebieSkeebiesGood advice in here, thanks. If I do get the gig, my main two focuses will be fun and freedom. Letting the kids ski what they want but also being there to show them how to, and also making sure they're having fun.


that's a good quide line, but don't give the kids too much freedom, it will be a chaos believe me. maybe a few free runs down the park and meeting at the bottom of the lift during the "training session" is a good thing! and if you see the kids in your free time skiing, go for a few laps with them, they will love to ski with the guy they look up to.
10 years ago
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yalice
Posts: 29 - Karma: 425
I work as a ski instructor back home in Switzerland and mainly work coaching the local Freeride club which I guess could be quite the same (kids are from 8 to 17yo separate in different level groups)
Maybe I can give you a few advices
If it's a free ride group you might want to tell them about the mountain and conditions and what are the basic safety informations they need to know (snowpack, terrain etc).
also kids like to have some responsibilities it's good if you let them occasionally for ex drop a little cliff first or drop in a couloir first. Don't be afraid to push them a little sometimes (of course without putting them in danger).
Another good thing would be to do some technique once in a while, make it fun, kids will understand thez can't ski powder if totally back seated.
It's good for them to try every terrain: some days in the pow others in the park or just cruising and finding fun features around the resort
And as the others said most important is to show kids how passionate you are they'll have fun and love your class haha
10 years ago
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