Important Dates

Ski/ Snowboard Instruction 101 Course

• Free to anyone interested in becoming a ski or snowboard instructor.

Day 1: Information & Philosophy

Sunday, November 16, 2025 | 9am–10am | Lost Valley Lodge

• Mission & Community: Understanding the “Backyard” code—acting like neighbors and taking total ownership of the guest experience.

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• The Three Pillars: Safety and Fun must be established before true Learning can occur.

   

• Instructor Conduct: Reviewing uniform standards, the “No Earbuds” policy, and the “Goggles Up” rule to maintain eye contact.

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• Employment Policies: Explaining the 5-Lesson Rule for season passes and the Reserve Clause for peak surges.

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Day 2: On-Snow Skills Assessment (Technical)

Saturday, December 6, 2025 | 8:45am–2:00pm | Sugarloaf

• Foundational Mechanics: Assessment of Level 1 and 2 movements including athletic stance and mobility.

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• Skier Evaluation: Assessing wedge speed control and the transition to matching skis in a traverse.

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• Snowboarder Evaluation: Assessing “gas pedal/brake” pressure and basic side-slipping.

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Day 3: On-Snow Skills Assessment (Tactical)

Sunday, December 7, 2025 | 8:45am–2:00pm | Sugarloaf

• Terrain Mastery: Evaluating the ability to navigate green and blue terrain using varying turn shapes and sizes.

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• Advanced Movements: Demonstrating simultaneous edge release (ski) and “vertical movement” (flexion/extension) for boards.

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• Performance Demos: Assessing “Watcher” style demos and carving skills.

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Day 4: Beginner Progression & Pedagogy

Saturday, December 13, 2025 | 8:00am–3:30pm | Lost Valley

• The Beginner Roadmap: Step-by-step training on Level 1-3 progressions, from flat-ground mobility to riding the chairlift.

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• The Teaching Cycle: Practicing the 7-Step roadmap: Introduce, Assess, Determine Goals, Present Info, Guided Practice, Check for Understanding, and Debrief.

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Day 5: Lesson Logistics & Safety

Sunday, December 14, 2025 | 8:00am–3:30pm | Lost Valley

• The “Always Teach” Mandate: Every run must have a specific instructional objective; “babysitting” and “free runs” are prohibited.

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• Chairlift Safety: Practicing the Mandatory Bar Rule and proper student communication.

   

• Incident Protocol: Training on S.P.A.D.E. (Secure, Protect, Alert, Document, Evidence) and O.A.R.S. for parent communication.

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Lost Valley Instructor Orientation

Two Meetings:  Returning Instructors / New Hire Instructors

Monday Dec 8

Re Hire Instructors Only Must Attend

• 5:30 pm

Tuesday Dec 9

New Hire Instructors Must Attend

• 5:30pm

Weekly Instructor Training Clinics

Saturday Morning Expansion Clinics

Saturday Morning Clinic Drill Library (8am–10am)

Jan 3: The CAP Model (Cognitive, Affective, Physical)

• The “Storybook” Run (Cognitive – Kids): Have students pretend they are superheroes; their skis are “laser beams” that must stay parallel to hit a target.

   

• The “Body Scan” (Affective – All): Before a steep pitch, have students rate their fear from 1–10; if it’s over 7, address the emotion before the technique.

   

• Balance Hop (Physical): While gliding, have students perform small hops to find their centered athletic stance.

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Jan 10: Teaching Styles (Command, Task, Reciprocal)

• Red Light, Green Light (Command): Use for safety and immediate stops.

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• The “Garland” Challenge (Task): Assign students to perform three “half-turns” into and out of the fall line before the next trail junction.

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• Peer Review (Reciprocal): Pair students up; one watches for “quiet upper bodies” while the other rides, then they switch.

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Jan 17: Chairlift Safety & Professionalism

• The “Bar Protocol” Mock-up: Practice the verbal cue: “We are going to lower the safety bar now; please keep your hands and poles clear”.

   

• The “Slow/Stop” Signal: Practice clear hand signals and verbal communication with the lift operator for beginner loading.

   

Jan 24: Speed Control (Managing the Arc)

• The Dimmer Switch: Skis/Boards start in a fast glide; on command, students slowly increase wedge size or edge pressure to find “medium” then “slow” speeds.

   

• Turn Shape “S” Drills: Focus on finishing the turn across the hill rather than pointing downhill to manage speed without “racing”.

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Jan 31: Level 3 Tactics (Greens & Flats)

• The “Anticipation” Glide: On green trails, identify upcoming flat sections and teach students to tuck or maintain a straight line to keep momentum.

   

• The “Falling Leaf” Race: (Snowboard) See who can move across the widest part of the hill using only side-slipping movements.

   

Feb 7: Level 4 & 5 Transitions (Parallel & Movement)

• The Hockey Stop Challenge: Practice sudden, forceful stops in both directions to ensure edge control.

   

• Pole Plant Timing: (Skiers) Use a rhythmic count—”Turn, Touch, Turn”—to coordinate pole plants with edge releases.

   

• The “Invisible Chair”: (Snowboard) Practice flexion/extension by “sitting” into the turn and “standing” to release the edge.

   

Feb 14: Guided Discovery (Real-time Feedback)

• Follow the Tracks: Students must stay exactly in the instructor’s arc; instructor provides feedback while moving (e.g., “Keep your chest facing me!”).

   

• The “Sound” Test: Have students listen to the sound of their skis/board; “scratchy” means skidding, “silent” means carving.

   

Feb 21: Advanced Terrain (Bumps & Crud)

• Line Choice Discovery: In easy bumps, have students try two different lines (the “trough” vs. the “top”) and report which felt smoother.

   

• The “Shock Absorber”: Practice riding over small natural rollers using “retraction” (pulling knees up) to keep the equipment on the snow.

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8:00am–10:00am | Revisiting Manual Topics

Lesson Shadowing: Newly hired instructors are required to shadow TWO lessons prior to being approved for teaching classes. Minimum of 1 Private Lesson Shadow (1 hr), Minimum of 1 Group or Semi Private Lesson. Must complete both before Jan 1