What level of snowboard instructor is teaching you and does it make a difference?
by James Streater @maverixsnow
Most people will not know the level of instructor that’s teaching them, but it can have a dramatic effect on the quality of the lesson or coaching you receive and can directly affect how quickly you progress. For most instructors in the UK they will be following the BASI level systems. There are 4 levels. Level 1 allows you to teach in a snow centre and Level 4 allows you to teach independently in say France for example.
It can be difficult to initially pickup on the level of experience and qualifications of your instructor as you’ll most likely have a very enthusiastic person who will talk lots and be on hand to help you through your every struggle without ever putting on their board.
The key differences that some will notice is the quality of the advice, process of delivery and the active participation in your personal development from the high level coaches.
When I first started teaching everything was very process driven. I had a set method developed by my trainer straight from the manual and that was it. I delivered that proven method to get people turning their board. When I started freestyle coaching in the UK their was no set method. You had to step back, break down each move and really think of ways to safely, quickly and easily help people learn, without having a 10 minute discussion.
Even now, the freestyle course content in the main works on demonstrate-able skills. That’s very important as riders need to be inspired and some need to see a move before they attempt it. But what I’ve found is most clients are not the most agile or physically gifted. They have professional jobs that are generally desk based and do not get to spend tons of time on a board. Just showing them a frontside boardslide and discussing how you do one is not really going to cut it. You have to think of the building blocks for that movement so they can achieve a solid result without risking life and limb.
Like most qualifications your training really begins after the exam. I remember being in Les Deux Alpes just after passing my Level 1 instructors. I joined a coaching session and one of the guys on the course said he thought I would be better as I was an instructor. Ouch.
This is where there is a noticeable difference between the upper and lower level coaches and instructors.
The upper level coaches will have invested years riding all types of terrain in all types of conditions all around the world. They will have worked with hundreds if not thousands of clients. Solving each of their problems. All those experiences lay down a foundation of deep understanding about how a snowboard works and how the body can be moved to effectively control a board.
A key difference with the upper level coaches is they often take a step back and think of creative ways to help riders improve outside of the manual. They’re ‘lifers’ in the trade of instructing and coaching.
Generally in the UK most of the instructing and coaching will be delivered by Level 1 riders. Typically they will have completed 5 days of training in a dome with some shadowing, first aid and child safety thrown in.
The priority for a UK snow slope is delivering lots of lessons. Its a numbers game. They want as many people through the doors as possible, boosting the bottom line. They only need the minimum safe standard, and thats a Level 1. Teaching in the UK can be very limiting and uneconomic with most instructors on a zero hours contract with an hourly wage in the region of £8.50, so those with higher level qualifications will invariably establish their own snow school abroad, as the quality of life and financial rewards are way better.
For independents who’ve chosen to stay in the UK we look to create a more unique experience and focus on innovation, quality of the product and experience for the clients. Going above and beyond.
A UK slope does not need to have a Level 4 ISTD teaching a beginner lesson, but as a rider develops beyond those first turns the rate of progression will creep to a halt as the client develops beyond the experience of the instructor. This often results in them struggling to deliver challenging lessons and drills to help move them to the next level. That is where the level change is very obvious.
When I think back to my first times coaching freestyle in the UK 10 years ago. I would struggle with group splits. To help manage the session more easily I would aim to have everybody do the same tricks. If you had people doing a lot of different tricks it would be too many inputs. Too much to remember when trying to provide feedback.
I would end up being superglued to the top of the slope watching every move and using the time they were on the lift to review the video footage so I could provide them with the right feedback. It was tough.
Its funny. I notice a lot of instructors doing the same thing now. Lots of feedback from the safety of the top of the slope. You hardly see them with their board on. Sure you do not want your coach just riding for themselves, but you need a balance between explanation and demonstration. A snowboarder is not inspiring when they never snowboard.
Does it make a difference?
I know some awesome level 1 coaches who really add a lot of value to the experience of their clients because they are truly invested in the relationship and the sport, but from my perspective after nearly 20 years of teaching I know that once you’ve got your turns sorted and want to progress further it will save you a lot of time and effort if you seek out those upper level coaches who have a much broader base of coaching experiences and have invested in their skills outside of the dome bubble.
So next time you’re shredding with a coach, rather than ask them how long they’ve been snowboarding, maybe chat about what level of instructor they are and their experiences outside of that slope. As a minimum it will spark a more interesting conversation instead of the usual X number of years.
James Streater is the head coach and owner of Maverix Snow Ltd, providing year round snowboard instruction, online coaching and personal development. He is part of a select group of professionals who hold the worlds highest snowsport qualification ISTD.
