Ski Smarts is not meant to replace ski instruction. Taking lessons should feature high on your list of priorities if you are serious about advancing quickly. It is important to have a skilled eye watching to help us determine the best route to take. Even the masters have coaches.

Choosing an instructor
You're not looking for a partner for life, but choose your instructor very carefully. Lessons are relatively expensive and you deserve your money's worth.

• Insist on a PSIA Certified Level II instructor if you are a beginner skier.
• Insist on a PSIA Certified Level III instructor if you are an intermediate, advanced or higher skier.
• Ask friends and family to recommend a good instructor who has instructed them.
• Make sure you get a great communicator. Skiing can get very technical, so you want your instructor to cut through the garbage and tell you how to ski!
• You deserve a friendly, caring instructor with only your best interests in mind. Demand this.

How to get the most out of a lesson:
In spite of the fact that ski instructors usually receive lots of training and should be able to instruct well, it is not always the case.

We suggest the following:

• Plan on taking a series of lessons instead of the one-shot go-for-broke lesson. This is very important!
• Avoid large groups, where you may find the instructor spending most of the time with the weakest skier. A private lesson with a competent instructor is worth the extra expense.
• Be truthful to yourself -- don't under- or over estimate your ability. Clearly communicate your abilities, problems, goals and fears to the instructor at the start of the lesson. The instructor should be able to discuss your situation and be able to structure the lesson specifically with your needs in mind.
• Your instructor should be able to examine your equipment (all of it) and make knowledgeable suggestions regarding your equipment. A good instructor will pick out equipment problems during the lesson and offer suggestions.
• Make sure the instructor gets to see you ski at the beginning of the lesson as well as several other times during the lesson. It should be followed with constructive comments.
• After observing you, the instructor should be able to set clear objectives for that lesson and work enthusiastically towards it. Make sure they tell you what you're working towards!
• Skiing behind an instructor will do wonders for your skiing, but usually that's not what you've paid for. A few times during a lesson are enough. Rather jump in behind an instructor when he is free skiing.
• Feel free to tell the instructor when you're standing around chatting too much. Too much stopping -- let's go!
• You should come away from the lesson with specific goals and exercises to practice later. Make sure these are communicated to you in clear layman terms.
• If you have a poor lesson, see the Ski School Director and inform them of your complaints.

Print this out for future reference and remember to have fun!

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