Skilful Versatility

A Framework To Move NZSIA Forward Into The Future Of Snowsports

The NZSIA Alpine Interski Team in Bulgaria 2019 will be made up of seven team members; Sarah Walls, Harry McFadden, Colin Tanner, Josh Duncan-Smith, Dan Bogues, Yusuke Inoue and Jon Gass.

In this On Snow Session – the presenters and demonstrators will take you through the framework that the NZSIA has developed to create skilful versatility in our instructors and in the students that those instructors teach.

It is through this Skilful Versatility that we believe the future of snowsports will be strengthened.

Structure with Versatility – NZSIA On Snow Workshop

Feb 23, 2019

Relevant Resources

This Webpage is designed to back up the on snow workshop presented by the NZSIA in Pamporovo. The info below follows the content of the On Snow Workshop.

Feel free to be fully involved in the Workshop if you are present.

You will be able to refer back and share all the information.

We have added further reference material – like videos and further written explanations to the examples given on snow.

NZSIA On Snow Workshop – Interski 2019, Pamporovo, Bulgaria

In This Presentation we are going to -

  • Look at how Skillful Versatility will allow us to move our instructors and our instructor’s guests into a successful future in snowsports.
  • Look at how we are skiing and coaching within the NZSIA, to create consistency, and skillful versatility, that can then go around the globe.
  • How through a clear technical framework we are developing consistent and skilful versatility for instructor and students.
  • To understand us we need to consider the NZ Mountains and Ski Areas.
  • Show you how we develop our technical material to give structure in any situation.
  • Look at the importance of understanding the forces of skiing, and the need to control the relationship between the Centre of Gravity (CoG) and the Base of Suport (BoS)

Because of Our conditions we need to –

Adapt – e.g. we have to be adaptable because every ski area is different, and the same “teaching progression” might not work as well at each resort.

Be Skill/Output Based – e.g. the snow will change from day to day, so we need to focus on skills to get down rather than manoeuvres.

Be Skill-based with Achievement – e.g. we might only have students for 2hrs, so in that limited time frame we need to create a sense of achievement that will keep them coming back.

Connect with All Ranges of Skiing and Ages – e.g. control of CoG applies to Freeski as much as performance skiing

Some Constants That We Believe

Forces in our philosophy – right from the start of our teaching we incorporate the idea that there are “forces” and you can call these what you will, but a skilful skier needs to learn to balance/use these forces.

Skills Run Bottom to Top – the skills we encourage are from beginner to ISIA Level 3 Instructor, including FUNdamentals (this is our nationwide kid’s framework)

Control of CoG Essential – Centre of Mass, or Centre of Gravity, you decide what to call it, but it is important that it’s path is controlled.

Relationship between CoG and BoS – this is essential to create flowing skillful performances.

3 phase turn – initiation, control, completion or build, work, release or initiation, shaping, finishing or 1st, 2nd, 3rd or start, middle, end.

Movement Descriptors – some people might know this as DIRRT – it refers to the Duration, Intensity, Rate, Range and Timing of any particular movement.

New Zealand Mountains

The New Zealand Mountains

  • All the ski areas are on the side of a hill, there is no valley floor.
  • We can have limited Teaching Terrain.
  • The weather is very variable, no matter where you are in NZ you are only 120kms from the sea.
  • The are no trees above the snow line.
  • Changeable snow from top to bottom of the ski areas.
  • Most people live down the valley and drive up daily, although there are lots of club huts.
  • We have commercial ski areas and club fields.
  • Not all students come for a full 6 days of skiing at the same resort (some do) but lots of people try different mountains each day or have a day off to go bungy jumping etc.
  • So the time frame we have with students can be limited – maybe just 2hrs.

Saying all that things are booming… check out the notes of our indoor presentation Aotearoa a International Snowsports Destination

New Zealand Mountains

“It is easier to change our Manual than it is to change the laws of physics!”

Completion - Release - Finishing - 3rd - End

Skills

  • Control release of pressure
  • Connection to the new outside ski
  • Maintain separation

Outcome

  • Control of CoG (over BoS) – we believe controlling the exit angle and height of the COG will allow us to facilitate a disciplined transition between turns, while also allowing us to set up early for the next turn.

How these skills are applied will depend on the situation; the terrain, the snow, the skis, the speed of the skier etc.

Skills such as “Connection to the new outside ski” we are discussing this during the on snow workshop in the completion phase because we are looking at performance skiing, but if a student is only just learning to ski, this same skill will need to be done in a different phase of the turn.
e.g. in a wedge turn the connection to the outside ski might only be in the control phase.

In order to develop these skills, we teach and we develop performance and understanding, through many different teaching tools.
We also encourage skill development through what we call – skill drills.

Below are a few examples of skills drills that we might use in high end performance skiing.

THESE DRILLS ARE NOT THE ONLY DRILLS WE USE THESE ARE ONLY A FEW EXAMPLES.

Example Skills Drills – for the skills being discussed in the Completion Phase of the turn.

As you watch the video there are descriptions of Ski and Body Performance in the video.

Edge Change with Flexion

Edge Release

Javelin

Now that we have set up well in the completion of the turn…

Initiation - Build - Initiation - 1st - Start

Skills

  • To create a platform/grip
  • Leg activity
  • Complete weight shift process
  • Fore-aft move with ski CoG control

Outcome

  • Control of CoG (over BoS) – we believe that this will allow a platform to be created which will allow a skillful skier to work with the forces.

A review of the classic CoG over BoS diagram was required.
We need to make sure that the path of the CoG is controlled in such a way that the skier has the ability and the time to create a platform, and this will allow them to move inside to balance with the forces.

How these skills are applied will depend on the situation; the terrain, the snow, the skis, the speed of the skier etc.

In order to develop these skills, we teach and we develop performance and understanding, through many different teaching skills.
We also encourage our skill development through skill drills.

Below are a few examples of skills drills that we might use in high end performance skiing.

THESE DRILLS ARE NOT THE ONLY DRILLS WE USE THESE ARE ONLY A FEW EXAMPLES.

Example Skills Drills

As you watch the video there are descriptions of Ski and Body Performance in the video.

Outside Ski Turn

Railroad

Stork turn

Now that we have a platform…

Control - Work - Shaping - 2nd - Middle

Skills

  • To move laterally according to the forces
  • Move CoG inside the arc to balance the forces
  • Use angulation/upper body

Outcome

  • Control of CoG (over BoS) – we believe will get emphatic direction change

How these skills are applied will depend on the situation; the terrain, the snow, the skis, the speed of the skier etc.

We don’t ecourage students to just “throw” themselves “inside”. The movement of the CoG inside is a skill that must be develop with a good understanding and feel for balancing with the forces of skiing.

Inorder to develop these skills, we teach and we develop performance and understanding, through many different teaching skills.
We also incourage our skill development through skill drills.

Below are a few examples of skills drills that we might use in high end performance skiing.

THESE DRILLS ARE NOT THE ONLY DRILLS WE USE THESE ARE ONLY A FEW EXAMPLES.

Example Skills Drills

As you watch the video there are descriptions of Ski and Body Performance in the video.

Crabrigger

Outrigger

Sit Down Hockey Stop

Skilfull Versatility Bottom to Top and FUNdamentals

All of the above skills and how to apply them to the phases of the turn can be utilised not on in high performance skiing but also all the way through our Teaching Progression.

From a Wedge Turns, Wedge Parallel Turns and Basic Parallel Turns.

The framework of skills is built into and included in the NZSIA Fundamentals.

Fundamentals is a nationwide program that is adopted by Snowsports Schools through out NZ. There is an underlying skills framework that is then adopted into resort specific branded Kids Material.
No matter what the colour or the branding of the kids awards and certificates is – there will will be a common skills based progression that is easy for all instructor to follow.

Find Out More About FUNdamentals

Summary & Take Aways

  • NZSIA Framework with clarity of Tech Info
  • Understanding of Forces
  • CoG and BoS relationship
  • Skills – all situations
  • Bottom to Top
  • FUNdamentals