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Need help motivating young girls to ski.
- Thread starter ski diva
- Start date
Lori_K
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Duh. BOYS!!
At least that's what I remember from that age group. :p
Seriously, though. Are the girls competitive with each other? Maybe some fun "races" as they are free-skiing? Who can hold their hands out front the longest? Who can make the most turns in a given section of slope? Skiing without poles? Or have the girls watch each other and pick out things that they like about that person's skiing. We did a drill like this in a Women's ski clinic, and it was a good way to focus on positive aspects of how someone skied, rather than something they were doing wrong.
Robyn
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I would intersperse the learning more. Rather than doing x number of runs learning then free skiing do portions of runs concentrating on the new skill all through the day. And get excited with them. I coach a much younger group but I tend to be over animated with them so they want to make me proud. Last weekend I saw all the kids doing parallel turns during one segment of skiing. The stopped where they were supposed to and I skied up on the whooping and hollering and got high fives out of each of them. Kids like to please their teachers. Also, I make the kids get excited and tell their parents at the end of the day about what the learned.
SnowEssie
Certified Ski Diva
Hi there,
In an earlier reply I already saw skiing without poles. I can add to that a variation that maybe is a little bit more competitive. Both poles have to lie on underarms. See who can ski the longest without letting one or both drop. It can only be done if they hold their body up, face down the mountain and their arms forward en up. The legs have to do the real work. (Of course adults can try this too:D
In an earlier reply I already saw skiing without poles. I can add to that a variation that maybe is a little bit more competitive. Both poles have to lie on underarms. See who can ski the longest without letting one or both drop. It can only be done if they hold their body up, face down the mountain and their arms forward en up. The legs have to do the real work. (Of course adults can try this too:D
Robyn
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I thought I should clarify SnowEssie's technique as it sounds a little like you're supposed to hold the poles in your arm pits. One should hold their arms out in front of them (palm up or down works but up is a little easier) and then balance one or two poles across the forearm and balance it there as they ski. It is a fun/amusing drill and the girls will probably enjoy it. I do this for a certain section for quite a few runs during the day.
perma-grin
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Hi All,
My girls team sound like they are the same age bracket as your girls. I have had really good success from assigning team captians. For every five girls I make one of them a captian. The capt.s are responsible for making sure their squads are at the assigned meeting places, which lifts ,where at on the hill, and that everyone has their equipment for the day's training. They watch over their squads like mother hens!!!
Each Captain is responsible for her squads turn at course maintianance, slipping and filling. Give the older girls a little resposibility it can be very empowering for them. I have several core drills (like shuffles and rolly pollies) that we do every session . I find which drill each individual Capt. "own's", and she leads that one for the whole team. P.S. I assign the groups! I don't let them pick which squad they belong to. It is too easy for clicks to form at this age ! I assign different ages and abillity to the squads it discourages letting clicks form. We also do different Spirit Ribbons for our google straps for different special events. Like trying the flat box or races. And of course it is the team captians responsiblity to teach their sqad members the team chant (you do have a team chant, don't you?) Our goes like this: Ripper Girls Rule!! Boy's can only Drool!!! " cause "Ripper's " ski fast!!! 
We start and end each session with it. You'll be suprised at who comes out of their shells! I love coaching this age spread because they are young enough to be enthusiastic without worrying to much about being to cool to try new things! Good luck.! But most of all have fun!
My girls team sound like they are the same age bracket as your girls. I have had really good success from assigning team captians. For every five girls I make one of them a captian. The capt.s are responsible for making sure their squads are at the assigned meeting places, which lifts ,where at on the hill, and that everyone has their equipment for the day's training. They watch over their squads like mother hens!!!
Each Captain is responsible for her squads turn at course maintianance, slipping and filling. Give the older girls a little resposibility it can be very empowering for them. I have several core drills (like shuffles and rolly pollies) that we do every session . I find which drill each individual Capt. "own's", and she leads that one for the whole team. P.S. I assign the groups! I don't let them pick which squad they belong to. It is too easy for clicks to form at this age ! I assign different ages and abillity to the squads it discourages letting clicks form. We also do different Spirit Ribbons for our google straps for different special events. Like trying the flat box or races. And of course it is the team captians responsiblity to teach their sqad members the team chant (you do have a team chant, don't you?) Our goes like this: Ripper Girls Rule!! Boy's can only Drool!!! " cause "Ripper's " ski fast!!! We start and end each session with it. You'll be suprised at who comes out of their shells! I love coaching this age spread because they are young enough to be enthusiastic without worrying to much about being to cool to try new things! Good luck.! But most of all have fun!
SnowEssie
Certified Ski Diva
Hi Robyn,
Thanks for further explaining it. Its kind of hard to explain these things in a foreign language. And I agree, its easier palms up so there is some progress to be made as well!
Another thing which I think might be fun is for a carving lesson. They have to bend so low that with their downside hand can pick up snow from the ground. If they do it correctly the whole run, they are allowed to throw the snow at the teacher so they will want to pick up enough for sure!
Thanks for further explaining it. Its kind of hard to explain these things in a foreign language. And I agree, its easier palms up so there is some progress to be made as well!
Another thing which I think might be fun is for a carving lesson. They have to bend so low that with their downside hand can pick up snow from the ground. If they do it correctly the whole run, they are allowed to throw the snow at the teacher so they will want to pick up enough for sure!
I remember one session from a kids program - singing songs. I had the girls pick a song - I think it was Hilary Duff - they were to ski down the hill, singing the song and acting out any lines. There was something about "stop", so they had to stop. Another one was to act out as a super hero. The girls I had that day, picked GI jane. So on each turn they let their "snipper guns" go. Pick off the boys!!
I like the idea about picking up snow and throwing it at the instructor. Better than picking flowers that you can't see!
I think that this instructor also needs to teach one run, ski two. Going through drills/instruction first could be his problem later in the session. Intersperse the learning with the mileage.
I like the idea about picking up snow and throwing it at the instructor. Better than picking flowers that you can't see!
I think that this instructor also needs to teach one run, ski two. Going through drills/instruction first could be his problem later in the session. Intersperse the learning with the mileage.
lil mountain girl
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
the games and drills are a great idea . . .
also, most likely these girls can be competitive . . .
so you can make techniques into competitive games.
girls like comraderie too: i love perma-grin's suggestion of making up a "girls only team cheer" . . . maybe you could make the "secret hand shake" into a technique lesson in disguise!!!
also, most likely these girls can be competitive . . .
so you can make techniques into competitive games.
girls like comraderie too: i love perma-grin's suggestion of making up a "girls only team cheer" . . . maybe you could make the "secret hand shake" into a technique lesson in disguise!!!
