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On Coaching and Instructing Women

ski diva

Administrator
Staff member
Great video! I was glad to hear them pretty much all agree: It's not about gender. Instead, it's about treating women as individuals and developing a rapport with them as a person.

So what about women's clinics? Are they relevant? According to the people interviewed, yes. It's about what women bring when they come together. Social tendencies are different -- women are more supportive, for example, so their interactions are different.

What do you think?
 

VickiK

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I would do a women's clinic sooner than a co-ed one. Why, maybe has more to do with me than with instruction. The likely reality is that either one would be beneficial to me.
 

Mistletoes

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Hmm, never done a co-ed clinic but loved the women's clinic I was part of last season. I never felt that I was in over my head to keep up with the group but definitely pushed out of my comfort zone.

I most identified with the equipment/gear question posed at the end of the video. I wanted/still want new skis sooo bad but knew I needed a proper boot fitting first.

My fellow Ski Divas here really drove that point home: Marry your boots, date your skis :smile:
 

nopoleskier

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I agree, women only groups are more supportive, we tend to discuss more, we share our thoughts and help each other more than in a co-ed class. Women's clinics are a lot of fun.

Men students when with women I've seen them attempt to muscle their way thru a drill and women will get it and finesse the same drill and learn the skill. Men tend to get antsy or sadly PO'd when the women are doing better than they are, that can be very interesting.

Personally I'd rather have a woman's instructor or a recommendation if a guy. Via PSIA I've been w/some pretty big ego men instructors who I thought were awful.

If any ladies have a worthless lesson please go back to the ski school and Request a New Lesson with a Woman and you can ask for a woman from the start too.
 

vickie

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I enjoy and kind of prefer women's clinics. What I don't like is when they are taught exclusively by women.

I look for that group-ness that women bring to the experience. That is independent of the gender of the instructor.
 

Christy

Angel Diva
I've done coed lesson groups and they were fine, but I've never had that rapport with the male members that I've developed when I've done women's groups or clinics. Just on a basic social level, it seems like the women were always happy to chat, get to know you, comment on your skiing, etc. and the men just weren't interested in that.
 

badger

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
The two worst clinics --for women only-- I have participated in, were the two most irritating I have ever attended. :confused: But then again, I imagine that these instances are more rare than common? The women were competitive and cliquey.

When I have gone to clinics with men skiing in the group I found them to be quite supportive.

When I play Pickleball with women only, I find that they are accommodating, generous, insightful and truly enjoy being together; regardless of skill level.
 
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tinymoose

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I think, maybe as a rule of thumb, maybe women are more supportive of one another in a clinic setting, but I have to say... our co-ed race clinic is the nicest, most supportive group of people, and there's only a couple women in the group so it's largely men. Granted it's one of the few co-ed clinics I've ever done outside of private group lessons with friends or my husband, but I really couldn't ask for a nicer group of people. It's not competitive at all and people will go out of their way to point out when you've done something well or made improvements.
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
The women were competitive and cliquey.
The local women who joined our Taos Women's Ski Week group in 2018 had had a poor experience the season before because there was a clique of locals who knew each other. It was the top group in terms of ability. So we put herself in the next lower group. But got a little bored. As it turned out, our group had good chemistry. Which was a little surprising given that it was a bunch of advanced/experts who had to spend the entire week on groomers because there wasn't any black terrain open due to low snow conditions.

I've done both women only and co-ed. Can go either way, but tend to prefer co-ed. But I was a tomboy from the start and the ski buddies who I ski with most often are men.
 

contesstant

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I wish that I could take a women's clinic that was taught by women AND men. I want the best instructors available, regardless of gender.

What fun we had at Diva west when it was at Snowbasin and we had two men, examiners, who were our instructors. Two of the best in all of intermountain west, not just at Snowbasin. PHENOMENAL experience.
 

Mary Brosnan

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I absolutely love her videos and she seems like an incredible teacher. I am a big fan of women's clinics because I rarely get a chance to ski with other women and I like the camaraderie.
 

MissySki

Angel Diva
I wish that I could take a women's clinic that was taught by women AND men. I want the best instructors available, regardless of gender.

What fun we had at Diva west when it was at Snowbasin and we had two men, examiners, who were our instructors. Two of the best in all of intermountain west, not just at Snowbasin. PHENOMENAL experience.

That was an awesome clinic!
 

santacruz skier

Angel Diva
The local women who joined our Taos Women's Ski Week group in 2018 had had a poor experience the season before because there was a clique of locals who knew each other. It was the top group in terms of ability. So we put herself in the next lower group. But got a little bored. As it turned out, our group had good chemistry. Which was a little surprising given that it was a bunch of advanced/experts who had to spend the entire week on groomers because there wasn't any black terrain open due to low snow conditions.

I've done both women only and co-ed. Can go either way, but tend to prefer co-ed. But I was a tomboy from the start and the ski buddies who I ski with most often are men.
That was an awesome ski week. Guess we lucked out as I felt very comfortable with the group and the Level 3 instructor. It was a very positive experience.
 

newboots

Angel Diva
I went to a women's clinic last year at Suicide Six. There were a series of problems (not @SallyCat 's fault!) including a significant shortage of female instructors. My group was placed with a male, and I was extremely impressed. Very helpful, really good, intuitive, fun instruction.
 

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