Tipping Instructors/Coaches

[ski now work later]

I'm wondering what you folks think are appropriate tips for these situations:

1. One hour private lesson for a kid at a small hill (fee is $50)

2. Two hour group lesson at a larger resort (fee is ~ $65)

3. Two hour private lesson for an adult at Okemo or Stratton (fee is ~ $200)

4. Three hour private guide/coach at Big Sky (fee is ~$300)

Thanks!

 

[SnowHot]

I hadn't thought about tipping at all because I had never had a lesson until ESA Stowe last year. At the end of day one, we took up a collection of our group and had a designated person give it to our group coach, and I can't honestly remember what we each gave. I'm embarrassed to say that. Ugh!

I'd say $20/private one hour, but I'm out of touch with this stuff, and I'd like to know what this group thinks.

More so, I'd like to know what your S.O./husbands think. I'd bet the woman's idea is different than the mans.

 

[Jilly]

You are so right SnowHot. I taught President's week last year. The Canadian kid's mom didn't tip at all. The American lady gave me what I thought was too much (15% for a private) and her Husband not enough (5%). But I thought that as a couple it evened out. Until that I hadn't thought about tipping either. I don't make a living out of ski teaching, but those that do, don't get paid enough. So, I would like to say that 10-15% just like food service, or more if you really enjoyed the class. Also at most schools, if an instructors is requested, the instructor gets a higher rate of pay for that lesson. So if you like the instructor, request them next time.

 

[ski now work later]

More so, I'd like to know what your S.O./husbands think. I'd bet the woman's idea is different than the mans.

I plan to post the exact same set of questions on Epic after I hear from the Divas and will be happy to share the results! When taking a group clinic, I too have pooled tips, but I'm not exactly sure what's appropriate in these other situations.... Privates are SO expensive, but the coaches don't make much of that fee, so while I can't afford to throw money around, I want to reward the coach for his/her efforts, being keenly aware of how little $ ski instructors earn.

 

[Lilgeorg]

I never knew how important tips were to ski instructors until my granddaughter worked as one. The resort she worked at only paid her for the hours she taught. So that meant if she had no students, she did not get paid. She still had to be there at her assigned hours. She was lucky enough to be assigned to the children's program so she usually had students. But, she needed her tips to keep her in alive.

I would agree that 15-20% is about right and would make a huge difference to instructors if they could count on that much from most students. The truth is from a class of 5 maybe one or two would earn her tips.

 

[ski diva]

Last time I had a private lesson (and this was about 4 years ago) I think I tipped around 15 or 20%. I don't think he actually needed it -- this guy pointed out his house to me from the lift, and it was clear he had big bucks -- but he gave a great lesson and I thought he deserved it. I saw it as a "thank you" more than anything else. In my opinion, it's part of the cost of the lesson.

 

[SnowHot]

Here are two threads on epic that concentrated about this.
One from 4 years ago, and one from last year. Funny how the ideas changed over just a few years.
https://forums.epicski.com/showthread.php?t=7916

https://forums.epicski.com/showthread.php?t=35626

 

[Quiver Queen]

The minimum I'd give is $5 for an hour, and the most I've given is $50 & think that was for an all-day guide/coach for a group @ Jackson Hole.

 

[Bumblebee]

I tip up to 40% if I feel the coaching has been very good - it usually is. I've had only one instructor I've not tipped and I've audibly groaned when I've seen him walking towards our group because sadly he doesn't see his role as a "coach" more of a "look at me, aren't I good?" :( I've actually sat on the ground, cried and thrown my poles at him before in a huge tantrum! :p

The unfairness of this situation is that the people who are coaching me are usually the "top coaches" at the resort - and of course probably get more work than the lady's grandaughter (as mentioned above)...

 

[Quiver Queen]

Ya know, Lilgeorg, your granddaughter's pay situation hardly seems legal. Federal Law dictates (non-exempt, which she isn't) employees get paid at least minimum wage for the hours they are required to be on site, whether or not there is any work for them to do. Example, a toll booth operator gets paid whether or not there are any cars. If she were an independent contractor she would only get paid for the work she did, she'd also generally not be required to stay on site, but she'd have the responsibility of paying her own withholding, FICA, etc. Problem is, if the ski industry is considered argiculture due to being on forest land, etc., all the rules go out the window. Do you think that's why they didn't pay her for her hours? And is this pay system the same at all ski areas?

 

[BackCountryGirl]

Quiver Queen. My take on the way ski mountains think is that they require you only to show up for line-up. If you don't get paid, you're released, on your own, and free to go. In other words, there's no control of your time and you need not be on site. You should be (and most mountains are compliant) paid for an "appeance at line-up."

All you parents, don't forget about tipping the instructor of a season-long program lesson. The 20 percent of the total is just fine, so is 15.

 

[Lilgeorg]

QQ, I asked the same questions you raised. She was considered "full time seasonal". She was required to be at the children's center by 8:00 am and had to stay until 4 unless released by her supervisor. So I thought as you did that she had to be paid. I do understand that all the ski areas work the same way so I gave up and figured as you did that there must be laws I was not familiar with. She is in grad school this year so it is moot.

 

[Jilly]

Last season I was paid for the hours that I taught. There was no honorium for showing up at line up even. You were to be there. As I was teaching "Adult Pool", group lessons, there were 2 line ups a day, AM and PM. Each day I taught at least 1 lesson, 1 3/4 hours. Pay was just over $11.00/hour. You get more if its a private lesson and even more if requested. Now the resort did have an employee discount for meals. But you're not going to get rich teaching skiing.

 

[NannyMin]

I typically tip in the range of 15-30%.

Question: What about this situation where it is a group lesson where there is one F/T instructor and one "superstar" instructor that floats amongst several groups. Should I also tip the "superstar" instructor? I haven't in the past but then I feel guilty about it...

 

[volklgirl]

Tips for lessons are not required or expected . Certainly they're appreciated and should be commesurate with the quality of the lesson. If it was exceptional, by all means tip, and tip big. If not, a minimal tip or no tip at all IS appropriate.

I've worked as both a subcontractor....paid only per student at varying rates dependant on whether group or private, and as a "full time seasonal"....paid hourly by scheduled time. Neither will get you big $$ unless you're fully certified and an outstanding instructor. As an hourly employee, they should pay for every hour on the premises as scheduled. If not, they're inviting problems with their insurance carrier. Most resorts that pay hourly also pay either a bonus per hour or per student, or a higher rate of pay for hours actually teaching.

 

[Pequenita]

Tips for lessons are not required or expected .

Phew. It never occurred to me prior to this thread that it could be customary to tip a ski instructor for a single day-long lesson. I tip guides, though.

 

[num]

Me too, tipping for lessons never occurred to me until I saw it mentioned on epic a while back. Now that I know, I'm all for tipping an instructor, but as someone who had next to no ski exposure, I hadn't realized it was something you'd tip for.

Does the expectation/requirement of tip possibly vary by region? I've had one hour privates (in midwest) where there isn't any wrap time afterwards, and we just go down separate runs at the end. Unless they'd expect the tip to be given on the lift, it seems kind of weird that a tip would be expected but there wouldn't be an opportune setting that the instructor initiates. Perhaps they are viewed as possibly to receive in some areas, but viewed as a requirement (like for a waiter) in other areas?

 

[Quiver Queen]

Occasionally I've gone back to the lesson desk and asked for an envelope to put the money in and the instructor's name on their front, and sometimes included a note describing the day & what I learned. The desks have always been able to provide it, so I'm probably not the only one who's done it that way. A few places had individual slots for each instructor & they'd just stick the envelope in the slot, and one place had a locked box with a slot on top & they said the guy in charge would open it at the end of the day and distribute the envelopes. If someone didn't want to use an envelope the instructor's name got clipped to the cash & held for them the same way. Seemed to work fine.

 

[volklgirl]

Does the expectation/requirement of tip possibly vary by region? I've had one hour privates (in midwest) where there isn't any wrap time afterwards, and we just go down separate runs at the end. Unless they'd expect the tip to be given on the lift, it seems kind of weird that a tip would be expected but there wouldn't be an opportune setting that the instructor initiates. Perhaps they are viewed as possibly to receive in some areas, but viewed as a requirement (like for a waiter) in other areas?

Unless your lesson went over-long, the instructor should always provide a moment for wrap-up where the major points/skills/exercises are reinforced and provided in an easy-to-remember format. This is usually the best time to tip if appropriate. Even if you go back on separate runs, this should be done before you separate.

The envelope method is also completely appropriate.

 

[abc]

I got the same impression as Num. In small local areas, I've taken "group" lessons when I was in a "group of one"! It's quite often the instructor simply said "bye" and skied off...