PHYE 111 Beginning Skiing
Home	Courses Offered
Office Hours

TERMS OFFERED

A.        There will be a meeting of all students enrolled in the ski/boarding classes TUESDAY, January 20th, 2004 at 1:00 P.M. SHIELDS RM. 118.  This is a required meeting of all students enrolled in the ski/snowboarding classes.  The class offers instruction to students for approximately $85.00 for eight sessions.  Equipment and credit fee is not included.  The $85.00 includes transportation, lift ticket, and instruction.

B.        CLASS AND GRADING

Skiing/snowboarding is a one-credit class taught four hours a day on Thursdays.  Grading is based on improvement, attendance, participation, and a written test (given after the last session of the ski class).

C.        ATTENDANCE

One absence is equal to two weeks of semester class hours; therefore, each class missed and not made-up will result in one drop in the student’s grade.

D.        ABSENCES AND MAKE-UPS

Students can make-up a class on their own time and expense.  To do so, a student must get a make-up slip before taking the lesson.  The slip must be signed by a certified ski school instructor giving the make-up lesson, have the lift ticket with your signature, and a receipt showing that you paid for the lesson.  These three things must be turned in before the end of the ski/snowboarding class.  A maximum of two classes may be missed and made-up.  Any additional missed classes will result in a drop in grade.

E.         RELEASE FORMS

The ski/snowboarding release form must be signed by you and your parents or guardians if under 21, and turned in before the Tuesday meeting.  Those 21 years of age or older must sign the form and also turn it before the Tuesday meeting.

F.         TRANSPORTATION

Buses will be used to transport the students.  The buses will leave the C.S.I. parking lot at 12:00 p.m. each Thursday.  All students must travel in college provided vehicles.  You do not have permission to use private vehicles.  Bring a lunch to eat on the way if you desire.

There will be no carry-on bags or backpacks taken on the bus.  All skis, boards and bags will be transported in the trailer.

G.        CLOTHES AND EQUIPMENT

Dress warm.  Layers and waterproof clothing, good gloves, sunglasses, something to cover your ears and sunscreen are recommended.  Make sure your bindings are adjusted properly and your equipment is in good working order. There is no time or place to change at the ski area or on the bus. All bags will be transported in the ski trailer.  All participants must be changed into ski clothing ready to ski before boarding the bus.

H.        RENTAL AND EQUIPMENT

Those students who do not purchase equipment can rent equipment at the ski area or from retailers in the area.  For those students wanting to rent equipment, check with the instructor at the Tuesday meeting.

I.          CLASSES BEGIN

The classes begin on Thursday, the first week of the spring semester.  There will be a meeting of all students enrolled in the ski/snowboarding classes on Tuesday prior to the first class, in room 118 of the Shields Building at 1:00 p.m.  This is a required meeting.

J.         ALCOHOL AND DRUGS

The use of alcohol and/or drugs by a student during the class or on the bus is strictly forbidden.  Any student violating this policy will be immediately dropped from the class.  A grade of “NC” will be given to the student.

K.        CANCELATION OF A CLASS

If class is canceled for any reason, signs will be posted in the Shields and Taylor Building after 10:30 a.m. the day of the class.

(Back to top)

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

A.        Introduction to equipment and safety skills

Objectives

1.)        Boots proper fit
2.)        Skis length and function
3.)        Bindings styles and importance
4.)        Poles length and purpose
5.)        Ski safety and etiquette
6.)        Exercises to prepare for ski season

B.         Beginning ski techniques

Objectives

1.)        Walking and gliding
2.)        Balance on skis, knee, head, and arm position, proper pole position.
3.)        Coordinating sliding and walking with pole plant.
4.)        Perform side step and coordinate movement with pole plant.
5.)                Introduce techniques of getting up after falls.
6.)                Gradually increase the incline to develop skills.
7.)        Use various, drills and exercise to develop technique and coordination.

C.         Wedge and stopping skills fro the wedge

Objective

1.)        Wedge position
2.)        Ski pole position
3.)        Body position
4.)        Balance
5.)        Straight running wedge
6.)        Wedge braking techniques
7.)        Introduce the principle phases of the wedge turn
8.)        Discuss proper angulation
9.)        Weighting the ski through the turn
10.)      Introduce traversing

D.        Wedge turns to stem christie turns

Objective

1.)        Wedge turns to one side then linked together
2.)        Develop balance and control
3.)        Starting from a traverse to a stem turn
4.)        Wedge turn then linked together to traverse
5.)        Stem Christie linked together
6.)        Pole plant

(Back to top)

I.          Outcomes - Equipment and Safety

1.)        Understand the importance of lateral stiffness in boot for good control of skies.
2.)        Understand the importance of consulting a reputable ski equipment retailer to assure proper fit and appropriate boots for skiing ability.
3.)        Understand the ski length is determined by several factors: individual height, weight, ability, aggressiveness, and attitude (determination to improve).
4.)        Importance of renting or demo skis prior to purchasing.
5.)        Understand the procedure to determine proper pole length.
6.)        Understand the benefits of using direct release bindings that are properly mounted and tested for proper mounted and tested for proper release in accordance with manufacturer’s specifications.
7.)        Understand the importance of proper maintenance of equipment and its continued care.
8.)        Understand and comply with the following:

a.)        Trail markings and warnings.
b.)        Clothing needed for comfort and adequate for warmth.
c.)        Skiing with safety in mind.
d.)        Ski area rules and requirements.
e.)        Skier’s responsibility code.

(Back to top)

II.         Performance outcomes - Beginning techniques

1.)        Understand, perform and practice a coordinated walking motion on flat terrain then add pole plant with walking.
2.)        Be able to side step on a flat surface and progress to a moderate incline.
3.)        Develop the skills and confidence to point the skis down a slight incline and gliding to a stop and progress to a moderate incline and be able to proper the glides with proper balance, knee flex arm position and pole position from the glide.
4.)        Understand that good stance and balance is developed by relaxing the muscles which allows for more efficiency.
5.)        Perform the skills needed to recover from a fall and getting backup on the skis from different terrain.
6.)        Understand the ways to fall which will decrease the chances of injury.
7.)        Practice various exercises to develop balance, proper body position, relaxation and confidence.
8.)        Understand the proper method of loading and unloading on the lifts.

III.       Wedge and stopping skills from a wedge

1.)        Be able to perform the wedge breading technique fro a basic gliding wedge and widening the V position to slow their speed and coming to a stop.
2.)        Be able to perform the wedge breading technique fro a basic gliding wedge and widening the V position to slow their speed and coming to a stop.
3.)        Practice various exercise and skills on varying terrain to develop balance fluid by and upper body movement, confidence, and control.
4.)        Practice and perform the skills needed in the gliding wedge turn.

a.)                Edging
b.)                Pressure
c.)                Balance

5.)        Develop the principle phases of the turn

a.)        Preparation - stance
b.)        Initiation - angulation
c.)        Controlling - pressure
d.)        Finish - balance

6.)        Use various exercises to develop the skills and phases of the turn.
7.)        Use various drills to improve angulation, weighting the ski through the turn, develop balance through the turn, and is the finish phase.
8.)        Develop the balance, angulation, and edge control by traversing across the hill.
9.)        Perform and demonstrate the following while traversing across the hill:

a.)        Skis parallel and slightly apart weight over the balls of the feet with two thirds of the weight on the lower ski and one third of the upper ski.
b.)        Ankles and knees rolled into the hill, uphill side edges of the skis bite into the snow without skipping.
c.)        The upper body bends slightly downhill but essentially square over the skies.
d.)        The steeper the hill the greater the angulation. Use lead into the all edge christie and stem christie turns.
e.)        Traverse with side slip reduce the edge by standing tall (let edge skip slightly down hill) increase edge by angulation by moving knee and hip into the hill and repeat several times.

(Back to top)

IV.       Wedge turn to stem christie turns

1.)        Gliding wedge on gentle slop

a.)        balance on the whole foot ready to work the whole ski.
b.)        body square to the ski (facing downhill)
c.)        fluid body position and relaxed.
d.)        relaxed pole and hand position

2.)        beginning turn - pressure control on turning ski

a.)        the outside ski (uphill) is dominant.
b.)        the weight transfer to dominant ski
c.)        the more pressure on the outside ski the faster the turn.
d.)        work the whole ski  (pressure and edging) to develop the turn
e.)        guiding the outside ski onto the inside edge.
f.)         good leg and body angulation
g.)                unweighting passive ski (inside ski)
h.)                minimize the amount of skid on a given turn radius.
i.)         transfer the weight back to the center balance weight both skis equally
j.)         prepare for next turn
k.)        use various exercises to develop dynamic balance, relaxation control, and fluid motion in the turn both directions.
l.)         Link several turns together.

3.)        Wedge turns to a traverse gliding

a.)        Gliding wedge stance and good balance lets not locked fluid and relaxed.
b.)        Perform wedge turn as the turn finishes the uphill ski slides parallel to downhill ski with wide parallel stance.
c.)        Develop and perform the turn to both sides.
d.)        Use various exercises to develop the preparation, initiation, control and finish phases of the turn.

4.)        Traverse to a stem christie turn

a.)                Traverse the hill good balance, angulation, weighting on skis, relaxed.
b.)                Skier stems the uphill ski into a hall wedge (V) position.
c.)        Weight transfers to stemad ski
d.)        The body ungulates over the ski initiating the turning motion
e.)        Unweighting the downhill ski to initiate to turn.
f.)         Finish the turn by sliding the skis together to a wide parallel position
g.)        Perform the turn in both directions
h.)        Improper turns usually result from insufficient weight transfer to the uphill ski at the start of the turn.
i.)         Perform several turns link together
j.)         Use various exercises to develop the preparation initiation, control, and finish phases of the turn and develop proper edge control angulation and pole plant.

(Back to top)