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Find your Childs Ski Level
We know how important it is to find the perfect ski lesson for your children based on their abilities. You can find your children’s ski level with our handy guide and videos to help you select the right lesson.
The quick descriptions should point you in the right direction but for more details check out our handy videos and detailed guides that will give more details on exactly how much experience is needed and what your child will learn in each course.
Whippersnappers
(4-5yrs)
This is my first time or I’m still skiing on nursery slopes and learning to snowplough turn.
Wallabies
(6-12yrs)
This is my first time or I’m still skiing on nursery slopes and learning to snowplough turn.
Arrows
(6-12yrs)
I can already take lifts (drag/chair) and ski green runs doing good plough turns.
Bombers
(6-13yrs)
I can happily bomb down blue runs but my skis aren’t always parallel.
Rockets
(8-14yrs)
I can already ski parallel turns down red slopes
Freeride
(10-14yrs)
I am a strong parallel skier that can ski on all pistes without any trouble.
Pro Rider
(10-17yrs)
I’m happy skiing everywhere parallel, and in varying conditions on or off-piste, steep or bumpy.
Whippersnappers (4-5 years)
Designed for young skiers ready to make their first turns on skis. Our Whippersnappers Childrens Ski Group is the first step on the journey to becoming an all-mountain skier.
These ski lessons are shorter than lessons for older children to help our ski instructors effectively manage energy levels. The focus is on fun and getting used to the environment and the equipment.
It is perfectly normal for younger students to repeat Whippersnappers.
How much Experience is needed to join the Whippersnappers?
No prior experience is required to join this group, however, some students may have had a little experience but have not yet got a grip on the basics such as stopping or speed control.
What will students learn?
These groups are designed to help your child feel confident and comfortable on the snow in their ski equipment. We will cover the basics of stopping, how to change direction and use ski lifts. We focus on safety and fun to make sure your children have a positive first experience of ski school.
What are the awards for Whippersnappers
Whippersnappers students will either be awarded their Penguin or Polar Bear badge depending on how many of the skills in their ski passport they master.
Achieving their first star means they are ready to move up to the Arrows group.
Our recommendations for you:
Wallabies (6-12 years)
Designed for children joining Ski School for their first time or who have had a short introductory session on a dry slope or in a snowdome. These ski lessons are longer than the whippersnapper’s group lessons as the older age bracket makes it far easier to manage energy levels.
How much Experience is needed to join the Wallabies?
No prior experience is required to join this group, however, some students may have had a little experience but have not yet got a grip on the basics such as stopping or speed control.
What will students learn?
These groups are designed to help your child feel confident and comfortable on the snow in their ski equipment. We will cover the basics of stopping, how to change direction and use ski lifts. At the end of the week, students should be able to ski green slopes and may have attempted a blue.
What are the award for Wallabies
Wallabies students will either be awarded their Polar Bear badge or their First Star depending on how many of the skills in their ski passport they master.
Achieving their first star means they are ready to move up to the Arrows group.
Our recommendations for you:
Arrows
(6-12 years)
Most Arrows have already skied for a week possibly two. They have the basics covered and are ready to explore more of the mountain. It is completely normal for them to be a bit shaky on the first morning but they can already ski green runs and it won’t take them long to get going.
How much Experience is needed to join the arrows?
In order to join our Arrows Group children should already be confidently performing all of the following skills.
- Skiing in a straight line with skis parallel and coming to a stop using a snow plough.
- Controlling their speed when following their instructor in a line, on gentle slopes.
- Making snow plough turns around a series of cones on a gentle slope.
- Stopping safely in their group.
- Putting their skis on and taking them off independently.
- Carrying their own skis
- Getting up on their own after falling
- Sidestepping up a hill
- Using Ski Lifts, either drag or chair lifts.
What will students learn?
Children will learn to bring their skis parallel towards the end of turns. Begin to develop confidence on blue runs, practise one-foot drills, and start to explore the snowparks. Looking at small jumps and boxes.
The Awards for Arrows:
Arrows students will either be awarded their 2nd or 3rd Star depending on how many of the skills in their ski passport they master.
Achieving their 3rd star means they are ready to move up to the Bombers group.
Our recommendations for you:
Bombers (6-13 yrs)
Our Bombers group spend their time bombing around the mountain. Working towards perfecting their parallel skiing and exploring their skills on bumps, rollers and small jumps. Bombers are already comfortable on easy blue slopes and will have started to ski parallel.
It is not uncommon for students to remain in the bombers group lessons for two seasons as they master the skills before heading into the Rockets Group.
How much experience is needed to join the bombers?
In order to join our Bombers Group children should already be confidently performing all of the following skills.
- To ski confidently on blue runs in control linking turns while following their instructor
- To have parallel skis at the end of the turn, on a blue run
- To lift their inside ski for 3 seconds while traversing across the slope, on a blue run.
- Carry and understand the basic use of their ski poles:
- To do a Box Slide in the park
- To Ski backwards in a snowplough
- To Link bunny hops when Traversing
- To Confidently land a series of small jumps in a row
What will students learn?
It’s time to leave snowplough turns behind. In the bombers group, students will work on perfecting the parallel turn. They will start to build their confidence on red slopes, explore varied snow conditions and have a go at things like skier cross and Moguls. We also start to look more closely at safety.
The awards for Bombers:
Bombers students will either be awarded their 4th or 5th Star depending on how many of the skills in their ski passport they master.
Achieving their 5th star means they are ready to move up to the Rockets group.
Our recommendations for you:
Rockets (8-14 years)
As the name suggests we start to pick up the speed in our rockets group. During the week we will work on improving students’ parallel turns, introducing short turns on steeper slopes and the basics of carved turns.
It is common for students to remain in the rockets group lessons for two seasons as they master the skills before heading into the Freeride Group.
How much experience is needed to join the rockets?
In order to join our Rockets Group children should already be confidently performing all of the following skills.
- Make at least 6 linked parallel turns in control, on their own, choosing their own line and managing their own speed on a blue run.
- Skiing confidently on red runs in control and linking turns while following an instructor.
- Traversing across small bumps/moguls absorbing the bumps (maintaining ski contact with the snow).
- Sidesliping diagonally or vertically down the hill
- Doing a hockey stop
- Performing a 180 flat-spin on a Green Run.
- Understand how to overtake other skiers safely and know who has the right of way.
What will students learn?
During the week we will work on improving students’ parallel turns, introducing short turns on steeper slopes and the basics of carved turns.
Students will start to ski on more varied terrain including moguls and more of the features in snowparks. We introduce more park skiing skills and tricks and kickstart the skill acquisition process of carving.
We also place more of a focus on safety, taking students through group management and emergency procedures.
The award for Rockets:
Rockets students will either be awarded their 6th or 7th Star depending on how many of the skills in their ski passport they master.
Achieving their 7th star means they are ready to move up to the Freeride group.
Our recommendations for you:
Freeride (10-14 years)
Our Freeride Team is for kids who are already excellent parallel, all-mountain skiers on all pistes from green to black. If you are joining us from one of the other ski schools please check the experience level required for the group. These are not your normal Ski Lessons.
We expect that most students will remain in the Freeride group for at least two seasons as they master the skills needed to join the ProRide team.
How much experience is needed to join the FreeRide Team?
In order to join our Freeride Group children should already be confidently performing all of the following skills.
- Skiing black runs, confidently and in control with an instructor.
- Making short radius, skidded turns with a pole plant on red runs.
- Making linked carve turns on green slopes
- Be comfortable on varied terrain including bumps, powder, crud and ice.
- Popping or Ollying
- Understand accident procedures, and how to get help.
- Jump on to a box, straight line slide and then jump off the box (5050 box slide)
What will students learn?
In the FreeRide team, students will focus on the finer skills of skiing. Freeride is all about knowing the technique and tactics to tackle any piste expertly mixed in with a good dose of negotiating all sorts of mountain terrain from bumps to powder to steep runs to jumps, drops and gullies!
Students will also learn more about safety, navigation and the mountain environment.
The awards for Freeride:
Freeride students will either be awarded their 8th or Bronze Star depending on how many of the skills in their ski passport they master.
Achieving their Bronze star means they are ready to move up to the ProRide Team. Successful completion of the Bronze star also earns pupils a New Generation Team buff, as worn by our instructors.
Our recommendations for you:
Pro-Rider (10-17 years)
Our Pro-Ride team is for young skiers who are really very talented. The ProRide team will give students the opportunity to learn and develop in the different areas of skiing in a fun environment with others their age. Most adults can’t keep up with those in these ski lessons. We are not kidding when we say it is for talented young skiers.
It can take several seasons to master the skills required to get the gold star and earn a coveted New Generation Team Trucker Cap.
How much experience is needed to join the ProRide Team?
In order to join our Proride Group, students should already be confidently performing all of the following skills.
- Making linked carve turns on a blue run. Controlling speed with turn shape.
- Linking a series of short turns getting grip from the fall line on red slopes.
- Linking turns in choppy, bumpy and sometimes deep snow.
- Skiing linked backwards (fakie) parallel turns.
- Hitting small natural drops, spotting the landing and skiing out.
- Skiing skidded linked medium radius turns through a mogul field.
What will students learn?
Our ProRide Team focus on performance and safety. They will learn the basics of ski racing and understand how this transitions into all performance skiing. Spend time in the park focused on advanced freestyle skiing, hitting the boxes, rails and larger jumps while learning new tricks. They will also spend time improving their off-piste skiing. With a particular focus on avalanche safety.
*Please note, our Pro Rider level guide video is displayed as Adult Level 6 as the standard of skiing is the same. Pro Rider video to come!
The awards for ProRide:
ProRide students will either be awarded their Silver or Gold Star depending on how many of the skills in their ski passport they master.
Achieving their Gold star is an incredible achievement. The young skiers who do reach this level would easily be able to start their ski instructor exams if they wished.
Successful completion of the Gold star also earns pupils a New Generation Team Trucker, as worn by our instructors.
Our recommendations for you:
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