Skiing is certainly a unique sport. Most of us, when it gets cold and the weather is nasty, go inside and enjoy a warm atmosphere. Some of us enjoy the harshness of winter and relish on being outside while snow falls. The whole family, young and old, can enjoy skiing and it can be practiced throughout our entire life. Being in the mountains is exhilarating.
So why Inspiring Skiers for Life is our vision? Because through skiing, and here I am referring to alpine skiing and moreover, alpine ski racing, we can teach our children basic and more refined life skills that will inspire them through a lifetime. First of all, racing teaches them how to ski better than any other skiing mode. That is because racing the clock requires being precise, subtle, strong, and focused. By means of drills in enclosed environments, big mountain skiing in all types of terrain and snow conditions, and enjoying the groomers, coaches instil in racers the need to look for excellence in performance. This requires learning how to focus, persevere, set goals and many other aspects involved in performing. Also thrown in the equation are dealing with frustrations, recovering from mistakes, learning equanimity in victory and defeat, caring for their teammates and dealing with all the factors involved in a competition course.
So Inspiring Skiers for Life is and will always be our vision. It is the coach’s and parent’s responsibility to deliver this message to our children.
