Ski school
Encyclopedia
A ski school is an establishment that trains skiers. The modern version of the ski school was invented by the Austria
n ski pioneer Hannes Schneider
in the early 1920s when he formalized instruction methods and established these methods as teaching principles for all ski instructors at his school.
In alpine skiing
in North America
, many resorts have their own ski school, whereas in Europe
, a resort may have many different private ski schools. All instructors are trained and certified by their national organizations (i.e. in Canada the Canadian Ski Instructors' Alliance
, in the US the Professional Ski Instructors of America
or PSIA), which may certify their instructors in an 'international' level, which is overseen by the International Ski Instructors Alliance. Despite different emphasis in each nations qualification you can expect a qualified instructor to provide an enjoyable learning process in safe conditions. Don't hesitate to ask about the qualifications and languages spoken of the instructors in a school you are considering.
Most ski schools offer a wide range of courses to suit your interests and skill and the prices will vary depending on country and resort. Most schools will offer a choice between group and private lessons.
In general group lessons will be less expensive as you join a group of skiers of a similar standard. Expect there to be up to 8 in a group. Any more than this and you should perhaps look elsewhere. Group lessons tend to run all week and can often provide a very sociable way to learn and have fun on the slopes.
Private lessons can often be much more expensive, as you have the lesson to yourself (or shared with people you choose) but the rate of progress can often be much more rapid than in group lessons as the teaching is aimed directly at your needs. Private lessons are often offered on a per session basis of anything from 1 hour to all day.
in Switzerland claims to hold the world record with a ski class of 594 pupils - which is really amazing taking into account the size of this tiny resort with one chairlift an one T-Bar lift only.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n ski pioneer Hannes Schneider
Hannes Schneider
Johann "Hannes" Schneider was an Austrian Ski instructor of the first half of the twentieth century.He was born in the town of Stuben am Arlberg in Austria as a son of a cheese maker. In 1907 he became a ski guide at the Hotel Post in St. Anton, Austria where he began work on what became known as...
in the early 1920s when he formalized instruction methods and established these methods as teaching principles for all ski instructors at his school.
In alpine skiing
Alpine skiing
Alpine skiing is the sport of sliding down snow-covered hills on skis with fixed-heel bindings. Alpine skiing can be contrasted with skiing using free-heel bindings: Ski mountaineering and nordic skiing – such as cross-country; ski jumping; and Telemark. In competitive alpine skiing races four...
in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, many resorts have their own ski school, whereas in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, a resort may have many different private ski schools. All instructors are trained and certified by their national organizations (i.e. in Canada the Canadian Ski Instructors' Alliance
Canadian Ski Instructors' Alliance
The Canadian Ski Instructors' Alliance , founded in 1938, is an association of more than 20,000 professional skiers located across Canada. The CSIA's purpose is to ensure a nationwide ski teaching standard that also promotes the importance of ski safety...
, in the US the Professional Ski Instructors of America
Professional Ski Instructors of America
The Professional Ski Instructors of America is an organization offering training and certification for U.S. Ski Instructors, and trains the bulk of U.S ski instructors...
or PSIA), which may certify their instructors in an 'international' level, which is overseen by the International Ski Instructors Alliance. Despite different emphasis in each nations qualification you can expect a qualified instructor to provide an enjoyable learning process in safe conditions. Don't hesitate to ask about the qualifications and languages spoken of the instructors in a school you are considering.
Most ski schools offer a wide range of courses to suit your interests and skill and the prices will vary depending on country and resort. Most schools will offer a choice between group and private lessons.
In general group lessons will be less expensive as you join a group of skiers of a similar standard. Expect there to be up to 8 in a group. Any more than this and you should perhaps look elsewhere. Group lessons tend to run all week and can often provide a very sociable way to learn and have fun on the slopes.
Private lessons can often be much more expensive, as you have the lesson to yourself (or shared with people you choose) but the rate of progress can often be much more rapid than in group lessons as the teaching is aimed directly at your needs. Private lessons are often offered on a per session basis of anything from 1 hour to all day.
- Ski Magazine usually rates Taos Ski Valley's ski school as the best in North America.
- The largest ski school company in Europe is the École du Ski Français, a French ski school founded by Émile AllaisÉmile AllaisÉmile Allais is a former champion alpine ski racer from France; he won all three events at the 1937 world championships in Chamonix and the gold in the combined in 1938...
.
Funny
The Ski School of Sarn/HeinzenbergSarn, Switzerland
Sarn was a municipality in the district of Hinterrhein in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. On 1 January 2010 the municipalities of Portein, Präz, Sarn, and Tartar merged into the municipality of Cazis.-Geography:...
in Switzerland claims to hold the world record with a ski class of 594 pupils - which is really amazing taking into account the size of this tiny resort with one chairlift an one T-Bar lift only.