tips for a new snowboard coach? - Snowboarding Forum

sheepstealer · 11-20-2011, 12:11 PM

Hi all, so I just got offered a job as a snowboard coach at my local mountain - real stoked! I managed to get into the program through a friend who also works at the resort but is involved in the skiing program.

I was curious if anyone here knew of some solid resources of tips and suggestions for a new snowboard coach. Experience wise, I have over 14 years of riding under my belt with experience competing in freestyle and boardercross. However, I do not have any formal snowboard "coaching" experience. What I do have is 6 years of working with kids ages 8 to 16 in an outdoor adventure setting - high ropes, rock climbing, extensive backpacking trips, canoeing, kayaking, you get the idea. What I'm getting at here is that I can "manage" kids and teens well, I know how to connect and am very confident in my ability to teach.

The program I am heading up is developmental in nature - I am coaching a group of 15 alongside one other coach. This team is the step below the resort's "competition" team and its our job to introduce them to bigger and better things as the season progresses i.e. boardercross, double blacks, park, pipe, etc. We were told that all of the kids know how to ride and feel "comfortable" riding blues and the occasional black diamond, but nothing beyond that. Ages are primarily 8 -12.

Like I've said, don't have much experience coaching snowboarding and was hoping a couple people on here would be able to offer any advice or suggestions? Feel free to post here or PM!

Thanks!

Cr0_Reps_Smit · 11-20-2011, 01:00 PM

the best thing you can do is look into getting your USASA lvl 100 coaching certs. if you go to usasa.org they have a list of clinics you can go to.

hhaidar · 11-21-2011, 08:42 AM

agree with Snowolf. Also your experience working with kids in the outdoor setting will transfer over to snowboarding nicely. One of the best pieces of advice I can give you is to have fun with it and listen to the kids. As you have questions throughout the season there are some great resources on this forum. Snowolf has a ton of good info. I'm also a full time instructor and staff trainer, I'm sure there are others here as well. Hit us up. congrats on taking an awesome job.

gjsnowboarder · 11-21-2011, 11:15 AM

Normally snowboard schools will run in house clinics for their instructors. I would try to roll in with them if they are willing. I know at our mountain we are usually pretty cool with it.

11-20-2011, 12:11 PM	#1 (permalink)
sheepstealer Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 261	tips for a new snowboard coach? Hi all, so I just got offered a job as a snowboard coach at my local mountain - real stoked! I managed to get into the program through a friend who also works at the resort but is involved in the skiing program. I was curious if anyone here knew of some solid resources of tips and suggestions for a new snowboard coach. Experience wise, I have over 14 years of riding under my belt with experience competing in freestyle and boardercross. However, I do not have any formal snowboard "coaching" experience. What I do have is 6 years of working with kids ages 8 to 16 in an outdoor adventure setting - high ropes, rock climbing, extensive backpacking trips, canoeing, kayaking, you get the idea. What I'm getting at here is that I can "manage" kids and teens well, I know how to connect and am very confident in my ability to teach. The program I am heading up is developmental in nature - I am coaching a group of 15 alongside one other coach. This team is the step below the resort's "competition" team and its our job to introduce them to bigger and better things as the season progresses i.e. boardercross, double blacks, park, pipe, etc. We were told that all of the kids know how to ride and feel "comfortable" riding blues and the occasional black diamond, but nothing beyond that. Ages are primarily 8 -12. Like I've said, don't have much experience coaching snowboarding and was hoping a couple people on here would be able to offer any advice or suggestions? Feel free to post here or PM! Thanks!

11-20-2011, 01:00 PM	#2 (permalink)
Cr0_Reps_Smit Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: SMIThville, NJ (Summit County in winter) Posts: 1,514	the best thing you can do is look into getting your USASA lvl 100 coaching certs. if you go to usasa.org they have a list of clinics you can go to. __________________

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11-21-2011, 08:42 AM	#3 (permalink)
hhaidar Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 121	agree with Snowolf. Also your experience working with kids in the outdoor setting will transfer over to snowboarding nicely. One of the best pieces of advice I can give you is to have fun with it and listen to the kids. As you have questions throughout the season there are some great resources on this forum. Snowolf has a ton of good info. I'm also a full time instructor and staff trainer, I'm sure there are others here as well. Hit us up. congrats on taking an awesome job.

11-21-2011, 11:15 AM	#4 (permalink)
gjsnowboarder Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Grand Junction, CO Posts: 539	Normally snowboard schools will run in house clinics for their instructors. I would try to roll in with them if they are willing. I know at our mountain we are usually pretty cool with it.