Great snow in Hintertux

We arrived safely (and sleepily) yesterday in Hintertux. There's more snow here than in previous years. Even the beginner lift is still installed in a field near the hotel!

New kitties coming soon!

I'm testing the e-mail method of posting to my blog. What better content to
post than pictures of our new cats!
These are Pixie-Bob kittens, 3.5 weeks old, a brother and sister. We'll be
picking them up after our Mt. Hood Race Camp. If you know me, you know that
I am so excited about them!

Newly Accredited Instructors!

I'm back from an instructor accreditation at Tahoe Donner Ski Area, California. Lake Tahoe-area skis now have several PMTS Direct Parallel accredited instructors from whom they can take lessons. Slowly but surely, PMTS Direct Parallel spreads!

An accreditation is intense, with indoor and on-snow training; practice teaching with feedback; a written exam; and a day of skiing and teaching under [my] scrutiny. Most participants would agree that it's not an easy event. I really admire all instructors who step up and subject themselves to the event, from the stress, to the cost, perhaps missing work, and putting their egos on the line. For each instructor who comes to a PMTS accreditation to become a better instructor and learn how to teach a new program, there are hundreds more who do not. Accreditation candidates are clearly motivated to help their students.

I take my role of trainer/accreditor seriously at these events -- to provide real value in becoming a better ski instructor. Of course, the accreditation candidates want to meet the standards of a level -- to "pass". However, I don't view the process as successful just by handing out pins (as gratifying as that is). For me, a successful accreditation is one where the candidates demonstrate to me that they leave the event with new skiing and teaching capabilities, and that they have the confidence to use PMTS Direct Parallel with students. The newly-accredited instructors from this latest event showed me that the event was a success -- their understanding and teaching improved as the days went by, and with the improvement, their confidence became tangible.

Congratulations to all the newly accredited instructors...
Marlon Cavassin, Jim Gregory, Guy Manville, & Tony Roberts -- Tahoe Donner
Walter Edberg -- Alpine Meadows
Kelvin Lau -- Northstar
Thank you for taking time, taking a risk, and working hard to provide superior ski instruction!