Teaching Suggestions for Snowboard Instructors

 

Teaching Games:  Be motivated and positive.  Little children tire easily,  so balance activity with slow times.  Keep your games and activities goal oriented and simple.  Stop games and

Activities when they reach a high level of excitement so they will want to do it again later.

Learning is very difficult for some because they focus on their failures and shortcomings.

Always point out the positive things they are learning.  Children learn from doing and seeing.  Keep them moving.  Ride at their level and allow your imagination to keep them trying.  Be fair,  but allow everyone the opportunity to be successful.  Ask for student input,  but limit choices.  Climb out of your adult mold and reach out to them.

 

Class Rules:  To insure safety and fun use common sense.  Follow and make sure your

students know the Snow Sports Responsibility Code.  Stop below each other and to the side of the run or trail.  Take turns being first.  Yell “wipe out” when someone falls.  The whistle means stop.  Be respectful in line.  You will have your own rules to suit your style of teaching.

 

The Undisciplined Child:  Try giving them responsibility or a task,  teacher helper,  ski

patrol,  ect....  If they don’t respond after numerous attempts,  take them back to the program

supervisor and have them “benched” for one run.  You are not a babysitter.  Be honest with them and their parents.  They know what they are doing.

 

Finish Class With High Spirits:  Use the last few minutes of the class to generate

tremendous enthusiasm.  Use a game,  activity,  challenge,  contest,  song,  chant something in which your students are totally enjoying themselves.  If they don’t want to leave the class you have done a very good job in motivating and showing interest in them.

 

Mini Mountain Teaching Motto

BE SAFE     HAVE FUN     LEARN ONE THING

 

Flatland Games

? Relays,  Races

? 360 Turn Around

? One Foot Races & Relays

? Make A Stairway  up/down hill

? Skate Board

? Flat Run

? Guessing Games

? Mother May I

? Monkey See,  Monkey Do

? Movement Exploration  find a way to…..

? What If  bathroom,  chairlift,  lost,  to fast

? Red Light,  Green Light

? Tail Ride,  Nose Ride

? Pet The Dog

? Guess What Kind Of Animal I Am

? Turn With One Foot Out

? Snow Frog

? Rollovers

? Follow The Leader

 

Downhill Games

Maintain control by position of instructor

? Slam On Brakes

? Track The Animal  stay in track

? Stork Traverse  lift tail/tip

? Platter Relay  must carry two items

? Ball Pass

? Me & My Shadow  front/back  side/side

? Count Number Of Turns

? Kangaroo Turns

? Ride Switch

? Hold A Snow Ball

? Hug Tag  hug yourself until caught

? Three Turns And Stop

? Hands In Box

 

Individual Activities

? Animal Sounds & Charades

? Clap Hands Over Head For Rhythm

? Sing Your Attitude Down The Hill

? Student Becomes Instructor

? Arms  sideways,  forward,  hugging

? Ride Right,  Ride Wrong

? Verbalize Turn Intensity  turn!,  tuuurn

? Eyes Closed

? Leapers/Retractors Turns

? Sensory Focus  what part of foot

? Tracker  look for edges,  belly marks

? Compare Z Turns To S Turns

? Giant And Midget  ride high & low

? Centered Focus  head,  foot,  stomach

 

Group Activities

? Synchronized Riding

? Match The Track

? Syncopated Riding

? Line Rotation

? Group Singing

? Lead Follow

? Weave The Needle  long/short

? Imitate Others

? Formation Riding

? Ride In Corridor

?  

 

Edging

? Walking With Board On

? Side Stepping

? Straight Run To Edge  fan if necessary

? Hop To Stop

? Frog Hop

? Garlands  heel/toe

? Gas Peddle

? Speed Check

? Side Slipping  toe/heel,  from traverse

? Patience Garlands  release edges

? Falling Leaf

? Tug Of War

? Linked Turns  switch

? Tap Turns

? Long Leg  Short Leg

? Skating

? Long Turns  with multiple edge sets

? Pivot Turns

? Short Turns

? Change Edges  use feet,  ankles,  knees

 

Controlling Force Build Up

? Rocking Fore And Aft  find center

? Straight Run

? Hopping On Snowboard

? Rising And Sinking  straight run & turns

? Pedal Turn

? Hockey Stop

? Side Slipping  gradual slowing/accelerating

? Toaster Turns  hop to initiate

? Harsh Sinking  down unweighting to initiate

? Turn With No Vertical Change

? 1000 Tail Taps

? Hopping Through Turns

? Excessive Sinking At End Of Turn

? Float Like A Butterfly  Sting Like A Bee

? Fast Side Slip To Fast Stop  toe/heel

? Work With Angulation

? Short Turns  very harsh,  very smooth

? Check Garlands

? Straight Run Through Bumps

? Straight Run Over Transition  pre jump

? Early Edge Change  before fall line

? Pivot Turns In Bumps

? Easy Jumping  explode for more air

 

Turning Exercises

 

Beginners

? Scooter Turns

? Turns No Snowboard

? Fan System

? Toe Drag / Heel Drag Turns

? Straight Run  pivot to stop

? Garland Turns

? Hockey Stop

? Mental Practice

? Side Slipping  toe/heel

? Pedal Turns

? Run Slalom

? Follow The Leader

? Skating

 

Intermediate

? Garlands

? More,  More,  Most

? 1000 Tail Taps

? Falling Leaf

? Gravity Turns

? Skating

? Counting

? Terrain Unweighting

? J Turns  Z Turns  S Turns

? 360 Spins

? Check Turns

? Turn Hop Uphill

 

Advanced

? Short Turns

? Pivot Turns

? Gas Peddle

? Slalom/Giant Slalom

? Rebound

? Early Crossover

? Short Leg  Long Leg

? Initiate With Early Edge

?  

 

Riding Dynamics

 

Anticipation

? Eyes Down The Hill

? Pre Turn

? Edge Set

? Shadow Turns

? Shot Turns  with countering finish

 

Cross Over

? 1000 Tail Taps

? Dive Into New Turn

? Pass Through Window

? Start Turn With Early Edge

? Long Leg  Short Leg

 

Rebound

? Check Hop Garlands

? Long Turns To Short Turns

? Linked Hockey Stops

? Bumps

? Travers Moguls

? Float Like A Butterfly  Sting Like a Bee

? More,  More,  Most

 

Angulation

? Pick Up The Dollar

? Look At Bottom Of Snowboard 

? Long Leg  Short Leg

 

Carving

? More,  More,  Most

? Long Leg  Short Leg

? Traversing

? Edge Lock / Release Traverse

? Multiple Check Turn

? Leave A Groove In The Snow

? S Turns

 

SNOWBOARDING  LESSON  PLAN

 

 

Week 1   Stopping

1. Red LightGreen Light   2. Pivot Turn   3. Hockey Stop

 

Week 2   Turning

1. Gravity Turns   2. Follow The Leader   3. 1000 Tail Taps

 

Week 3   Weight Transfer

1. Lean Downhill,  Lean Uphill   2. Tap Tip,  Tail,  Whole Board   3. Hop To Start Turn

 

Week 4   Edging and Balancing

1. Stair Steps   2. Side Slipping   3. Falling Leaf

 

   1.Lean Forward, 2. Lean Back,  3.Find Center   4. Hands In Front