How Kids Improve Fast when they join a racing team? For parents...
Started by Dustyfog in Ski Technique 16-Mar-2010 - 12 Replies
Dustyfog posted Mar-2010
Anyway, his goal when racing was "I do not want to DNF", and he did not DNF once in his first season. He actually ran into kids in their second season of racing who were definitely faster in racing, great motivation and he showed maturity beyond his years as he progressed, quite surely without "losing control".
Anyway, the video is 10mins long and has some parts which are kind of family asides, so scroll through if interested, some bad filming, thankfully very little of that I hope, Dad takes full responsibility for editing, no creative talent here, but it shows how he gets the hang of GS over time and begins to increase his aggression. He was the fastest of the new skiers on the team, improved every time he did a race and the progression I hope encourages other parents of aspiring skiers to encourage their kids to race. Its great for competitive spirit, improving technique and builds mental character and physical endurance.
Here in the N-East, its freezing cold, the courses are pretty much ice, and kids and their parents freeze when training, or racing, especially the waiting for your run part! I should add, waking up before dawn, every weekend, Sat and Sunday, then driving to training slopes (round trip 60+miles) and then race days, driving to race locations, general round-trip distance 130miles. Its pretty tiring, and then driving back to the city on Sunday evenings (Manhattan that is), another 120 miles ! And generally races are on Sundays ! On his first race day, the ground temperature was -5deg F, on the mountain it was -15deg F, and wind chill forget it, probably -30deg F or so, could'nt feel my fingers, they went totally numb, he has hand-warmers in his gloves but kids were streaming into the lodge to get warm after their runs, same thing happened at other races and also during practice sessions. Great part, he was up as soon as I reminded him it was to go skiing, not one complaint ''cause putting on blades was at the end of each wake-up, breakfast and then drive road trip, made it very easy for this parent, since he loves to ski! Its a labor of passion, drive, determination and love for the sport...enjoy..(warning it is 10mins long so scroll through as you desire)..do not know how to embed the video directly from vimeo so here is the link:
Edited 8 times. Last update at 16-Mar-2010
Innsbrucker
reply to 'How Kids Improve Fast when they join a racing team? For parents...' posted Mar-2010
Coping with the ice sounds horrible. Maybe you should move near a resort with good conditions and lots of sun :)
It is strange for me, in my third season having started aged 48. I can sit in a bar in London and hear young English guys making a big deal about hard black runs they skiied in Chamonix. Thinking how proud I would be if I could keep up with the game of one-up-man-ship. I suppose I can now. But it all seems ridiculous when I go out to a small family resort in Tirol, and see the local kids, even young ones, jumping around in steep powder, and nipping effortlessly down every slope, with a level of confidence and skill so far ahead...
Anyway you are entitled to be proud parents!
Edited 1 time. Last update at 16-Mar-2010
Dustyfog
reply to 'How Kids Improve Fast when they join a racing team? For parents...' posted Mar-2010
and yes, would be nice to live close to a big mountain...!
AllyG
reply to 'How Kids Improve Fast when they join a racing team? For parents...' posted Mar-2010
I'm not having much luck with your video I'm afraid. All I get is a message saying this a private video, and I need your permission to see it, even though I did sign in to YouTube.
Sorry :cry:
Ally
Ian Wickham
reply to 'How Kids Improve Fast when they join a racing team? For parents...' posted Mar-2010
dustyfog wrote:Sometimes Vimeo is not accessible to folks, no idea why, so here is YouTube version (its been edited to be shorter 7mins now).
and yes, would be nice to live close to a big mountain...!
Great skiing and I do recognise editing by imovie :wink:
AllyG
reply to 'How Kids Improve Fast when they join a racing team? For parents...' posted Mar-2010
For some reason, I can see it now. I hate to admit it, but I think your 6 year old was better than me even at the beginning :D
It's marvellous to see how he improves as the video progresses. Well done to everyone - him, parents, coaches, whoever.
Ally
Dustyfog
reply to 'How Kids Improve Fast when they join a racing team? For parents...' posted Mar-2010
While racing, he actually took it easy, did not fire up those engines and the first two races, it was deadly cold, he just kind of whistled dixie on his way down. He is a "smart" skier, had his share of serious wipeouts, and fully aware of what happens when he "bombs it" :shock: His coaches and some of the other parents were great and some of the older faster kids, as one of the parents told me, "the older girls really like your son ! " He is a good boy, nothing like having a kid who is ready to go, ..Well, our season is not over..Utah on the cards, leaving Fri - "the greatest snow on Earth" - taking him to Deer Valley, Solitude and Alta.. :mrgreen:
would post a picture but cannot how to upload one..just weblinking seems possible
have a good spring and summer..
Dustyfog
reply to 'How Kids Improve Fast when they join a racing team? For parents...' posted Mar-2010
Topic last updated on 05-March-2011 at 18:35