Huwcyn wrote:I can offer another illustrative anecdote here.
Earlier this season, I started a thread on here as a result of my frustration with my partner who was starting to believe that she would never ski to any significant standard, and was considering changing to cross-country. I turned to the forum for help as I did not see that this would answer anything, as my hope was that, one day we could ski the same slopes together.
As you would expect, there was lots of good advice, and one was to invest in private lessons, and to my relief, she agreed to get some lessons on a dry slope in the weeks leading up to our holiday. She came on well, and her speed and confidence increased such that she was happy with herself and looking forward to ski lessons in resort. Much joy for me!
We both decided that three days ski school would suffice this year, and we duly joined our respective groups after the grading session. Our first session was on the same slope, and we were able to meet for lunch. She was full of it! Loving it! That first afternoon, I was off to the more difficult slopes with my group, happy in the knowledge that she was progressing well.
I was later to be disappointed however, after meeting up at the end of the day, as she was struggling again, and indeed by the next morning she had decided that she was going to pull out of lessons. The problem was that she was being moved along too quickly - she's the type that requires a lot of practice to build up confidence, and being taken through steps too quickly did not suit her. She'd fallen, and had lost her confidence. She has still not moved on from snowplough turns!!! Now, I had hoped that she would be parallel skiing by the end of the holiday, and at least be able to ski a modest blue run with me. I have had to re-assess my ambitions for the future now, and have abandoned any hope that we will be skiing together, ever. She enjoys the skiing, but at her own level, and I have to accept this, and we think that next year the best thing for her will be one-to-one lessons for as long as we can afford. Everyone progresses at different rates, but being taught properly is key, so enrol in lessons whether in a group, or private. You cannot do without them
The importance that I can see is that it does not stop at lessons, you have to put into practice what you have learnt, I will give you an example ..... It will be very easy after Little W lessons to say right thats over follow me, we find out from the instructor what she will need to practice and we will work on that in the afternoon. That way it tends to cement into their head. Good luck and don't give up on her, as Tony as previously said everybody at sometime has that light bulb moment where everything makes sense and comes together. :thumbup:
