TPS Archives

Reprints From The Professional Skier

Fall 1999 - "New Technologies: Catch The Ride!" by Dave Merriam

This article is reprinted from The Professional Skier. All copyrights apply. Please see our copyright and disclaimer notice page.

Snowsports are in a constant state of flux, and nowhere is this more evident than in the constantly evolving equipment options available to today's winter recreationist. In the past few years alone we've seen shaped skis; short shaped skis; twin tips; and skiboards burst onto the scene. The shelf life of gear keeps getting more condensed, and just about the time we get used to the new offerings, the whole scope of choices changes again.

To gain the competitive edge, manufacturers have streamlined their product development cycles to bring products to the market faster. Technology feeds on itself, with innovations from a wide spectrum of technologies providing an infusion of knowledge, design strategies, and, ultimately, remarkable new products in many different fields. (If you're unconvinced that ski technology is on the move, just take a peek in your basement. Skis that are just a couple of years old almost look like antiques. In another couple of years, they probably will be antiques.)

Further, this rapid-fire change is going into the new millennium with a significant head of steam. In his book, Culture Shift: The Employee Handbook for Changing Corporate Culture, futurist Price Pritchett notes that the last 15 years of the twentieth century have seen as much technological change as occurred in the first 85 years of the century. "Don't think of it as something that keeps merely adding up," he advises. "Think of it as multiplying on a daily basis."

For snowsports instructors, the changes coming down the pike present an interesting dilemma. On the one hand, there's a seemingly endless supply of cool, fun stuff we can try. On the other hand, keeping up with all of these equipment innovations--and teaching people how to use them--can be a little overwhelming. After all, we're expected to know everything there is to know about equipment and communicate this information intelligently. We're supposed to be accurate diagnosticians and reliable sources of feedback for students who show up for lessons with this new gear. It's our job to come up with progressions, games, and activities based on the particular design parameters of any given piece of equipment.

In other words, professionally we have to stay ahead of the game and, in many ways, lead the charge. And that isn't easy--especially when you consider the rate at which this stuff is evolving. There's not much space between these waves of new technology .. not much time to catch our breath, ski the new gear a little while, reflect on its possibilities, and let it all sink in.

But don't panic--this isn't a new phenomenon! In the evolution of skiing, new technology has always played a part in the advancement of the sport. Some changes are more significant than others. And if you're worth your salt as an instructor, you know that it's your mission to help discover those changes that redefine the sport and facilitate equipment-related improvements with your students. If they ask for your advice, it's essential that you serve as an informed guide.

That's why I see in all of this a great opportunity; a chance to rethink our profession. Perhaps this pace of change can serve as an impetus to help refocus our priorities, shift our behavior, and promote a new vision of ourselves as facilitators rather than teachers in a traditional sense. We can't afford to ignore change and settle for doing what we have always done. Instructors must not miss out on this important opportunity to assert a dominant and influential role in assimilating technological change into the customer's experience. We must face change, look it square in the eyes, and do what works.

The need for further reflection on these issues inspired the development of this special series, designed to increase your awareness of the relevance of these technological innovations and stimulate your thoughts on how they affect you as an instructor. Included is up-to-date information on the variety of equipment options likely to grace the slopes this season--everything from short teaching skis, carving skis, and midfats, to twin tips and skiboards. You'll also get some valuable insights on how the new stuff stacks up against the old standbys, and how to get out there and teach beginners on the new gear. And children's instructors will want to see the piece on age-related insights regarding kids and shaped skis. In short, these articles help take some of the mystery out of teaching students on the new snowsports tools.

Consider these special articles as an equipment-oriented update to the Alpine Manual. But don't stop here in your professional preparation for what lies ahead this season and the seasons to come. There are all kinds of things you can do to improve your ability to help students make the most of their snowsports experiences--regardless of what gear they use. For what they're worth, here are my six tips for embracing changes in ski technology:

1. Drink In As Much Information And Experience As You Can. Read the equipment tests in the commercial sports publications, talk to ski teens, and try out anything and everything you can get your hands on. The more you know, the more you can navigate through the myriad choices of skis and design options. Further, I believe that gaining insights will inspire you to explore the new gear appearing in our mountain playground. Ultimately, familiarizing yourself with this new gear will help you enhance your students' experience and fuel your own imagination as well.

2. Keep An Open Mind. Expend your energy on inquiring into new designs rather than trying to ignore the fact that new stuff is out there. In some cases, new ideas don't always work better. But if you limit yourself from the onset, you may miss an opportunity.

3. Stimulate Your Curiosity. Wander into places you've never been. Be inquisitive and ask lots of questions. For some, making inquiries can feel like unfamiliar territory. As teachers, we're expected to already have all the answers, so asking questions exposes the fact that we're not all-knowing. If this makes you feel vulnerable, well, get comfortable with that because you won't learn without asking questions.

4. Have Some Fun. Make a concerted effort to lighten up. We're not talking about solving world hunger, you know. It's just skiing. Unfurrow your brow, step out of your comfort zone, and cast off your "know-it-all" role. Maintain a sense of curiosity and exploration toward the new and different, and you'll notice profound effects on your disposition. You many even rekindle your love and passion equipment have enabled racers (skiers) to for sliding and gliding. I've seen the reincarnation of many ski teachers who, after zipping and twirling around on skiboards with a mile-wide smile on their face, take to their "other" gear with a totally different perspective and a refreshed attitude.

5. Reconsider Your Role. Let the emerging technologies reframe your perception of what you do as a teacher. How has the new equipment influenced-and even more important, how might it influence-your delivery system and the way you engage your students? How might it shape or reshape your core beliefs and values as a winter sport teacher and facilitator?

In my own experience, I find I am telling students a lot less and asking them a lot more. For instance, instead of giving directions as the resident know-it-all, I'm asking them to guide their own experience. I spend more time exploring alternatives rather than doling out my observations. The new technology has given rise to more spontaneity in the environment I create with the student, and as a result, I go places with students that I have never been before--literally and figuratively! For instance, with the new gear students can more readily access varied terrain and snow conditions--trees and other off-piste areas, crud as well as powder--and that's very exciting because it enriches the learning environment. And when the environment changes, there's an opportunity to change the way we do things.

6. Recognize The Paradox. While exciting and rejuvenating, the influence of new technologies on mountain sports is just that: an influence. Although so much has changed, so much remains the same. Skiing is a relatively old and mature endeavor, and barring some physical inversion where the natural laws of motion and movement are turned upside down, how much can really change? In his book, The Skier's Edge, Ron LeMaster writes, "Advancements in equipment have enabled racers (skiers) to make sharper turns, which demand the skier balance against greater centrifugal forces. The result is an overall look of more inclination and less angulation. Keep in mind, however, that the same skills and movements are needed to ski well today as they were 30 years ago. Only their relative amplitudes have changed."

On a purely experiential level, people will continue to come to our mountains for the same basic reasons as they always have. They come for fresh air, to take in the scenery, and to be with friends and family. They come for the buzz, the surge of adrenaline. They come to do something familiar or to try something for the very first time. They come to re-create themselves and enjoy the experience of sliding and gliding. To my knowledge, this is still--and always will be--the case.

Conclusion

The new technologies aren't going to turn the snowsports industry inside out. But they are going to require that instructors make sure they're not on the outside looking in on developments that can reshape the lesson experience.

These are exciting times. For the past 10 years, we've been doing a lot of exercises to refine movements and help students master technique to the nth degree, and our profession has become very heady and technique-oriented. Now that there are so many "toys" available, we have this tremendous opportunity to explore them with our students. For example, rather than talk about the virtues of better balance, we can spend the morning on snowblades, which magnify the need for good balance, and take those sensations to an afternoon session on skis. The lesson becomes less conceptual and more experiential. And if you were the student, isn't that what would keep you coming back for more?

Dave Merriam is the head coach of PSIA's education teams. He is the ski school director at Vermont's Stowe Mountain Resort.