The Doctor Rules!

Got a total signoff from Dr. Jennifer today.

Swelling is all but gone, I have no idea what the deal was but whatever it was, it was temporary...yeehaw!

Saturday, back at it!

Saturday was a completely enjoyable day on the slopes...almost.

Got to the hill early and practiced side slipping, wedging, transitions and generally got a better feel for the control of my ski's. It was very enjoyable to practice without the pressure I've been putting on myself to be perfect.

Then, I met up with CraigL, a fellow instructor, and we skied a few runs together which was a blast. Craig's working towards his L3, actually he's ready to take the test, and he encouraged me to follow him on a few runs and just 'track his tracks'. Seeing as he's an amazing skier I was concerned that he's leave me in the dust but it turns out that while concentrating on staying in synch with him, my fears of where my ski's are, where my body was positioned, what the terain was doing and all of that was just not there . . . at all.

I was impressed with my ability to stay on his tails and even more so, was impressed that I was just skiing, without doing any thinking. It was a bunch of fun!!!

Then, I engaged my first few lessons and really enjoyed one particular student; Samantha. What a cool young woman she was. At first, she was horrendously fearful of the slopes, of the speed, of the hill, the entire process. But, after a few successful wedge-runs and the feeling of control that she mastered in our hour together, I got to see her actually wedge-turning all by herself a few hours later. The coolest thing about that was as I was taking the 'magic carpet' up with another group of students, she slid by me down the learner's hill and yelled out "hey, Brian, I'm skiing!". Now THAT was cool.

Then, as my final "act" of the day, I took a 6 year old girl up for her first lesson. She was a really neat little lady and was all gung-ho for her experience. The first half of the lesson was just getting her comfortable with the motions on the snow, me skiing backwards and her practicing "sticks and A" (her version of parallelling and wedging). Then, I made the mistake of skiing next to her with my poles on my knees and her just hanging onto them. That, she LOVED, and it was super tough on my legs as we wedged down the learner's hill. But, I could see her progressing and she would occassionally get into a wedge and control our combined speeeds so I was feeling pretty good.

Then, as we were riding up the magic carpet, she suddently forgot how to walk and started to back peddle. I eventually caught up with her and tried to grab her and lift her off her ski's and ski with her off the carpet but somehow, her ski got caught under mine, she was kicking with her left ski, tripped me up and we both went for a slip down the slope off the side of the carpet. The thing that totally sucked is that while she was ok, (I kind of set her on the ground as we were falling), I got in this totally awkward position and ended up having both my ski's release. I immediately felt a jolt of pain in my right knee and thought I heard a snap. Luckily, that wasn't the case because within about 5 minutes, I felt ok enough to continue the lesson and eventually did some free skiing before heading home. My knee was tender, but no more so than any other time I've managed to do something dumb.

Well, overnight, you can guess what happened...my knee ballooned up and now I can really feel the pain. Ugggggh, I hope I haven't done anything permanently funky. Throughout today I've elevated and iced and the swelling and pain have diminished significantly such that both knees look almost identical to each other. I have no idea what's going on so I'm headed to Zamir in the morning to have a look-see.

So, while in all it was a rewarding day (assisted on 2 calls and actually helped backboard and collar a patient), I'm sure hopeful that I haven't done anyting permanent.

I'll let you know.

A Balanced Post . . . amongst the hatred

From someone on Epicski.com.

It's a learning experience all the time.

The other night I screwed up. I've been patrolling 4 years now and things can still go wrong. Luckily it wasn't a patient or injury or something like that. Just a bad call by me. But it goes to show you that there's always more to learn.

If someone wants to show you how to do something. Don't hold back. Don't look at it as "I'll show him cause he screwed up". They're watching you to show you how to guide what you're doing in the right direction... How to better what you already have. Become interested in learning.

The first year isn't to ween the weaker people out, but rather to make you realize you are more capable of doing what you thought you couldn't. Light the fire inside and make it a passion to learn.

Push yourself. If you don't feel comfortable doing something, talk to the PD and tell him. He might set you up with someone to go practice with. It might be a patroller or a PSIA instructor.

Some people are harder to learn from than others. I've had my share of people I can go out and listen to and better myself by one little thing they tell me to do. Other instructors had completly dismantled my bump skiing so bad that I went from skiing them without thinking and doing great (not bragging) to the point of where I completley lost my capability to ski them. This was a level 3 Instructor!

My point is, go LEARN this year. Don't worry about "did I pass or fail", because I guarantee you by the end of this year you'll be a better patroller and a better skier than you were in the past.

Keep up the hard work.

Anonymous...!

Thanks for all the kind words, your thoughtfulness is appreciated.

When you get a chance, please be sure to come out and visit. I'm sure we'll enjoy skiing together.

WTF . . . This, I don't get - Part 2

Well, I may not get it, but a bunch of other people do...read on:

http://forums.epicski.com/showthread.php?t=51026

WTF . . . This, I don't get.

Some of you may know that my background is as a college professor and flight instructor. As such, one of the first things you learn is how to not only teach your speciality but at least as importantly, how to do things that help build your student's confidence.

So, I've got to wonder WTF was going on last night during our on-hill training.

First, some background:

1. Through the process of on-hill training, I've discovered that I'm a pretty decent every-day skier, but a marginal ski-patroller skier. Some of the skills that patrollers use on an every day basis are things I haven't done in years, if ever.
2. My level of fitness is suspect, at best. My legs are in a continuous state of 'burn', my feet are aching (even with the really cushy superfeet) shoulders, butt, abs, the whole package.
   
3. Our on-hill training season has been cut short by almost 4 weeks because of the lack of snow.

So, I've got to wonder why, after almost 3 hours of tugging, wedging, skiing, lifting, slogging, last night, it was only then that we were instructed to take on the most challenging, ice-filled run on the entire hill. WTF...tire us out and then put us in a dangerous position on the hardest/most challenging run we have?

That, I do not get.

If the job of the instructors is to instill confidence in the students, if the job of the instructors is to teach and make sure the situation doesn't overwhelm the student's ability to learn, if the job of the instructors is to "do no harm", then WTF were they thinking last night?

Yeah, I know,when I'm a fully-minted Basic I'll be required to be tired and still safely get a patient down the hardest run, got it. So, here's an idea, help me build my confidence in doing that when my body is fresh and my legs aren't screaming (like maybe the first run of the training session) instead of the 5th. Then, you can help me build my confidence while I'm physically fresh and less likely to be injured.

Last night was an open invitation to injury and no matter how important Ski Patrolling is to me, it's definitely NOT worth getting hurt over.

These "trainers" might be really good skier's and patrollers and I know that they are totally committed to the Patrol, but as people concerned for the well-being of their future staff, I've got to wonder WTF they were thinking was the good that would have come from last night.

It's Been 3 Weeks...

since I was last on the hill.

Due to the crummy warm, rainy and non-snowy (or snow-blowy) weather in St. Louis, our local hill has been closed.

But, this past Wednesday it was "Katie bar the door". Everyone came out to ski and I was one of them.

Thursday night was more on-hill ski patroller training, Saturday was ski patrol and ski instructing and Sunday was 6 hours of ski instructing. Yeah, I had a darned big time blast!!!

Saturday afternoon both Katie and Kimmy were out boarding. It's so darned cool to see both of your daughter's having so much fun with an activity that I love so much. Kimmy even started "double-planking" with a friend of hers. Of course, she couldn't stay out of the park (glad she used rental ski's). Katie was rocking toe-side on Saturday. I've so impressed with how proficient and good she's gotten on the board. She's a little freaked out by the steep/ice, but being the trooper she is, she's taking step-by-step and getting more proficient and comfortable.

Sunday, Kimmy and I drove together to the hill while she was working in the rental shop and I was instructing. Missed having dinner with her (I was instructing when she called for her break)...but did get a chance to meet up with her later before I left and she went out to dinner with friends.

Saturday night, took a hot tub and had a big ole robusto cigar while I was cleaning the muscles. Calves and thighs are totally barking today, but it's that really good kind of bark!

More posts and pics to follow!