1. What snowboarding skills do I need to attend the training?
Basic boarding skills and a moderate command of riding different terrains are needed. However, we ensure each participant reaches the maximum possible progress regardless of his or her previous experience.
2. Can I attend the training with an alpine snowboard?
You can attend the Snowboard Instructor Level I. training with an alpine snowboard; however a freeride board is better as it has softer bindings. At L1, we practice a lot of sliding at low speed, for which alpine boards are not appropriate. At higher levels (instructor level II.) it is virtually impossible to successfully complete the training, as this course includes many freestyle elements.
3. Must I be a Slovenian citizen to attend the training?
No. Citizens from Slovenia, Croatia, Italy, Hungary, Macedonia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Great Britain, etc., all attend our training courses. The IVSI licence you obtain is valid internationally.
4. How do I apply?
Find the “application form” link on our website. Please fill it in and send to maks@duds.si. You can find our payment details under the same link.
5. Is the title recognised in the whole of Slovenia?
After successfully completing the exam, each candidate shall receive a ZUTS membership card, which is valid throughout Slovenia. At additional cost you may also receive the IVSI card, which enjoys international recognition.
6. Which aspects are given most emphasis?
Since freestyle is the main boarding trend, it’s here that we give most emphasis during training and when discussing practical skills and theory. Here, greatest emphasis is on didactics and teaching methodology.
7. How many boarders are there in each group?
Each group includes five to ten boarders.
8. What happens in a training day?
Usually we meet at 8 a.m., after the ski lifts start. After warm up we perform practical training on the snow until around noon, when we take a lunch break. Between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. we again have practical training on the snow, and after that video analysis and various lectures. The exact programme differs depending on the ski resort, as the finish of the day depends on the time of the last ski lift and various other circumstances.
9. Is it worth coming to the training?
The training is comprised of six days of pleasant socialising, where each participant improves his snowboarding skills. The satisfaction of the participants is apparent from our anonymous surveys, where we received an average mark of 4.87 out of 5 from participants of last season's trainings. The value of skills learned and the advantages received is undoubtedly greater than the cost of the course.
10. How many participants successfully complete Level I. training?
The 2004/5 season was as follows: Level I. training was attended by 108 participants. Except from one, all participants (99.07%) successfully finished. Of this number, 21 participants (19.44%) re-took their exam before successfully completing training and attaining Snowboarding Instructor Level I.
11. How many girls attempt these licences? I'm afraid I'll be the only one!
Do not worry. Statistically, 24.7% of participants are female. Only if you are incredibly unlucky will you be the only female on any one course, usually, there are always enough of you.
12. What can be found on your DVD? Why do you only promote freestyle boarding?
The whole DVD has been recorded demonstrating freestyle / freeride snowboards, which does not mean that the DVD does not contain anything that may be relevant to you. Physics and biodynamic laws are the same for alpine and freestyle. The decision concerning the DVD’s content was easy. On a world scale, only 3-5% of boarders practice alpine style. In Slovenia, at the beginning this figure was closer to 40%; however it is constantly declining and becoming closer to the world average.
The reasons for fewer people practicing alpine style are practical:
1. EQUIPMENT: Until around 1998, freestyle equipment was of relatively low quality. Boots were soft and did not enable good control of the board, bindings were of poor quality, and most boards were soft. With such equipment “Vitelli” would not be possible on snow. However, with the development of equipment, the differences have become significantly smaller. Modern freeride equipment is relatively hard and allows good carving with knees close to the ground.
2. APPLICABILITY: Alpine boards allow carving – incredible carving at that, but still only carving. With good freestyle equipment, you can have the same feeling, while riding powder, doing a jump or two, riding through a halfpipe, as well as gliding turns, fakie gliding, and a million of other possibilities.
The decision depends on what you would like to perform on the snow. If you would like to carve all the time and do just that, stay with the alpine style equipment. If you are interested in everything else, get good freeride equipment (such as Elan Vertigo, Burton freeride bindings, and Deeluxe Vicious boots). It will not be cheap, but this will give maximum pleasure for years to come. You may want to try out this equipment by borrowing from a friend who has it, but make sure it isn’t bad quality, soft equipment, as in this case you will find it pointless.
13. Can snowboarding be a way of life?
Yes, an international Instructors’ licence can be your ticket to having fun and earning money on Vogel, in Aspen or even in New Zealand. ”When the snow melts in Aspen, I'll go to Australia and teach there.” - Simon, snowboarding instructor.
The licence which you receive after your Snowboarding instructor training is recognised internationally. You may want to apply to work as a snowboarding instructor at the following links:
USA ski centres:
1. Aspen (Colorado)
http://www.aspensnowmass.com/companyinfo/employment/default.cfm
http://www.aspensnowmass.com/companyinfo/employment/currentopenings.cfm
2. Park City (Utah)
http://www.parkcitymountain.com/winter/company/employment/International_Applicants/index.html
http://www.parkcitymountain.com/winter/company/employment/Current_Openings/index.html
3. Avon (Colorado), Beaver Creek (Colorado), Breckenridge (Colorado),
Keystone (Colorado), South Lake Tahoe (California), Vail (Colorado)
http://skijob1.snow.com/info/gaj.jt.ss.asp
In the search field to the left, select the location you fancy, select whether you are looking for seasonal or all year-round work, and select the work category. Choose Ski & Ride School for snowboarding instructor opportunities.
4. Copper Mountain (Colorado)
http://www2.pleaseapply.to/copper/
5.Steamboat (Colorado)
http://www.steamboat.com/findJob.aspx?CategoryId=113
6. Mammoth Mountain (California)
http://jobs.mammothmountain.com/sports/index.cfm
7.Killington (Vermont)
http://www.killington.com/jobs.html
Ski centres in Canada:
Whistler Blackcomb (British Columbia)
http://www.whistlerblackcomb.com/employment/careercentre.asp
http://www.whistlerblackcomb.com/employment/jobtype.asp
14. A question from an instructor from Croatia regarding the frequency of wrist fractures
The problem concerning damage to wrists is a challenge for every instructor. As you have rightly pointed out, injuries occur once boarders have all more or less learned how to snowboard. According to a number of different research articles, this is the most critical time since the pupil is assuming that he has mastered the skill, his concentration falls a little and...
Unfortunately there is no miracle that could completely prevent injuries. Personally, as a snowboard instructor I would pay particular attention to the following:
• Inappropriate equipment (particularly boots that are too big, very old and soft)
• Inappropriately fixed equipment (boots that are not fastened properly or poorly tightened bindings cannot ensure good control of the board)
• Ending training sessions before a pupil gets tired out
• Avoiding training on hard, icy slopes
• Repeatedly reminding pupils to make long, wide, giant slalom turns, since quickly moving the board’s edge results in a crash and a hard fall.
The above advice will not prevent all injuries: however it may reduce them to a minimum.
15. A snowboard instructor from Macedonia wants to know how to order our DVD
Make a remittance of EUR 20 to our bank account.
Bank transfer data:
Društvo učiteljev deskanja na snegu
Zgoša 23
4275 Begunje
Slovenia
SKB Banka Ljubljana d.d.
Account number: SI56031271000397413
Swift: SKBASI2X
At the same time please e-mail your address to maks@duds.si.
We shall send you the DVD after receipt of your payment.
16. I am interested in a course to acquire the tile of snowboard instructor. Do I have to take all 3 training levels or can I jump any of them?
At level 1 you learn a vast amount of information on boarding, get a wider appreciation of the skills needed and you are taught how to teach others. After completed 20-hours of practice, you can attend level 2 which is oriented towards freestyle, with a continued focus on teaching skills. Level 3 is the highest and the most difficult one and it allows you to become a professional snowboard instructor. Unfortunately, levels cannot be jumped. I can assure you that even many very good
snowboarders find level 1 difficult and have to work very hard to acquire the title.
17. Some information regarding boarder camp 2007 at Vogel
Everyone is welcome at the freestyle camp whether they possess the instructor’s licence or not although having the knowledge and skills learnt at training courses organized for instructors makes participation a little easier. By self-learning one learns a personal technique (this was true for me) which may in certain situations prove to be a disadvantage.
Irrespective of this I am sure that anyone will successfully participate in the freestyle camp and will be satisfied with the skills they learn. One of the good things of a freestyle camp is the fact that at the end there is no exam (as is the case with the instructors’ courses) and therefore the whole experience is more relaxed.
18. In practice, what does three years experience mean for participation at the course at Vogel?
Well, this is always a relative question. If you are capable of smoothly managing any slopes there should be no problems. You don't need to worry of any pro riders joining the course as most participants will be snowboarders with intermediate snowboarding skills. However, it will be beneficial to you if prior to joining the camp you have as much practice on the snow as possible. This way you will find it easier to learn new skills and you will be able to try many different skills and new
things. My advice would be to come and see for yourself- I'm sure you will not be sorry.
Any other questions?
If you have any other questions or answer you would like to see placed on this site please e-mail: maks@duds.si with the Subject line: "Frequently asked question for publication on the web site".
