Below is a timetable of the course for the 8 Weeks you will be with us in Val d'Isère.
Week 1
The course begins with a personal performance week, focussed entirely on your own personal skiing or riding. The basic fundamentals of ski technique are covered this week and it is designed to lay the foundations of the course to come. It is full days on the hill, Monday to Friday, and a couple of hours spent off the hill going through video analysis and attending specialist presentations on Biomechanics, Injury Prevention, Equipment and Mountain Safety. It is a busy week, but it sets you up well for the rest of the course. Here is a summary of what to expect this week:
- Personal Performance Training with a BASI Trainer
- Core fundamentals of ski/snowboarding technique
- Video Analysis
- Boot-fitting advice
- Free-ski testing
- Presentation on bio-mechanics and injury prevention
- Presentation on Ski Equipment
- Presentation on Mountain Safety/Avalanche Awareness
Time spent with your Trainer on the hill: 25hrs
Time spent with your Trainer off the hill: 5 hrs
Time spent in specialist evening presentations: 5hrs
Total training time: 35hrs
Week 2
The BASI Level 1 course. The Level 1 Instructor course is a five day course and is the first instructor qualification within the BASI system of training and grading. It is the initial step on the route to becoming eventually an internationally recognised Snowsport Teacher. The course aims to provide you with the basic information and skills which will enable you to develop your practical performance. You will be introduced to the Central Theme which is the BASI progression from no skiing experience through to parallel turns and you will begin to deliver some short lessons. Here is a summary of what to expect this week:
- BASI Level 1 curriculum.
- The BASI Manual and Course resources for this level.
- Personal Performance Training.
- Introduction to the Central Theme.
- Introduction to the Teaching Principles.
- A comprehensive action plan and review with your BASI Trainer on how to develop through the rest of the course.
- The Level 1 course ICE party - a chance to let your hair down after a busy couple of weeks! (if government guidelines allow)
Time spent with your Trainer on the hill: 25hrs
Time spent with your Trainer off the hill: 10 hrs
Total training time: 35hrs
Week 3
Ski school experience week. This week will see you go out with an experienced instructor and a real group of students to see what life is like as a ski or snowboard instructor. An important part of the BASI syllabus and also an opportunity to experience the rigours of ski school life. Here is a summary of what to expect this week:
- Ski school experience sessions
- The highs and occasional lows of teaching skiing
- A warm sense of satisfaction from seeing a group develop and enjoying the sport we all enjoy
Time spent with your Instructor on the hill: TBC
Total training time: TBC
Week 4
Race Week. This week you will receive tuition in both slalom and giant slalom with our experienced team of race coaches. Racing is really good for your skiing and also great fun. Do some timed runs and try and beat your friends!
Here is a summary of what to expect this week:
- Race Training with a BASI Trainer
- Personal performance training sessions with a BASI Trainer
- Continued development towards the Level 2 exams
- Ski tuning clinic
Time spent with your Trainer on the hill: 15hrs
Time spent off the hill: 2hrs
Total training time: 17hrs
Week 5
Performance training and teaching sessions. This week continues your personal development with BASI Trainers as part of the overall programme towards level 2, but you will also do some teaching sessions to practise your teaching skills, giving you time to develop this side of your progression.
Here is a summary of what to expect this week:
- Personal Performance Training with a BASI Trainer
- Teaching development sessions
- Continued performance development towards the Level 2 exams
Time spent with your Trainer on the hill: 15hrs
Time spent off the hill: 2hrs
Total training time: 17hrs
Week 6
Performance training and teaching sessions. This week continues your personal development with BASI Trainers as part of the overall programme towards level 2, but you will also do some teaching sessions to practise your teaching skills, giving you time to develop this side of your progression.
Here is a summary of what to expect this week:
- Personal Performance Training with a BASI Trainer
- Teaching development sessions
- Continued performance development towards the Level 2 exams
- A thorough assessment of where your level lies prior to the Level 2
- Employment seminar on how to find a job and how to progress through the BASI system beyond the course
Time spent with your Trainer on the hill: 15hrs
Time spent off the hill: 2hrs
Total training time: 17hrs
Week 7-8
BASI Level 2. This is the second part of the BASI curriculum and the climax of the course. It is a continuously assessed course which, if successful, culminates in the much coveted Level 2 qualification. The course is physically demanding, as you will spend two blocks of five days involved in lectures, self study, skiing/riding and teaching.
Here is a summary of what to expect this week:
- Personal performance training with a BASI Trainer
- Personal performance assessment to the Level 2 criteria
- Teaching development sessions
- Teaching assessment to the Level 2 criteria
- A mid-course action plan for week 2 of this course
- A result on the last day of the course
- The final party! (if government guidelines allow)
Time spent with your Trainers on the hill: 55hrs
Time spent off the hill: 20hrs
Total training time: 75hrs
The program above follows how the course has run in recent years but should not be viewed as a definitive itinerary which will be communicated to you week to week via the members area of the website. It can be subject to some variation depending on weather conditions and other circumstances, but this will give you a good idea of what to expect.