Superstars and Kindersparks
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Superstars is Saturday and Sunday from 9-noon for 6 weeks beginning in January. You will be with the same group for the whole season
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Kindersparks is Saturday and Sunday from 1-2 pm for 6 weeks beginning in January. Groups will be with the same instructors for 6 weeks, and there will also be a first time group with different kids every week.
Kids will have bibs with their names on them. The kinderspark's parents are often watching, and may want to talk with you after the lesson.
It is critical to know how many kids are in your group and keep track of them so one gets lost. Each group will have a number or name, tell them not to leave their group. There are first time and experienced groups. Call kids by their names.
Ask them if their feet hurt or if they are getting cold.
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Team teaching
​Kindersparks and Superstars have at least two instructors per group to team teach. Both instructors must be very attentive and help the children. Anticipate what all the children around you may need, not just the one you are looking at. Notice if they are upset, bored, need extra help.
Bring a lot of energy to make this fun. Provide feedback during or immediately after their performance by saying things like, "Yes, that is it, great job".
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If kids need to change groups, or to be taken inside for a bathroom break, communicate clearly with your partner so everyone knows what is happening.
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Using the carpets
Have your skis off to help children walk on and off the wonder carpets. Know where the emergency stop button is.
If you are loading at the bottom, help them walk onto the carpet, they may need a little push between their hips. Keep the spacing correct. Provide feedback as they come down. Help them get up if they fall.
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If you are in the middle stand perpendicular to the kids in the athletic position so they can see you as you give feedback. Stop and reposition them if necessary, or add speed if needed. You may also be a stopping point for games, holding a T bar to go under, or guiding them where to point their toes when turning.
If you are unloading on top you need to be quick. Help them unload, walk off, and get into position, this is a hands on job! There may be two people on top at first. The snow can be slow or fast, so you may have to add speed or slow them down. Be sure to aim them in the right direction.
Use tools when needed like T bar, tip ties, Ski Rings, or wedge maker. Put hands on knees when needed.
Check the bottom of the skis if they are not sliding; there may be ice forming that needs to be scraped off. Use the other ski as a scraper; this may have to be done several times until the skis get cold.
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The big carpet
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We will go from the small carpets to the rope, but there are times when we may use the big carpet if the rope is not working, the snow is very slow, or the kids can't grab it. The kids can go up with their skis off so they can exit before the top. Keep them together as a group with good spacing. Ask the public to wait until your group is loaded together. When a group can stop and turn well they can also use the big carpet.
​​​​ Using the rope
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One instructor will load and another unload, both in boots.
At the bottom help kids walk to the rope, stand next to it, with both skis pointing uphill, and squeeze slowly. Give a push or catch them if they fall forward, support the rope if they try to sit down or lean on the rope.
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On top, help them step off the rope and set up in their athletic stance. If they are going to line up on the hill make sure the skis are across the hill with knees pointing uphill.
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Tasks
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Have a set of tasks or games for the kids to do.
With flat work it can be things like one or two ski races, skating, monster steps (herringbone), side stepping, boot work, sit and make a wedge, or stepping in circles. You can go back to flat work once on the lifts to mix things up.
Every two or three runs, gather the group at the bottom and practice the next task with them, things like-
1- French fries and pizza
2- Stand like playing soccer
3- Stand on toes
4- Bounce like a bunny, or ball, or on a bed
5- Crush the grape in front of boots, nose over toes
6- Tall and small
7- Duck under T bar
8- Jump at every cone
9- Combine the jump then ducking under the T bar
10- Stop at every cone
11- Red light green light game
12- Who can stop the fastest
11-Turn at each cone by pointing their big toes
12- Who can make the most turns
13- Make big turns then small turns
14- Turn to a stop
15- Bounce through turns
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Give verbal feedback: hands up, look downhill, stand up on your toes, point your toes at each other and push your heels out. Show them and position them if necessary; you have to be very active physically and verbally.
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Experienced kids
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Kids who have skied before often use a big wedge and lean back. They turn their shoulders and lean inside the turn. They like to ski fast.
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On a more gentle part of the run work on turning-
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1- Gliding wedge runs- flexing ankles forward, bouncing on toes, wedge change ups, braking wedges staying in their athletic stance not leaning back
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2- Gliding wedges for three seconds. Point big toes one way, straight downhill. Then the other way. Straight, turn, straight.
3- In a gliding wedge for three seconds push on right toe to go left and the left toe to go right. Be sure it is like kneeling down not moving the knee inside.
4- Combine pushing on the big toe and pointing it
5- Make three big turn then three small turns
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6- Bounce three time on the big toe when turning
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7- Push down on the knee when turning
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8- Turn to the stop in both directions
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9- Go down to finish the turn and up to start
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10- Step on the new outside ski early to match skis parallel. Early weight transfer
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