Hi All!
another fun and great week for the kids! I'd like to stay on the topic of 'high line'. The Bristol GS will definitely require it on the steep sections and they will have the outside gates to aim at. Please continue to ask you child to try to draw out the highline.
This past week, we worked on Slalom and we had some great runs on some ice on thursday and some soft ice this weekend. The kids really did well! We also got to train with Aylan Woodward on Saturday and she skiied the morning with us...really nice to have a great example to demo for the kids!
STARTING
We had some great start practice this week and the kids are getting the hang of it. Ideally, when they push off, they will lift themselves up and their whole body will be down the hill before they hit the wand. We also worked on skating...the correct form is to land just slightly on the outside edge, roll the ankle, then push off...it takes balance and 'belief'! The last element is a powerful push with the poles and we saw all the kids progress on this!
POLE PLANTS
We continue to work on pole planting and we will focus more on this as we move forward. What we want is them to use the pole plant to move the body foward and over the downhill ski...it takes guts to move into this vulnerable position, but it will come with time. Ayland gave a nice demo of this and helped explain to the kids what to look for.
We also used the 'one-ski' drill to work on moving the weight forward to engage in the next turn. Basically we asked the kids to turn the body downhill...by asking them to think of either 'belly button pointing just downhill of the downhill ski tip' or thing of facing either '1 O'clock or 11' O'clock'. This is the sensation they should feel as they begin to engage the next turn.
EDGING/ANGULATION
We are making lots of progress on this with the kids. The crash drill is really helping them find their limits. We also continue to use the Scholopy drill to help them feel the angles. We aslo mix in the hand clap behind the back to help them get the hips moving forward for the next turn...all the kids are doing well with this drill.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Sunday, January 17, 2010
1-17 Ski Practice/Race Review
Hi All!
It was a great week for all the kids! Thrills & Spills gave all the kids some new learning and successes! We literally had 'personal bests' for each kid in our group in the races this weekend - awesome job to all of them!
There were many great moments this weekend, but one that meant a ton to us was how the kids rallied around Eily after she fell...she was made to feel like it was a 'hero' fall caused by too much speed! What a great moment of sportsmanship!
One of the other really neat things was how all the kids played so well together with the other kids from other clubs...they were having a ball after the race!
Additionally today, we borrowed a drill another coach is using and the kids loved it...it was called the 'falling' or 'crashing' drill. Basically, in a really controlled, one-turn drill, we asked the kids to get as much angulation as they could. It lead to most of them wiping out as they tested the limits of how much angle they could create! They kept asking if we could do it again and again!
Here are couple other things we learned this week:
LINE
When we inspected the course, we talked a lot about 'Line'...QUESTION OF THE WEEK: see if your kids can describe what we discussed. Basically, we talked about where the 'high-line' is, especially on a steep section of the course. The simple way to explain it is...When we race (vs. train) GS they set the outside gate. When standing right under the turning gate, they should be pointed towards the OUTSIDE pole of the next gate. This is roughly the 'high line'.
TURN TIMING
If they stay on the highline, they then should start their next turn when they are above the next gate. At the HH GS on the steep, they would have been ideally starting their turn about 7 to 9 ft above the turning gate. Have your child try to draw it out and see what they come up with!
STARTING
We worked on our start a little as well. We really want the kids to push hard out of the gate while skating...it's coming along!
COURSE INTERFERENCE
One thing we learned was that if there is interfence, the skier much immediately leave the course. If they do, they will be granted a rerun. If they do not, they will not be granted a rerun.
I've updated the videos on YouTube - please go check them out. There is video of all the kids either in training or in the race.
It was a great week for all the kids! Thrills & Spills gave all the kids some new learning and successes! We literally had 'personal bests' for each kid in our group in the races this weekend - awesome job to all of them!
There were many great moments this weekend, but one that meant a ton to us was how the kids rallied around Eily after she fell...she was made to feel like it was a 'hero' fall caused by too much speed! What a great moment of sportsmanship!
One of the other really neat things was how all the kids played so well together with the other kids from other clubs...they were having a ball after the race!
Additionally today, we borrowed a drill another coach is using and the kids loved it...it was called the 'falling' or 'crashing' drill. Basically, in a really controlled, one-turn drill, we asked the kids to get as much angulation as they could. It lead to most of them wiping out as they tested the limits of how much angle they could create! They kept asking if we could do it again and again!
Here are couple other things we learned this week:
LINE
When we inspected the course, we talked a lot about 'Line'...QUESTION OF THE WEEK: see if your kids can describe what we discussed. Basically, we talked about where the 'high-line' is, especially on a steep section of the course. The simple way to explain it is...When we race (vs. train) GS they set the outside gate. When standing right under the turning gate, they should be pointed towards the OUTSIDE pole of the next gate. This is roughly the 'high line'.
TURN TIMING
If they stay on the highline, they then should start their next turn when they are above the next gate. At the HH GS on the steep, they would have been ideally starting their turn about 7 to 9 ft above the turning gate. Have your child try to draw it out and see what they come up with!
STARTING
We worked on our start a little as well. We really want the kids to push hard out of the gate while skating...it's coming along!
COURSE INTERFERENCE
One thing we learned was that if there is interfence, the skier much immediately leave the course. If they do, they will be granted a rerun. If they do not, they will not be granted a rerun.
I've updated the videos on YouTube - please go check them out. There is video of all the kids either in training or in the race.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
1-10 Ski Practice Review
Hi all - just getting used to all this blog stuff...my wife informed me that should write a new 'post'...so maybe this makes sense to you all now! Anyways...we have been adding technique elements with several drills that we began the year with. The new elements are listed below.
Joe Q. is uploading video from the love joy race...Videos will be located here: SkiCoachPete channel
Additionally, we working on racing 'tactics' - which for the most part amount to 'line' through the course and adjusting to steeper and flatter terrain.
Here are the updates to the technique areas:
Skating - strong pushes with rolling the ski on to an edge to push from. I was an ok ski racer, but truly no one ever could beat me to the first two gates, that's where we can shave nearly a second off our times!...we'll aim to have superior starts by the end of the year. My parents would have to call me in at night as a kid because i used to build a start in the back yard and practice starts on my non-training nights...i guess i really liked ski racing! Right now the kids are doing great...and we've only just begun on this area! We are doing lots of skating contests!
Athletic position We used the phrase 'Hugs & Bugs' - it means pretend they are hugging a big tree so their arms are up and also pretending they are squishing a bug between their shin and boot. We want the kids on the balls of their feet the whole time!
Drills - hopping over the pink straps
Parallel position - draw lines...from ankle to ankle, knee to knee, across the hips, across the shoulders. All those lines should be parallel. I am also working witht he kids to keep all those lines parallel as they move through the turn. NEW DISCUSSION points...'uphill hand up' and 'downhill hand down'. Ultimately we are roughly shooting for that the kids can have those lines ALSO parallel with the slope of the hill TOO! Hence, the more the skier goes across the hill, the more pronounced the uphill shoulder, hip and knee will be. If we can get them to keep the uphill hand up, most all of the rest of the elements will naturally fall into place.
Drills - holding poles palm down, downhill hand should be slightly lower...it's that simple!
Hip Angulation
In addition to rolling the ankle and knees...we are really working on the 'C' shape. Ask your kids to demonstrate it to you! in essence, we are trying to get the hip into the hill. It is the 3rd element to angulation.
Drills - Schlopy (Dn hill hand on hip/behind hip, uphill hand up and forward), 'C' or as the kids called it 'Banana' shaped drill
Dynamic Hips Hips moving forward and over the downhill ski.
Drills - Schlopy drill with clap behind back. We incorporated a clapping of the hands behind the hips right as we complete the turn. This forces the hips forward and helps us move weight into the direction of the next turn. This is really advanced stuff for the kids, but they mastered this drill the first time! Very impressive!
Pole Planting - We are working on this, they are getting it...I am asking them to 'reach' and make a solid pole plant. We have more work to do in this area. All the kids should have this on their short list of things to work on. Many years ago, Dan Strip was sent home from the US ski team for a month to work on technique. He came to lake placid, where i was at. i had the chance to spend literally most of that month as his pesty little shadow...we worked on pole plants every day, it was incredible!
TACTICSLine through the courses. we are focusing on the 'high line'. The kids are doing great at it. On steep terrain, they have to master it and i really saw some great execution this weekend!
Joe Q. is uploading video from the love joy race...Videos will be located here: SkiCoachPete channel
Additionally, we working on racing 'tactics' - which for the most part amount to 'line' through the course and adjusting to steeper and flatter terrain.
Here are the updates to the technique areas:
Skating - strong pushes with rolling the ski on to an edge to push from. I was an ok ski racer, but truly no one ever could beat me to the first two gates, that's where we can shave nearly a second off our times!...we'll aim to have superior starts by the end of the year. My parents would have to call me in at night as a kid because i used to build a start in the back yard and practice starts on my non-training nights...i guess i really liked ski racing! Right now the kids are doing great...and we've only just begun on this area! We are doing lots of skating contests!
Athletic position We used the phrase 'Hugs & Bugs' - it means pretend they are hugging a big tree so their arms are up and also pretending they are squishing a bug between their shin and boot. We want the kids on the balls of their feet the whole time!
Drills - hopping over the pink straps
Parallel position - draw lines...from ankle to ankle, knee to knee, across the hips, across the shoulders. All those lines should be parallel. I am also working witht he kids to keep all those lines parallel as they move through the turn. NEW DISCUSSION points...'uphill hand up' and 'downhill hand down'. Ultimately we are roughly shooting for that the kids can have those lines ALSO parallel with the slope of the hill TOO! Hence, the more the skier goes across the hill, the more pronounced the uphill shoulder, hip and knee will be. If we can get them to keep the uphill hand up, most all of the rest of the elements will naturally fall into place.
Drills - holding poles palm down, downhill hand should be slightly lower...it's that simple!
Hip Angulation
In addition to rolling the ankle and knees...we are really working on the 'C' shape. Ask your kids to demonstrate it to you! in essence, we are trying to get the hip into the hill. It is the 3rd element to angulation.
Drills - Schlopy (Dn hill hand on hip/behind hip, uphill hand up and forward), 'C' or as the kids called it 'Banana' shaped drill
Dynamic Hips Hips moving forward and over the downhill ski.
Drills - Schlopy drill with clap behind back. We incorporated a clapping of the hands behind the hips right as we complete the turn. This forces the hips forward and helps us move weight into the direction of the next turn. This is really advanced stuff for the kids, but they mastered this drill the first time! Very impressive!
Pole Planting - We are working on this, they are getting it...I am asking them to 'reach' and make a solid pole plant. We have more work to do in this area. All the kids should have this on their short list of things to work on. Many years ago, Dan Strip was sent home from the US ski team for a month to work on technique. He came to lake placid, where i was at. i had the chance to spend literally most of that month as his pesty little shadow...we worked on pole plants every day, it was incredible!
TACTICSLine through the courses. we are focusing on the 'high line'. The kids are doing great at it. On steep terrain, they have to master it and i really saw some great execution this weekend!
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