Coaching tips for kids starting the course?

[skihart]

I ski with quite a few kids who are all between 6-12. They are really interested in learning how to ski the course. I have them doing the half course and that is going well. The transition to full course is causing more issues.

I find myself wanting to coach them in adult terms. I think they understand the concept of stack but am having trouble with anything other than that. I don't think I should even mention handle control or counter rotation so I was hoping someone might have some good tips or drills for helping them get a full pass in.

Thoughts?

[MrJones]

Kids are tough. They all have different styles and ability to handle things. You do have to keep it simple. As a parent of 3 young skiers I am very guilty of making this over complicated at times.

 

My two swing thoughts for you are to focus on standing with good balance on the ski and try to get them skiing across the wakes rather than at the buoys. Starting wide of 1 ball making the turn before they actually get to the buoy can help. It sounds old school, but simply trying to make the white water on the other side of the wakes the "finish line" for direction across is one we are using at the moment.

 

Good luck and good on you for bringing kids to the sport!

[Bruce_Butterfield]

This may not be what you want to hear, but I think kids learn a lot faster on 2 skis and doing the full course. You can go as slow as 10mph for the lighter kids, especially if you use the wide shaped skis. They will learn to run a LOT of passes without sinking at the buoy or taking OTFs.

 

Make them a deal that when they run 4 passes, starting as slow as they want, increasing by 2mph each pass, then they can try slalom.

 

I'm not a fan of the mini course. Both my kids started the full course on 2 skis.

 

Use a light weight 1/4" rope so it won't get caught in the wakes.

 

My $0.02

[MrJones]

+1 on what Bruce said. All of our kids started the course, and skied their first regionals, on a pair of tiny Kidder jumpers with good Wiley bindings on them. (Some of my wife's gear from jumping as a kid) Super stable and easy to ride. When they started to slalom the course they already had the concept down.

 

Can't believe I forgot to mention that.

[JohnN]

Tactics - I've had good luck with having kids finish the turn at the ball (as opposed to ski around the ball). Gives them a bunch more time to get across the course. +1 for wide skis, slow speeds, light rope, and working outside in (outside 1, shadow 2,3, 4, 5 go around 6 then add 2 and 5, then 3 and 4, then add gates). When they're close and looking good, but get behind by 3 or 4 make sure they're getting enough width before turning in for the gate. Big picture, focus on body position, head/hips/arms/grip if on one ski.

[boarditup]

Kids think in literal terms. They also tend to focus on what they see. So, they ski to the buoy not thinking about it as the finish of the turn, but the target of the pull. I have put in a pre-buoy as a visual target about 10-feet up course so they know where the visual target is. It makes timing a lot easier. Typically I use a noodle on a cement block.

[sunperch]

We drew a ski course with sidewalk chalk the size of our driveway and had them "run" it with their scooters. It helped them know where they were in the course, demonstrate cause and effect of getting different angles, etc....... The most important thing to teach first is body position/pulling behind the boat.

[elr]

The thing I told my son that helped the most was "get out to where the buoys are (e.g. the buoy line) fast as you can." I also had him run the big course on whatever he was riding at the time, be it a ski skimmer, wakeboard, doubles, slalom ski with a huge weave that got smaller and smaller.

[Deep11]

Keeping it fun but stopping bad habits early - from the off I taught my kids to turn with their hips rather than lean or shoulders. Think it's paying dividends now :

My son is a reluctant skier, only skiing a few sets a year due to school and other commitments,he has been skiing two handed throughout but this is a photo from the first pass he tried letting go with one hand. ( wish I looked as good as this).

Wish I could get him to ski some more - there is potential there I think.

 

[skihart]

Great stuff guys, I appreciate the input. I think that the smAller kids would be happy to try doing the course one two but the ones who have graduated to one ski might be more difficult to convince. I think that it's a great tactic though. I will get the smaller ones going on that asap.

 

It seems that one of the main reasons they can't make the next buoy is that they always let up at the wake and bounce rather than hold their pull. Any tricks to get them to keep on edge through both wakes?

 

 

 

[A_B]

If you have access to an accufloat with the mid buoys, they make a great mini course. They can develop a good sense of staying on edge through the wakes without needing to go at break neck speeds. Once they start getting around the mid buoys, have them try to get earlier and get close to the real buoys. A good next step is to have them get out to the real buoys on their good side pulls and mid course buoys on the offside leans. Then try to pickup one on the offside lean (which would be their onside turn) and then on the onside lean. It is a fun exercise and everyone in the boat cheers them on as they make progress.

[GOODESkier]

Let them ski....... Better yet, let them all ski together! I have learned my son already knows more than I do at the age of 6......... He is killing it, and I need to remember to let him be his own boss. Allow him to tell me when to bump up the speed, when to spin, when to drop, when to head to the dock. Too much coaching is not always the answer either. I try to insist on safety and good basics of body position. Honestly, let them choose the rest! The more they can ski with someone just a few steps ahead of them, THE BETTER!

[Texas6]

I try not to get to serious on the lake with my boys. I want to make it a time they enjoy and look forward to. I do coach them but I try and keep it really simple, just one thing at a time.

[A_B]

We used O'Brien Jr Amigos when the kids were in that 5-10 range and my daughter was able to use the slalom ski through the course nicely at a really slow speed due to the width. We had a break in and they were stolen from our shed, and I couldn't find them to replace. If you can find something similar, I wouldn't hesitate using in course at trick skiing speeds.

[Chef23]

I started my kids on the mini course but as they made passes I shortened the rope so they got used to having to work some to get to the balls. When I got to 32 off we put it on long line and went to the full course. I had them start out wide of 1 ball then pull for 2. If they missed 2 stay out and go around 4 and pull for 5. I told him to pretend the ball was a boat length before where it was to try and get him there early. I drew pictures in the sand of a course and what he needed to do as far as getting there early.

 

That is the way I learned when I was young. For my son it clicked one night after 2 or 3 times in the course he went from barely getting to 2 ball to running full passes. I think he was 7 or 8.

 

I will add that it worked for us but @Bruce_Butterfield has forgotten more about slalom than I know and his kids are better skiers than mine so I would give his method some thought.