Guidance for a dad of aspiring tournament slalom skier

[jercrane]

My 14 YO daughter is really interested in skiing a(some) tournament(s) this summer. I'm trying to figure out the best way to support this desire while simultaneously avoiding her getting overwhelmed and feeling defeated. She is not the most "gritty" kid, meaning she is easily defeated by failure. My worst nightmare is I take her to her first tournament, she misses ball 1 on her first pass, and quits skiing altogether. I know that scenario is unlikely but that is way too high a cost.

 

She's a very athletic kid (gymnastics since age 2) and skiing pretty well these days but not like off the charts or anything. She's very close to getting the full pass at 25mph/15off. I haven't wanted to go any slower than this as the wake just seems enormous to me (SN 200). She is a pretty small for her age. Like 5 foot nothing and 90 pounds. Considered going to long line but haven't as I usually don't even have that section in the boat. She crushes the mini course with absolutely no problem and can get the full pass at 25 with a couple speed assists here and there. I'm hopeful that in the next couple weeks she will get the full pass with no speed assist but I know that doesn't mean she's going to get that in a tournament setting.

 

How do I get her into this without screwing it up?

 

Also how much coaching typically happens for kids at local tournaments? The last time I skied a tournament it was a collegiate tournament in the mid 90's and I remember getting yelled at by the driver because I didn't stand on the correct side of the dock waiting for my set. I really want her to have a great first experience where she can learn the ropes a bit and know that its ok to not have a clue how the whole thing works.

 

We are in NH and there's a couple tournaments near by over the next couple months. Wolfboro and Dube's. Maybe folks have experience with which might be better for a kid? I believe Dube's is a "grassroots" tournament? Of course Dube's is a pretty tight course which might add some stress???

 

I'm probably doing that overly stressed dad thing nd should just chill and just let her jump in but any advice and guidance would be great.

[dvskier]

I’d check into getting her enrolled at Cobles Ski School. April Coble and her group will get your daughter into skiing correctly and safely. Definiteont have any issues with a tournament after ski school.

[bojans]

@jercrane I would suggest getting her into a 2 or 3 round slalom tournament that offers a novice division. Even better is they have the 1/2 course balls. You are considered a novice until you run a full pass in a tournament. The site we ski tournaments at around here guarantee 4 passes each round for novice skiers. Most sites will be very accommodating to new skiers. Ask for help, hang out near the starting dock so she can see how things work and most importantly, enter the tournament with her! She will feel much better knowing Dad is out there competing too.

[Jordan]

I don't really have ski specific advice for you. Having said that, I did have two kids in competitive sport, one in high level hockey and one in competitive figure skating.

My best advice is first of all, set your expectations low, and no pressure to start with.

If you can have her compete for the first time at a local club where she has skied before, she will be more comfortable. Even better if her friends are taking part.

When my daughter went to her first skating comps, her coach was with her. Told her where to wait, where to change, when to warm up etc. You might want to see if a local coach or junior skier could help you out.

 

Biggest single piece of advice, dads shouldn't coach. They should encourage and give opportunities. Then let her tell you all about it.

 

Good luck and have fun!

[Than_Bogan]

Both Wolfeboro and Dubes tournaments are very friendly to kids, and will usually feature some parent/kid combos that are both competing. I tend to be the sort who just signs up and sees what happens, but if you prefer to ease into it, you and she could attend a tournament as spectators the first time. Be sure to talk to pretty much everyone, but at Wolfeboro you especially want to find Becky Bartlett who is a long-time tournament skier and does extensive work with young kids.

 

Btw, in my limited experience with gymnastics, it appears to me that gymnastic events are WAY higher pressure than water ski tournaments!

[jercrane]

@dvskier I've had her down to Jodi's Ski Skool twice now. He was fantastic with both my girls. He's the one that got her skiing the course to begin with. Learning to slalom is not really the issue. It's learning to ski in a tournament and go through all the motions of how things work in that setting.

 

@Jordan for sure. I have zero expectations, only hopes and dreams and those are simply that she has fun and finds as much joy in it as I do. I learned a long time ago trying to teach them to alpine ski that Dads shouldn't coach. :)

[jercrane]

@Than_Bogan well maybe that's my problem. I've seen too many of her gymnastics meets. Thanks that is great advice. Probably just need to do it ... both of us. :#

[jcamp]

Go to the Vermont tournament. Close to you, grassroots skiers get a mulligan (so guaranteed two passes each round) and I know of at least two 13 girls (my daughters) who will be there and are skiing around her level.

[Than_Bogan]

@jercrane Many of my best pole vaulters are primarily gymnasts, so I've occasionally tried to support them during their "main" season. Even as an almost-totally-neutral spectator, those events seemed stressful!

To be fair, any competition in which one wants to do well is necessarily stressful, but at least to me the atmosphere at New England waterski events is completely different than those gymnastics meets.

 

One observation I have is that gymnastics seems extremely focused on the failures. Things that are done well are hardly noticed. Ironically, slalom water skiing (and PV and HJ) always ends with failure, but it's the successful part that is your score! It's easier to celebrate success in these events -- every rounded buoy and every completed pass (and every bar that stays on) is exciting!!

[Moffattra]

I think you're in NH? there are lots of SUPER friendly tournaments in the northeast; http://waterskitheeast.com

tournament skiers are crazily excited to welcome new people, especially kids. here are some thoughts:

go to new sites first- it's fun anyway and helps break the comfort of home

practice- some of the tournaments have Friday afternoon practice, HUGE help. unfortunately the VT tourney can't practice on the actual course, but there is one just down the lake

Pangea- crazy friendly people and super non-intimidating setup

get in the boat- volunteer to be in the boat for her rounds

maybe let her skip first round- seeing other kids do it helps sometimes

friends?- if you can get a friend of hers to do it too, there's nothing like peer pressure!

do it with her- she'll probably do better than you and love it...

 

bottom line is that if she has any inclination to go, I think you'll find it friendly, easy, and fun. I hope you go!

[jcamp]

Sorry @Than_Bogan but I would not recommend taking her to a tournament as just a spectator. First, tournaments are BORING if you aren't competing in them. She may never want to go to one again! Second, if she isn't a participant she'll miss out on being on the starting dock with other girls her age. That is where the magic happens, i.e. each of them wishing each other luck, congratulating/consoling them after they ski, etc.

[Bruce_Butterfield]

Several recommendations:

 

1. go to your region’s Junior Development clinic and/or tournament. She will have alot more fun with other kids around vs a bunch adults. Even if its a long distance, the JD programs are the best thing to get and keep kids into tournament skiing.

2. Kids should be able to run 4-5 passes. Repetition is critical for many reasons, not just for tournaments. I know the slow speed wake on the sn200 is big, but the wake is a much lesser hurdle than trying to learn the course at too fast a speed. If she is sinking going slower, shes on the wrong size ski. At 90 lbs and low 20’s she should be on a 65-66” ski. I would also go to long line and learn to ski really wide, pulling way up on the boat on both sides.

3. Get her on a trick ski. Having more than 1 event makes tournaments mentally less stressful and more fun. Especially with a gymnastics background, she can pick up tricks at a surprising rate. It will also directly improve her slalom.

 

[jercrane]

@Bruce_Butterfield interesting ... I have her on a 62" Connelly Prodigy right now but I have an older 65" Concept in the ski locker. You think that would be a better ski and then put her out at long line and drop speed to maybe 21?

 

I mostly went with 25mph because that's what Jodi was skiing her at down there.

 

[Than_Bogan]

@jcamp Fair points. I was thinking more along the lines of "dropping in" for maybe 30-60 minutes. Would you guess that would also be unproductive? Like I said, my own strategy would be to sign up and THEN figure it out, so perhaps I shouldn't be trying to guess what would work for someone with a different way of thinking than my own!!

[Bruce_Butterfield]

A 62” would be ok if she was skiing 30-34mph. So yes I would switch to the 65 and slow down to 20 long line. Ignore the gates and pullout wide on 1 ball. Add gates after she can consistently get all 6.

 

Increase speed in 1 mph increments for now until she can make a bunch of passes.

 

My theory is that repetition of successfully completing passes at slower speed is better than struggling to get a few buoys.

[ScarletArrow]

Everything Bruce has ever said about teaching kids how to ski is right. I’ve followed his prescription almost exactly (I put them on a 62” even at slow speeds) and all of my kids love skiing, love tournaments and are now better than dear old dad.

 

Keep in mind our definition of success is usually different than our kids. We count buoys. They count friends. Make sure she is having fun with other kids - probably at jr. development or a grassroots - and the rest will fall into place.

[Chef23]

I agree with Bruce. When my kids were that size they were skiing at 19 or 21 mph. Definitely slow her down and get her through a few passes.

 

The skiers in the east are super welcoming. I have skied Dubes and Wolfeboro and they are both great sites. @jcamp is a great guy and since he will have a couple of daughters at the VT tournament going there would guarantee some girls to ski with.

[jimski]

Yep

Once she makes friends and is having fun she’ll be hooked

[Bongo]

@jercrane, there is a lot of good advice in the above. Including listening to @Bruce_Butterfield on the mechanics.

 

On the non-ski side, I have found that established skiers and the tournament officials are very happy to welcome new skiers into the sport. Especially if she can ask the questions, even if you may prompt her to do so. In my non-scientific experience, about 75% will happily answer questions - and about 1 in 4 will pull her aside and give her a tour of everything she needs to know. So your goal, dad, will be to find that 1 in 4 to pair her up with and then get out of the way.

 

In my daughters first tournament about 8 years ago, the hosts could not have been any nicer. But were also very busy. By happenstance, one of the judging towers was near where we set up camp for the day. My youngest asked the judge a question. He invited her up to sit near him, and explained everything about what he saw from each slalom skier. Then where Trick would start, when they'd get picked up and taken to the other end, and when they'd get to swim in when they fell and including where to swim to. Same with Jump. And what time the skier's lunch would be served. And where to find the coldest water bottles. While she won't remember it, that was the best welcome she could have received. From a slalom judge who was also a skier who got into 38' off, jumped around 175' and tricked over 5,000.

 

So...finding the 75% of key people who can answer questions is good. Finding the 25% of key people who have the available time and attitude is great. And every tournament and location has these people. Everyone.

 

Bongo

[jercrane]

Thanks all ... great advice. Going to drop her down to 21 on Friday morning when we pull the course up and register for some tournaments today!

 

Will throw the old Concept in the boat too just in case the 62" is sitting too low. I knew I kept that ski around for a good reason.

 

[rfa]

If the sheer weight of "numbers" help, let me add to that...my boys were a little younger, but the experiences were phenomenal then, and the friendships that have lasted for 15 years, priceless. Not once did they have a less than awesome experience with everyone involved -the other kids, parents, officials, all. Best wishes!

[jercrane]

Just registered her for her first tournament!

Also registered for my first in 24 years! :#

[Chef23]

@jercrane are you going to Oakham this weekend? I am not skiing but will be there on Sunday to hang out and catch up with friends. Let me know if you are there and I will make sure to say hello and I can talk to your daughter about the way the site sets up.

[jercrane]

@Chef23 Nope we're going to make Dube's our first and then hopefully hit VT tournament the following weekend if schedule works out.

 

 

[Chef23]

@jercrane I likely won’t be at either of those but they will be a blast.

[Ali]

@jercrane Dubes is my home site and we are super friendly, the more kids that come the better. She can ski grassroots and she will be guaranteed at least 2 passes each round. Great burgers for lunch too!! Any questions let me know

 

Cheers

Ali

[jcamp]

@jercrane I would sign up for the VT tournament relatively quickly. It's almost full. Hard cap is 30 skiers.