Red Mountain 11-week instructor course diary – week 5

This week’s diary comes from Stacey, NONSTOP’s Course Host in Red Mountain. Here’s how she got on being a guinea pig for our new snowboard instructors:

After years of 2-planking it down the mountain, I decided to try the big banana for the first time last week.  It felt great to try something new on-snow, and I took to snowboarding right away.  Dressed appropriately, I found myself 5 great nonstop instructor-to-be’s, and we hit the bunny hill, and the t-bar ALL DAY!  I think that’s the first time in about 15 years that I only made it on the bunny hill and half way up the t-bar.  It was a great way for the Nonstoppers to practice their instructor skills, and a great way for me to get the most out of snowboarding, being a cautious lassie!

I have a new found respect for snowboarders who hang around on the t-bar.  That was the most challenging task, and still is!  I learned all about my snowboard, how to skate, sliding (which I think snowboarders should NOT do), I learned falling leaf, and even pendulum!  By lunch I was ready to make some turns.

After lunch we got back out to the t-bar, and I made it up 3 times in a row without falling, whoop whoop!  I successfully made uncontrolled turns down the fall line!  Very exciting and fun day 1 of snowboarding!

I did my second full day yesterday, and went from having a hard time with power pendulum, to boarding Rino’s Run at the end of the day, with a bit of switch in there, talk about progression.  I got one-on-one instruction from 4-5 different Nonstoppers, which I couldn’t have done without!  After lunch is when the real action came in, making turns, and then linking them, what a rush. I’m digging the toe-side now more so than the heel-side, it’s great to get out of my comfort zone!

Now all I need is practice!  Although I would never give up skiing, it’s great to explore and work on new sports!  Thanks to everyone in NONSTOP to make it happen!

See all the previous course diaries from this year’s instructor cours in Red Mountain here.

Look into doing an ski instructor course in Red Mountain here.

Or snowboard instructor courses here.