BASI - REACH THE LEVEL

How can you ensure that your skiing performance is ‘up to scratch’ whoever the assessor, whatever the conditions, whatever the criteria, whatever the level?

How can you be completely assured of attaining a PASS for your ski instructor exams?

The first thing to do is to check your understanding of skiing performance.

The type of skiing performance that you’re training for can be placed onto a continuum of open and closed skills. Closed skills (those that are repeated and not affected by external factors) being at one end and Open skills (those that are constantly changing in relation to external factors) at the other.

Where does your skiing and the type of performance you’re practicing fit into the open and closed environment?

To check your understanding: think of running through a crowded bar carrying a tray of drinks and describe your movements accurately, then repeat the feat exactly. Impossible! Now take that scenario and think of skiing. Imagine standing at the top of a mountain. Set off, it’s steep, 40 degrees, off-piste, soft snow and deep. Half way down the slope narrows, the snow gets heavier, wind blown, obstacles, then into a heavily skied section with moguls, small, spread out then bigger bumps, tight with a rut line. Onto the piste, fast, hard snow, ice. Around the corner the slope narrows then widens, speed varies, the line changes.

Now describe it accurately and repeat the feat exactly. Impossible!

So what type of performance are you developing? Closed or open? Repetitive or constantly varying?

The scenario with practicing closed skills (repetitive movement patterns) is that depending on your assessor the performance they want to see may vary. The performer can end up going around in circles trying to perfect a closed skill that they believe is the one the assessor wants to see. The problem is the assessors change and so does the criteria.

It comes as no surprise that those skiers trained in open skills pass their ski instructor exams with relative ease because they are able to adjust their performance accordingly to external factors. So if an assessor sets the objective, and if the performer is skilled enough in the open skill then it’s relatively straight forward to achieve what is being asked, whoever the assessor, whatever the criteria.

BASI has a world-renowned structure as regards the open skills in skiing known as the Fundamental Elements and their Components. A true understanding of these and the ability to adjust and apply them in a constantly changing environment is the key to attaining a PASS for your ski instructor awards.

It’s not simple or quick and you must not cut corners - but with Snoworks PRO training we can teach you all the skills you need.

For more information on Open and Closed skills and Subjective and Objective performance check out the Snoworks Blog.

Phil Smith – Snoworks Director

Snoworks enjoys a long-standing affiliation with BASI (British Association of Snowsport Instructors) going back some 20 years which is flourishing today with all three Snoworks Directors qualified to the highest BASI level and a strong Professional training programme actively promoting BASI qualifications. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT SNOWORKS & BASI