Becoming a ski instructor at Lake Louise

It is nearing the end of the winter season, so we caught up with one of our interns based at Lake Louise Resort. Lorna has been lucky enough to be chosen to join a selected group of CSIA/CASI certified instructors, to teach the 8-week Bow Valley programme. The multi-week program is taught in an age specific format and runs consecutive Saturdays or Sundays. It promotes strong all mountain skiing/riding skills and mountain safety and will improve all children’s skiing/snowboarding ability.

Lorna explains what it is like teaching this programme at Lake Louise:

The Bow Valley Kids Programme at Lake Louise is a brilliant opportunity to develop the skiing of young children in the local area. I am really enjoying teaching every weekend with the same group of young children and love seeing the progress they are making.

A Ski Instructor has to make many decisions and constantly adapt their teaching on the slopes, and with extreme weather and snow conditions, lessons can sometimes become challenging. However, staying positive and providing hand warmers are sometimes the best solutions in these situations!

When teaching I am always adapting my lessons to the children in my group. I love to keep lessons creative and imaginative. Acting out storybook characters whilst skiing or setting an exercise to look like an aeroplane, are a few ideas of how to keep children enticed. I am looking forward to writing my end of programme reports as I have had the privilege of teaching brilliant children!

I have my Level 2 exam at the beginning of April and now just working on my own skiing whilst joining in with morning sessions with other qualified instructors!