Poles for Kids?

[rueler]

Again, The kid has been skiing for Three Years. need we go on?
I will bet anyone here that I can get Greg's kid railing turns in four runs!
Any takers?

I agree that she could handle poles. if you read my message, you would have seen that. I just gave some suggestions on skills to look for before handing the poles over. "She's been skiing for 3 years" is not good advice if you have never seen how she skis. I'm sure you can get her "railing" turns...just be sure she's ready for the speed required to do that.

 

[Starter Jackets Rule!]

I agree that she could handle poles. if you read my message, you would have seen that. I just gave some suggestions on skills to look for before handing the poles over. "She's been skiing for 3 years" is not good advice if you have never seen how she skis. I'm sure you can get her "railing" turns...just be sure she's ready for the speed required to do that.

Ooops let me rephrase that I bet that I can bypass all the "stepping stones" Sillynes and have her "Matching" her skis with out one Inkiling of a "pivot" or "shuffle"
How am I doing so far?
What you posted amounts basic skills that are needed to get around on the Flats.
You know like the skills that are needed to get from the snow school learning area to the lifts for a "Never ever".
I am sure that someone that has three seasons under their belt just might be ready to handle sticks in their hands.
Unless they have a severe learning disability.
then they should consider taking up snowboarding.
Hey-Now!

 

[drjeff]

My oldest got her poles in early March of last season soon after she turned 4 and during her 2nd full season (3rd overall). Easy descision for us as her instructor reccommended to my wife and I that our daughter was ready and would benefit from them and also she was excited about getting them(a sign of growing up in her mind).

For a younger child, I would reccommend getting kid specific poles as opposed to cutting an adult set down, this way you'll have a proper swing weight for a child and a proper sized grip.

 

[rueler]

Ooops let me rephrase that I bet that I can bypass all the "stepping stones" Sillynes and have her "Matching" her skis with out one Inkiling of a "pivot" or "shuffle"
How am I doing so far?
What you posted amounts basic skills that are needed to get around on the Flats.
You know like the skills that are needed to get from the snow school learning area to the lifts for a "Never ever".
I am sure that someone that has three seasons under their belt just might be ready to handle sticks in their hands.
Unless they have a severe learning disability.
then they should consider taking up snowboarding.
Hey-Now!

Glad to hear that you are so confident in your abilities.

My message was one of general information...NO S$%T... I know I posted basic skills. That's all that I feel you need to have mastered before you introduce poles. Yes, she is most likely more than ready...as I have stated before. He asked a question that I answered. My information was to give a general idea of where I feel it is developmentally appropriate to introduce poles for ANYONE. It wasn't specific to his daughter because I don't know how she skis. Greg could take that information for what it's worth. It's just advice.

You are clearly no longer offering him anything that covers the topic of his original post...He asked about poles...he didn't ask for a lesson progression of how to get her matching her skis without pivots or shuffles. it's very apparent you're trying to get into a pissing match that I will not be a part of. I surrender!!

 

[ski63]

We started our daughter on skiis just before her 4th B-day. I did not give her poles until her skill level was such that she needed the poles and she was big enought that I did not have to lift her up to get on the chair. We usually ski about 10 days per year so she started with poles when she was 7. As for traversing on flat runs, I would turn my pole around, give her the handle and skate to pull her along.

At 22 years old she is still my favorite skiing buddy!!!
We have 2-3 ski trips planned during her winter break.

 

[ski9]

Ooops let me rephrase that I bet that I can bypass all the "stepping stones" Sillynes and have her "Matching" her skis with out one Inkiling of a "pivot" or "shuffle"
How am I doing so far?
What you posted amounts basic skills that are needed to get around on the Flats.
You know like the skills that are needed to get from the snow school learning area to the lifts for a "Never ever".
I am sure that someone that has three seasons under their belt just might be ready to handle sticks in their hands.
Unless they have a severe learning disability.
then they should consider taking up snowboarding.
Hey-Now!

Heheheh....don't you hate it when you look over your shoulder in the lift line and it's an instructor standing on your tails?

The kid is ready for poles. No worries. If she uses them as a rudder or keeps one or both inside her skis, then correct her. Just keep an eye out so she doesn't get bad habits that are a bitch to break. Kids finally getting poles is like a 16 year old getting car keys....FREEDOM!

 

[Greg]

Thanks for the advice. Maybe this will help. This was her last March:

http://skiadk.com/skivids/Abby_Sugarbush_030608.wmv

She had skied a few times after that last season. This year she started on 20 cm longer skis and new boots and did pretty good after her first run. I think I'll probably go out a few more times with her and then decide.

 

[SkiDork]

Greg, based on that video, here's what I would do:

1) Have her ski for a few days _pretending_ she has poles, i.e. have her put her hands out in front of her in the bump skiing pole position, and keep them there. Then have her flick her wrists in each turn pretending that she's planting. Do a few days of that. She's keeping her hands at her side now so I think the phantom pole practice will help the transition

2) When you see she can do that for an extended period of time (more than 2 or 3 turns) then I would give her the poles and tell her to do the same thing, except with the poles in her hands.

 

[Starter Jackets Rule!]

Thanks for the advice. Maybe this will help. This was her last March:

http://skiadk.com/skivids/Abby_Sugarbush_030608.wmv

She had skied a few times after that last season. This year she started on 20 cm longer skis and new boots and did pretty good after her first run. I think I'll probably go out a few more times with her and then decide.

I would first work on how to learn "Turn Shape" and how it is used to control speed.
Hey smelly telly notice how her left leg produces a cleaner line and the right leg is used as a brace to slow her down?(stem skid/turn)
also notice how when she gets into the apex of the turn(where the most speed is) she atomatically turns into the fall line instead of completing the turn across the fall line thus slowing down the skier along with creating a smooth clean line?
Does any one here have a fix to the actions?and do you have a "Fun" way to go about making her a better skier? Like dork tried to do?

 

[rueler]

she's a good little skier Greg.

SJR is right on with his statement about turn shape. As she develops more consistent shape to her turns, she will begin to access much more terrain with greater confidence and control. What does she feel comfortable skiing on at Sundown Greg??

At her age, it's all about putting on more miles. She is going to get better by being out there for one...at her age another way she'll pick up turn shape is through guided discovery. Greg, if you have her follow you while you're making nice round turns (same turn style as her) it will help give her an example to follow.

As far as drills or exercises to help turn shape there are a million that would help...making them fun is all about the delivery. I personally like J turns to introduce a big shape to a turn...one side at a time...thousand step turns will be helpful as she begins to match her skis more. There's also something that's causing her to have a less smooth transition into her left turns. I'd have to watch the vid again to see. Did you see what it was SJR?

 

[Greg]

What does she feel comfortable skiing on at Sundown Greg??

We've done most of the greens there I think.

 

[Mauleflyer]

My daughter starting skiing at 6, she demanded poles because she wanted to look like a skiier. I am not an "official" ski instructor but I have taught many people in my 29 years of skiing. Personally I don't see an issue with teaching right from the start with poles. My daughter is now 13 yrs old and I would put her up against anyone her age, she is awsome.

 

[dl]

I second the earlier advice about buying adjustable poles. They will serve you well for many years. Leki makes them too. I found some at http://www.snowshack.com/detail/SNW+LE-20187_Leki+Drifter+Junior+Vario+S+Adj+Poles+32-44in.

 

[ski9]

We've done most of the greens there I think.

BTW, Greg, from your video she appears to be about one full season away from being ready for a development race program. Most mountains have a minimum age requirement of 8 yrs., but quietly allow kids who can ski blues and get on/off the chair without help.

Last season, my 7 yr. old---who has been skiing since she was in a front pack---joined our hill's devo race team and she suddenly had five best friends and two coaches she fell in love with. My kid is the smallest, most fragile little girl you could imagine, but something happens when kids ski with other kids. It's odd that she hates when I suggest she ski diamonds with me or her mom, but she'll follow her coach and teammates down Sno's double blacks without a second thought. Where she whines about it being cold when she's with me, she laughs and retells the story about how she crashed at the top of our steep mogul run and went down it head first, looking up at the clouds as she bashed through the bumps while with her team.

It was a bittersweet day when I turned her over to a coach...but I highly recommend doing it.

 

[Greg]

BTW, Greg, from your video she appears to be about one full season away from being ready for a development race program. Most mountains have a minimum age requirement of 8 yrs., but quietly allow kids who can ski blues and get on/off the chair without help.

Last season, my 7 yr. old---who has been skiing since she was in a front pack---joined our hill's devo race team and she suddenly had five best friends and two coaches she fell in love with. My kid is the smallest, most fragile little girl you could imagine, but something happens when kids ski with other kids. It's odd that she hates when I suggest she ski diamonds with me or her mom, but she'll follow her coach and teammates down Sno's double blacks without a second thought. Where she whines about it being cold when she's with me, she laughs and retells the story about how she crashed at the top of our steep mogul run and went down it head first, looking up at the clouds as she bashed through the bumps while with her team.

It was a bittersweet day when I turned her over to a coach...but I highly recommend doing it.

Racing shmacing. I'm grooming her to be a bump skier! Gotta get Sundown to set up a freestyle program. :lol:

Seriously, thanks for the kind words. She actually looked a lot better to me on her first day out this season than in that video. She's bigger and stronger (still a peanut like yours at just over 40 lbs), is skiing longer skis this year and skied more parallel. She did say she likes to go fast, so maybe we do have a little racer on our hands. I joke about the freestyle thing; she can really do whatever she wants. My goal is to make skiing fun for her. I try to let her rule the day when we go out as much as possible; where to ski, how many runs, when to snack. I nudge her here and there, but I try not to put on too much pressure. So far so good. It's amazing to watch kids progress.

 

[SkiDork]

racing is a good foundation. It really helps to learn how to carve very well first, then take it into the bumps.

Both my kids did 2 years of racing (both starting at 6) and then went into the freestyle program (which doesn't take anyone below 8 anyway). You can see how it helped Iceman. The younger one (Snowprincess) is starting freestyle for the 1st time this season. I'll reserve judgement on her for a while.

 

[Greg]

racing is a good foundation. It really helps to learn how to carve very well first, then take it into the bumps.

Both my kids did 2 years of racing (both starting at 6) and then went into the freestyle program (which doesn't take anyone below 8 anyway). You can see how it helped Iceman. The younger one (Snowprincess) is starting freestyle for the 1st time this season. I'll reserve judgement on her for a while.

I really don't know if I have the energy or desire to become a hard core ski racing/freestyle dad. If they want to do it, I'll support them, but quite honestly, I'd rather just free ski with them as much as possible.

 

[ski9]

I really don't know if I have the energy or desire to become a hard core ski racing/freestyle dad. If they want to do it, I'll support them, but quite honestly, I'd rather just free ski with them as much as possible.

Yeah, the foundation racing provides is unequaled, even if kids don't get the fever for it. I suppose Nobis and Olsson are two pretty good examples. We pushed my oldest through her race career and she ended up giving it a go on the Sunday River team while attending Gould Academy. Some good days, but way too much pressure for her and she spent too much time unhappy. Our goal with this one---from lessons learned---is to just help give her all the tools to be a good skier/racer and let her have fun.

Non-travel development race teams are usually extremely cost effective programs for parents. Instead of $40 or $50 a day for 'Snowmonsters' or whatever a hill calls their pay as you go programs, we get 10 full weeks of one (USSA certified) coach per 2 1/2 kids...that amounted to more than 100 hours of on snow training for $300.

Racing isn't always a dirty word 8*)

 

[crank]

Racing shmacing. I'm grooming her to be a bump skier! Gotta get Sundown to set up a freestyle program. :lol:

Seriously, thanks for the kind words. She actually looked a lot better to me on her first day out this season than in that video. She's bigger and stronger (still a peanut like yours at just over 40 lbs), is skiing longer skis this year and skied more parallel. She did say she likes to go fast, so maybe we do have a little racer on our hands. I joke about the freestyle thing; she can really do whatever she wants. My goal is to make skiing fun for her. I try to let her rule the day when we go out as much as possible; where to ski, how many runs, when to snack. I nudge her here and there, but I try not to put on too much pressure. So far so good. It's amazing to watch kids progress.

That was my goal with my son. Just to make it fun and get a lot of mileage in. At 15 he is skiing fast and loose in all types of terrain and conditions. He might be a better technical skier if he had joined a racing program, but he loves skiing as much, if not more, than I do and we have been skiing together most days for the past 11 seasons.

 

[Starter Jackets Rule!]

racing is a good foundation. It really helps to learn how to carve very well first, then take it into the bumps.

Both my kids did 2 years of racing (both starting at 6) and then went into the freestyle program (which doesn't take anyone below 8 anyway). You can see how it helped Iceman. The younger one (Snowprincess) is starting freestyle for the 1st time this season. I'll reserve judgement on her for a while.

Donna weinbrect started out as a USSA racer at Hidden Valley NJ.
Marc Payne turned her on to the world of freestyle skiing long before her days up at K-Ton.
Greg just do not start her off too early American kids will burn out around the age of Fourteen if thy are not standing on the podium at most races.
They learn early just who the competition is... Greg make it FUN for her and let her decide just what event she wants to do.