The Industry View on Spring Skiing

[prsboogie]

Doesn't it tell you something that when they repeated the offer in April nobody came?

Nope, it means they need to give more than a weeks notice if they are interested in drawing a crowd.

I do think it being Easter weekend also had a lot to do with the lack of crowds. I was headed there on Saturday as of Thursday night but woke to a kid with Scarlett Fever and Strep Throat on Friday. Shot the weekend in the A$$!

Trying to get out Sunday and just got the baseball practice schedule, Tue, Thur Sat Sun, wtf!! Guess he's missing one day of practice!!!

Its hard because you want your kids rounded but you don't want to miss a day of skiing since the season is way shorted than the "rest of the year"!

 

[dlague]

Yup!

The modern reality (a combo of many parents skewed views on their kids athletic abilities and coaches unrealistic views based on many parents unrealistic views) is that youth sports have gone away from the older model where diversity of sports played by kids across all seasons was encouraged and "specialization" in a particular sport by a kid essentially year round was rare.

Nowadays the norm, and in general I think this is a bad idea, is to have kids at an early age start specialization in one particular sport year round and not diversify. Sure, my kids ski a lot, but they also play soccer and golf and run. All of those sports could be a year round event for us, but we choose for them not to be.

That is tough to do in today's world, and its why non skiing sports DO have a large adverse effect on crowd numbers in the spring since many parents are almost afraid to have their kids miss a practice for fear of loss of potential playing time

LaCrosse is now starting and we will potentially miss a few days due to that but if my son has a morning game then we will go for it over the next couple weekends and get some turns. However we are not the norm. We used to have a son that played football and there were November turns that were missed during playoffs. Because our kids had a passion for skiing none of them played winter sports. However, soccer and lacrosse have gone indoors for clinics and indoor leagues and we have blown those off. Most coach's these days are trying hard to get kids to play a single sport year round to improve potential in future years. That is not our focus. Sports is all about fun for our kids. As a result we have minimal impact on ski season and hit 40+ days per season.

 

[BenedictGomez]

I've known a couple kids that have given up skiing to focus on other sports and have never really been a fan of the idea..

Shared a table at Castlerock Pub a few weeks ago with a family from CT who was on their first ski trip in FIFTEEN years because of their son's hockey schedule. Lesson learned. As much as I love ice hockey, my kids can play pond hockey rather than competitively.

Very well said. 99% of these kids are chasing something they will never catch. They would be much better served by having diverse experiences when it comes to sports.

Not to mention, mentally healthier, well-adjusted, less stressed, and likely healthier.

 

[marcski]

Other than skiing, winter organized sports are banned from our household. As it is, my kids have missed a few early season indoor soccer and lax practices. I was picking up at Lax last night and someone said how it WAS such a good ski season. My response was that it is not over; it's still going on. We're heading back on Friday. Skiing trumps all!

 

[deadheadskier]

Unless my kid absolutely ends up hating the sport, that's the approach I plan on taking. :lol:

Is 21 days old too young to get him started? Maybe I'll drag him out there this weekend.

 

[mikestaple]

Kids sports kills the family going up to the mountains after March 31st. I have 30 minutes booked on IBM's Watson to crunch sports taxi logistics for the next 90 days. With the East German Olympic training levels of kids sports - down to the pre elementary age - there isn't a single free day, less a weekend day, until sometime in June.


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[joshua segal]

Unless my kid absolutely ends up hating the sport, that's the approach I plan on taking. :lol:

Is 21 days old too young to get him started? Maybe I'll drag him out there this weekend.

Whether you do or do not, that you're thinking about it, is commendable!

BTW, I started to ski when I got cut from my college's varsity hockey team. Best thing that ever happened to me! No one my age is still playing hockey - and what other sport but skiing is so intergenerational that grandparents, parents and children can all participate together? And when kids become teenagers and don't want to be seen with parents, the ski area is the one place where even if they won't ski with you, you have the "quality time" of the drive.

What is the real value of organized kids sports? It used to be to have fun and 3-letter athletes were routine. The specialization in today's schools IMO is very short-sighted.

 

[VTKilarney]

and what other sport but skiing is so intergenerational that grandparents, parents and children can all participate together?.

Golf. But a good marketing director would know that.

 

[dlague]

Other than skiing, winter organized sports are banned from our household. As it is, my kids have missed a few early season indoor soccer and lax practices. I was picking up at Lax last night and someone said how it WAS such a good ski season. My response was that it is not over; it's still going on. We're heading back on Friday. Skiing trumps all!

Right on! NOT DO NE for us either.

Unless my kid absolutely ends up hating the sport, that's the approach I plan on taking. :lol:

Is 21 days old too young to get him started? Maybe I'll drag him out there this weekend.

Great idea. Haven't gotten him out yet? Haha

 

[Smellytele]

Unless my kid absolutely ends up hating the sport, that's the approach I plan on taking. :lol:

Is 21 days old too young to get him started? Maybe I'll drag him out there this weekend.

Never too early to start the brainwashing process. I did with getting my kids to not like basketball, not really on the getting them to love skiing. That part came naturally.

 

[hammer]

Never too early to start the brainwashing process. I did with getting my kids to not like basketball, not really on the getting them to love skiing. That part came naturally.

Unfortunately I wasn't successful in getting the kids to catch the skiing bug. Was a bit more challenging because my wife and I were essentially learning at the same time as they were. Main thing we did was get the kids into ski programs in school so that if they decide at some point to take it back up again at least they have the skills.

 

[joshua segal]

Golf. But a good marketing director would know that.

The word you apparently missed was "together". A good marketing director notices that.

While all ages can participate in golf, with women's tees and men's tees and limited abilities of sub-10 year olds, I don't think I've ever seen a husband, wife and two kids as a foursome. Any other suggestions?

 

[dlague]

what other sport but skiing is so intergenerational that grandparents, parents and children can all participate together?

Golf. But a good marketing director would know that.

Candle-pin Bowling

 

[dlague]

The word you apparently missed was "together". A good marketing director notices that.

While all ages can participate in golf, with women's tees and men's tees and limited abilities of sub-10 year olds, I don't think I've ever seen a husband, wife and two kids as a foursome. Any other suggestions?

My wife and I golf with our 12 year old - however, not as much as we ski together.

 

[joshua segal]

Candle-pin Bowling

Good one!

 

[VTKilarney]

The word you apparently missed was "together". A good marketing director notices that.

While all ages can participate in golf, with women's tees and men's tees and limited abilities of sub-10 year olds, I don't think I've ever seen a husband, wife and two kids as a foursome. Any other suggestions?

Now you are just being silly.


.

 

[deadheadskier]

The word you apparently missed was "together". A good marketing director notices that.

While all ages can participate in golf, with women's tees and men's tees and limited abilities of sub-10 year olds, I don't think I've ever seen a husband, wife and two kids as a foursome. Any other suggestions?

Huh?

When I used to play golf, my brother and I played with our parents as a foursome all the time. We took a family trip to Florida every Thanksgiving for many years. Often times we'd play with my grandfather too if you want to bring in the three generations argument.

Your men's and lady's tee comment shows a fundamental lack of understanding of the game. Those tees on the average golf course are maybe 50 - 100 feet apart on most holes and do not exclude people from playing together.

You know Josh it's okay to admit when someone else brings up a good and valid point like VTK did with golf. If arguing against every single counter point to yours in this thread is your goal, I'd say you've succeeded. In the art of persuasion, give and take is your friend.

 

[VTKilarney]

I didn't even mention hiking, bicycling, and sailing - all of which are activities we have done as a family. We were hiking from the time our first child could fit in one of those backpack carriers.

 

[deadheadskier]

Tennis would be another. When my wife and I play, we see families of 4 playing doubles all the time

 

[x10003q]

Huh?

When I used to play golf, my brother and I played with our parents as a foursome all the time. We took a family trip to Florida every Thanksgiving for many years. Often times we'd play with my grandfather too if you want to bring in the three generations argument.

Your men's and lady's tee comment shows a fundamental lack of understanding of the game. Those tees on the average golf course are maybe 50 - 100 feet apart on most holes and do not exclude people from playing together.

You know Josh it's okay to admit when someone else brings up a good and valid point like VTK did with golf. If arguing against every single counter point to yours in this thread is your goal, I'd say you've succeeded. In the art of persuasion, give and take is your friend.

Golf might be a stretch as a family sport. Maybe golf works if you are all at similar levels of skill. I can ski with my 3rd grader and my mom all day, but there is no way I am going out to play 18 with either one. I can still have fun skiing at a much slower pace, but that is not true on a golf course (for me).

I also play golf with my sisters and it is way different than playing golf with my brother, mostly because they are hitting off the forward tees. Yes, we are playing the same hole, but it seems we are not playing the hole together at times. I realize I am not clear about the difference - but it is not the same when I am in a foursome all starting at the same tee.