Typical cost for seasonal kid's group lessons?

[tumbler]

I fully endorse the Bush Blazer program. They ski a lot from boundary to boundary and in all types of conditions. They get good quickly. They also learn how to be safe, respectful and take care of one another.

 

[deadheadskier]

The point I was making in regards to school aged sports (including ski club programs) is the pendulum has swung too far from fun/exercise/teamwork to trying to mold the kids into being "great". Only a miniscule percentage of these kids will even play their sports in college, nevermind going pro. Youth athletics cut way too much into family time, school and other hobbies impacting not only the participant, but also their families and their siblings.

Take my first grader in lacrosse. Two practices a week plus games every Saturday. For first graders! I personally think it's one practice too many for that age group. By middle school these kids are practicing 5 days a week.

It was not like this for me as a child in the 80s.

 

[drjeff]

The point I was making in regards to school aged sports (including ski club programs) is the pendulum has swung too far from fun/exercise/teamwork to trying to mold the kids into being "great". Only a miniscule percentage of these kids will even play their sports in college, nevermind going pro. Youth athletics cut way too much into family time, school and other hobbies impacting not only the participant, but also their families and their siblings.

Take my first grader in lacrosse. Two practices a week plus games every Saturday. For first graders! I personally think it's one practice too many for that age group. By middle school these kids are practicing 5 days a week.

It was not like this for me as a child in the 80s.

Agree 100%

The era of playing a lot of different sports, and maybe focusing on 1 or 2 a kid really likes or shows exemplary talent at, is over and has been replaced with specializing in 1 sport and 1 sport only and making that a year round endeavour as well as an endeavour that the entire family has to be committed to 52 weeks a year.

I have seen far too many families where their lives are pushing the athletic pursuits of their kids (and often in a sport that Mom or Dad played growing up) where it ends up that a "family vacation" is a trip to some weekend tournament at a location near an amusement park, and then after pushing their kid through the youth sports machine, their kid gets into college, might participate in that sport during their Freshman year, and then gives it up because it's not fun to them anymore. Which is sad. I can think quickly off the top of my head of multiple ski racers, 2 pole vaulters, an equestrian, a golfer, a soccer player and a cross country runner of familes that I know just within the last 5 years or so where high pressure youth sports specialization at an easrly age burned them out and they stopped enjoying participating in the sport. The kids/young adults seems happy after, the parents (most often the Dads) you can see feel like they failed. Such a shame

 

[kbroderick]

The part about the push for specialization that sucks the most is that until somewhere near high school, there is evidence that most kids have better long-term athletic results not specializing, but the short-term results when you add a significant amount of additional training are hard to ignore.

 

[foofy]

Mad River Glen 12 week program either Saturday or Sunday ran $635. It will increase slightly next year. Add lunch for another $175.

^^ is for a full day program (9:30 - 2:30 with an hour lunch break).

Heard a couple bad reports of SB program this year from both parents and coaches, but perhaps they were anomalies based on many good reports here.

 

[ctdubl07]

Just received offer to rejoin for next seasons program before its becomes available to general public for $2850.

 

[pinion]

I have been very happy with Wildcat's All Mountain Kids program the past 2 seasons. My now 11-year-old has benefited greatly from it. It's only until 11:30a Sat and Sun (plus Xmas break), which is perfect for us. There's gonna be one or two days out of the season that you get up there and it's too cold/windy, so you need to be ok with that. I think last year was $530.

I am more focused on ensuring both of my kids are strong all mountain skiers, if they want to specialize in something like racing I would support it but not until the fundamentals are there.

 

[BodeMiller1]

During the reign of Les Often if you booked a few days at his lodging everyone got free lessons. This may have changed.

 

[BenedictGomez]

So since this got bumped and I was the OP, Park City definitely wound up being more expensive than many of the options others posted here for their kid's programs at various areas, but I thought it was pretty reasonable anyway, and it is convenient for us and well-regarded. It's only a 5-weekend locals program though, whereas I really wanted something once-a-week all season long, so we're going to supplement with some other lesson clinics.

As for the other choices, Deer Valley was all-day which I think is just too much for a 4 year old (YOMV). Woodward was by far the cheapest, but I dont know much about it and couldnt find anyone else with littles who went through it. Then there was Sundance, which requires private lessons for 4 & 5 years old = yeah, okay bud. lol I've never heard of that before.