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She lays a gentle, comforting hand on my shoulder. “Your medical team believes that you’ll be able to begin rehab a few weeks from now, and if everything goes according to plan, you’ll be back on the slopes and training again in six months and competing by next October.”
Ten months from now.
“Zoey?”
I turn to face her and smile. I watch through my blurry, tear-filled vision as the worry line on her forehead dissipates and is replaced with relief.
I extend my hand to her, and she grasps it.
“Everything is going to be okay, Mom,” I whisper.
A sniffle escapes her as she nods. “I know it is, baby.”
“I’m getting tired,” I rasp as I’m suddenly overcome with exhaustion.
Her free hand runs through my hair and brushes it behind my ear.
“Looks like the medicine the nurse gave you to help you sleep is starting to work,” she says.
I close my eyes as the sound of the beeping monitors to my right mingles with her rustling, filling the air as the blankets are tucked in around me and a gentle kiss is pressed to my cheek.
“I love you, Mom.”
“I love you too. Sweet dreams, sweet girl.”
Zoey
Present
“Good morning. I want to start by thanking you all for being here and taking a chance on our little mountain oasis. I know Balsam Ridge, Tennessee, is no Vail or Aspen, but we will strive to offer a premier winter sports option for guests here on the East Coast. I have complete faith in our resort staff to provide a five-star vacation experience, but we all know that the school and patrol are what makes or breaks a true ski resort. You guys are the best of the best,” Langford begins.
A roar of agreement rises in the room.
He cuts his eyes to a table of rowdy young newbies, Morris Tuttle being their apparent leader.
“Well, some of you are. Some of you have a lot to prove.”
The motley crew of handsome ski bums grins at him.
“For the next four weeks, you will be living together, eating together, and working together, learning the lay of the land and training for the upcoming inaugural season here at Misty Mountain Ranch and Ski Area. I want you to feel like a family. And as with all families, there has to be someone in charge. So, I’d like to introduce you to your new parent, not that she needs any introduction. Help me welcome our head instructor, Miss Zoey Phillips.”
I make my way to the front of the room to hoots and hollers and whistles.
“We are very fortunate that Zoey agreed to take the position here. I expect you all to show her the same respect that you do me. Leave your egos at the door and appreciate that you have a world-class champion to learn from.”
He turns to me and nods. “The floor is all yours.”
He takes a seat at the back of the room, and I look out at the faces that are now concentrated on me. I clear my throat and launch into the speech I’ve been practicing all weekend.
“Thank you, Langford. I appreciate your kind words and your confidence in me.
“Hello, everyone. I’m excited to be here and to be working with you all. This job takes more than just skill. It takes patience. Teaching can be repetitive, so you need to be creative with the drills and practices that you utilize. No two students will be the same. There are going to be days when you have groups or individuals that try your last nerve, but a good instructor never lets that show. Never. Every client should leave this mountain thinking everyone, including you, has had the best day of their lives.
“The job also calls for calmness and adaptability. Teaching skiing and snowboarding to people of different skill levels isn’t easy, and it comes with risks. You never know what you’ll face halfway up the mountain, depending on the conditions. So, always think quickly and act rationally in any situation. The clients will feed off your reactions. No one wants to follow an instructor who looks stressed or nervous. And you don’t want to be leading a group that is stressed or nervous.
“People will get scared when they start trying new things. Whether they are beginners or strong, experienced skiers who want to push their boundaries. It’s natural, and even if you don’t find the situation scary, it’s important for you to understand that they do and empathize with their fears. Falls and accidents are going to happen. The best instructors are the ones who can act quickly, assess and address any injuries, ease the embarrassment of those moments, and keep everyone laughing. Don’t let them take their missteps too seriously.
“Whether you’re teaching vacationers, junior ski racers, or future ski instructors, they all want to have fun and enjoy the experience. It’s your job to make that happen.
