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“It goes without saying that you need to be at a high level of physical fitness to do this job. I expect you all to make use of the workout rooms Langford has provided at least three days a week. I know Langford said that I’m your new parent, but I don’t intend to hold your hands like you’re a bunch of ten-year-olds. I’m not going to give you a workout schedule unless you force me to, just do the work.
“Remember that you, too, are a constant student. Keep developing and gaining knowledge. Work with instructors who are at levels above you to hone and improve your own skills.
“As Langford said, leave your egos at home. There is no place for them on this mountain.
“I need you all to have a genuine love and appreciation for the sport of skiing. This is going to be a challenging and sometimes-demanding job, but if you are someone who loves skiing both for work and for pleasure, you will make a great instructor.
“And get excited for seeing people improve. The best instructors I know get a real high from helping people get better. Be uniquely you. Develop your own teaching style. Don’t try to copy me. Don’t try to be the next guy. You have something to offer that we don’t. Langford saw it in you when he hired you. That’s why you’re here today.
“So, have a good time. Respect the mountain. Respect your fellow instructors. Continue to ask questions. Most importantly, do your own thing and learn a few simple tricks to show and teach your clients. Trust me, they love that.
“Now, I know you’re all getting settled into the staff cabanas and finding your way around. I have printed out detailed maps that show the main ski areas. Including all slopes, their categories from beginner all the way to expert, and pertinent general info on them.
“Those who are strictly instructing snowboarding, grab the map with the three Terrain Parks for Snowboarders. The first is Newbie Park. This is a place to get your freestyle footing. It’s perfect for beginners because of its small, rollable jumps and easy jibs without gaps or kinks. You want your skiers to start here and work their way up to Elevation Park. This park has some creative and unique features and is perfectly designed for newbies who are transitioning to harder features. And last but not least, we have Shredders Park. It is a cornucopia for shredding features and has everything from medium-sized jumps to technical jibs. When your snowboarder is ready, Shredders Park is the perfect place to take their freestyling to the next level.
“I have divided you all into four groups: beginners group ski, intermediate group ski, advanced individual ski, and snowboard. You should have an email waiting for you tonight with your assignment. I placed you according to your scores from instructor school and your abilities that I have observed.
“Yes, these are carved in stone. No, I will not be changing anything until after the season. So, get comfortable with where I placed you and remember there’s no position that is more important than any other position.”
I watch as they begin to fish their phones out of their pockets and bags, eager to check their inboxes and see where they landed.
I take in the waves of pleased smiles and unhappy scowls and make a mental note as Langford stands and joins me at the head of the room once again.
“I want to add that your cabana assignments are also in the email and include the four-digit code that locks and unlocks your door. If you had your belongings sent ahead of you, they should already be waiting for you when you get there. If you have any questions or need anything pertaining to housing, please contact our groundskeeper, Higgins. He’ll handle those things.”
He claps his hands together and turns to me. “Anything else to add, Zoey?”
“Just enjoy the weekend and get settled, and I’ll see you all back here Monday morning at nine. We’ll be doing a little dry land training until we get snow or Langford here starts up the blowers.”
“Okay, scoot on out of here,” Langford dismisses them.
I make my way to the exit to greet everyone individually and to make sure they all leave with the maps.
“A paper map—how very 1996 of you,” Joanna, one of the instructor candidates I befriended in Colorado, quips.
“Hey, I worked hard on these. I know you can click on the website and see them, but you know as well as I do that cell phones aren’t always reliable on mountaintops,” I reply.
“True,” she agrees.
“I like maps. I hate my phone,” Scooter, another recruit from Colorado, says as he snatches a couple of copies of each map.
Morris
Istay seated until everyone else has gotten up. Langford makes his way over to me after speaking to each instructor as they file out of the door.
“Beginners?” I grumble.
He raises his hands in the air. “I had nothing to do with that decision.”
I cut my eyes up to him. “You couldn’t put a bug in her ear for me?” I ask.
“I promised Zoey that she’d be in complete charge of everything related to the ski school. That includes you.”
Great.
“Is there a problem?”
I look over his shoulder to see Zoey approaching us.
