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“Pretend you're standing on a tightrope. Feel the weight distributed evenly on both skis.”
The kids looked at me with obvious confusion. I guess I needed to simplify my phrasing a bit more. But to their credit, they were listening quite intently.
I demonstrated what I meant, my movements smooth and controlled. The children mimicked me, their faces a mix of concentration and determination, punctuated by bouts of wobbling and giggles. There were a few tumbles into the snow, but no tears, which was the main thing I was trying to avoid.
"Great job, everyone!" I praised, my smile urging them forward. "Now, let's talk about the snowplow. It's very important in skiing. To slow down or stop, gently push the tails of your skis outwards, making a V-shape with your feet."
Once again, they looked at me with a bit of confusion.
“Pizza!” Owen shouted from his perch on the bench.
“What?” I yelled back.
“Tell them to make a slice of pizza with their skis.”
I had to take a moment to figure out what he was talking about, but once it hit me, I realized that it was the perfect analogy for children.
“Yeah, pizza!” Cora chimed in.
“Okay,” I said, turning back to the kids on their skis. “If you want to slow down or stop, you need to make a slice of pizza with your skis.”
Eyes wide, the kids watched as I demonstrated the snowplow, my skis forming a perfect wedge in the snow. They followed suit, their efforts marked by determination and a newfound sense of accomplishment.
“You're getting it!” I cheered, my voice filled with genuine excitement. “Now, when you want to go forward, bring your skis back parallel.”
As soon as the last word escaped my lips, I knew that I needed to find a better one. I thought about Owen’s pizza analogy, and tried to come up with one that worked for parallel lines. As if he could read my mind, Owen called out to me from his bench once again.
“Railroad tracks!”
“Thank you!” I called back. “If you want to go forward, your skis need to turn into railroad tracks, like this,” I demonstrated.
The children followed suit, and once again, a few little bottoms fell into the snow, but they were each able to stand back up on their own. I couldn’t help the sense of pride that was washing over me as I watched their determination.
“Keep your knees slightly bent, and lean forward a little. And most importantly, keep your eyes on the path ahead.”
The children practiced, their confidence growing with each attempt. I offered words of encouragement, adjusting their postures and giving gentle nudges when necessary. Patience was my ally, understanding that learning to ski was a journey that required time and practice.
As the day progressed,the kids shed their initial hesitations, replaced by exhilaration and growing confidence. They glided down the slopes with increasing grace, their laughter harmonizing with the surrounding mountains. Pride swelled within me as I watched, knowing that I had not only taught them how to ski but also sparked a love for the sport.
With the sun beginning its descent and casting a warm golden hue over the snow-covered landscape, I gathered the children for one final run. We stood at the hill's pinnacle, the wind tousling our hair and the thrill of the run awaiting us.
“Remember everything I've taught you,” I said, my eyes reflecting their enthusiasm. “Stay confident, keep your balance, and most importantly, have fun.”
With shouts of excitement, we set off down the hill, their skis slicing through the snow with newfound confidence. I followed behind them, my heart swelling with pride and joy.
Ethan attempted a few small jumps, and nailed each one of them. Penelope was a speed demon, racing with kids who clearly had much more experience than she. Oliver fell into the snow more times than I could count, but he got back up each time.
Laila, who initially was the most hesitant, went down our final run with the confidence of a seasoned professional. She glided through the snow with ease, navigating through obstacles, going over jumps, and stopping herself gracefully without falling over.
I wanted to watch her go down the run, but I was distracted by Owen and Cora’s shouting and cheering for her from the sidelines. They were the most adorable duo with Cora standing on the bench and Owen holding her hand as they shouted.
The look on Laila’s face as she reached the bottom was priceless. She was clearly so proud of herself, and turned to her dad to see his reaction. He and Cora ran over and he swept her up into a hug.
“You did amazing, Laila! Are you proud of yourself?”
“That was so fun!”
“I’m impressed, baby. You looked great out there. I’m so glad you had fun.”
