Organization: City University of New York/ University Computer Center
Date: Wednesday, 6 Jan 1993 16:14:13 EST
From: Eric Schweitzer <ERSHC@CUNYVM.BITNET>
Newsgroups: rec.skiing
Subject: Re: Happiness
 <1993Jan6.173735.11256@athena.mit.edu>

In article <1993Jan6.173735.11256@athena.mit.edu>, snarfett@athena.mit.edu
(Nicole A Harris) says:
>
>>When did skiing cease to be an individual sport?  I'd say it was fairly
>>recently.  I kills me when I see people agonizing over how they appear,
>>whether they're "graceful" or ungainly.  Who cares?  Ski the way YOU want
>
>I constantly get in arguments with people on this topic.  I have lots of

>1)  Skiing can be a dangerous sport.  If you don't care about hurting yourself

As a self taught skiier, I agree with the origonal poster. As a patroler
of over 20 years, I agree with the second poster. I think a lot of
confusion can be reduced by defining things slightly differently than
the 'standard'. I have taken all of 3 ski classes in my life, two of them
total wastes of my time (ie I learned nothing). On the other hand,
if a lesson involves watching a skiier do something and then trying to
do it, I take lessons every time I ride a chair! I constantly observe
other skiiers, and try to do the things I have seen.

>3)  Ski equipment is designed to work in a specific way.  By taking lessons yo
>learn to use your equipment the way it was designed to be used.  By not taking
>lessons you waist a lot of potential because it is likely that you are not usig
>your equipment efficiently.

Yet, instructors are often WRONG. I have had instructors (PSIA certified)
who believed the only good turn is a carved turn,
tell me that 'modern equipment is not capapble of Weideling'. So I found
some steeps and proved them wrong. In 1964 (or 68?) when Availment
was comming onto the sceen, I read about it, and then discussed it
with a friend of my father's. This man was a ski school director at
a major New England resort. He claimed that such a turn was impossible.
It took me a few weeks to get the hang of it. 15 years ago, when I
started 3 pinning (and could find no one who could telemark) I got a
few books. One of them, written in the 1930's, touted the stem christy
as a much better turn than a tele, and claimed the tele really should
never be used. I have more examples, but these are my favorites.

>For me happiness is carving a perfect turn!
>I'm sure I've gotten to the point where this is possible with the help good
>instructors.  I've only been skiing for two years
>and I'm sure I wouldn't
>even know what carving was if I hadn't taken a few lessons.

And this is MY bigest beef about instructors, they tout the Center Line
..There is One Right Way to Ski. BS! There are a thousand ways to
turn, and each is useful in it's place. I've been in situations where the
only safe way down was side slip to weidel to side slip (it was rather
icy). You would NOT be happy carving a turn there, you would be DEAD.

On the other hand, the vast majority of accidents I have attended
were caused by people skiing on trails over their ability. Perhaps the
best part of a lesson is that it helps you classify your abilities.
You know that if you take an intermediate lesson, you don't belong
on a black diamond trail.

And before anyone takes me too seriously...I teach college. I am
convinced that most of my students (in an intro programing course,
for example) could learn the subject as well by simply reading the
text and writing some programs. Other than answering questions,
telling them what they should have just read a second time, and telling
them what's next, I really beleive my role in their learning is
minimal. As a student, I thought the same thing.

Perhaps it is all a question of learning style?
Newsgroups: rec.skiing,can.general,ont.general,ott.general,ont.event,ott.event