From NHS Nurse to Ski Instructor

Jubilee Sailing Trust Jubilee Sailing Trust Back in August  2018 I agreed to take part in a disability ski holiday with the Jubilee Sailing Trust and The Ski Company to La Moubra, Crans Montana, Switzerland as one of the support buddies for the trip. The Jubilee Sailing Trust is a registered charity who believe people of altered ability should have the same freedom to explore the world, their ability and their potential through adventure as able bodied people. Most adventures are sailing but once a year there is a disability ski holiday. Anybody can volunteer to take part on one of the Jubilee Sailing Trust trips as a buddy (helper). I opted for the ski holiday after becoming involved through The Ski Company having volunteered on a trip through them the previous year. It was whilst looking on The Ski  Company website in the summer that I saw the disability skiing trip. As an NHS nurse and someone training as a ski instructor I felt I would make a good...

In September 2018 I started my training as a ski instructor. At the end of the week long course I found that my short turns were not at the standard required and that I would need another exam. My examiner advised me not to book onto the re-assessment until the problems with my short turns were corrected. I continued with the practice driving to the indoor slopes at either Castleford or Manchester when I could. I even did a two day ski performance course with someone who was a BASI trainer. Nothing helped. My short turns were still a problem. I was getting nowhere and running out of ideas. With my off duty already written 3 months in advance and the examiner advising me not to book my technical resit until I was at the required standard I had struggled to get  booked onto a technical resit. Failing to make progress alone, I had tracked down my BASI examiner from September and flew out to him and his  ski school in Chamonix , Freedom Snowsports, for coaching.  ...

Saint Gervais At the foot of Mont-Blanc Saint Gervais is a buslting ski resort in the Haute Savoie French Alps close to Chamonix and the foot of Mont Blanc. The famous "Voie Royale" departs from Saint - Gervais and is renowned to be the most direct access to the summit. More than 400km of ski slopes At the heart of the Evasion Mont-Blanc ski area Saint Gervais offers 400 kilometres of slopes towards Megève, Combloux, and Les Contamines with Le Bettex offering direct access to the Evasion Mont-Blanc ski area. The resort also benefits from 30 kms of slopes on the opposite side of town in Les Houches/Saint-Gervais, accessible by the Mont-Blanc Tramway, one of the oldest rack and pinion railways in France. Evasion Mont-Blanc is the third largest ski area in France with 219 ski runs, 107 ski lifts and 850 artificial snow making canons helping ensure the ski area is open from the end of December until the middle of April. Hotel Val Joly  ...

Back to Will Freedom Snowsports ski school was set up by ski instructor and current director Will Roberts enabling him to realise a long-held ambition to deliver his own vision for ski coaching. An accredited ski school  covering Chamonix, Megeve, St Gervais and Les Contamines Freedom Snowsports offers private lessons, group lessons, off-piste skiing lessons alpine touring and guiding. The instructors, hand picked and led by Will, are a group of top snowsports professionals, equally delighted to help you with your first steps in skiing as they are training  future ski instructors like myself. Teaching is tailored to each individual, with focused learning based around you and what is actually happening.  Will qualified as an instructor in 2005 and quickly progressed to the highest BASI (British Association of Snowsport Instructors) level within just 3 years. His passion for, and dedication to his sport   saw him start ...