Skiers Seeking Private Lessons - Here's How to Find a Great Instructor

[JohnnyGVT]

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[JohnnyGVT]

Hello skiers! This Saturday is "Orientation" at Stratton for all ski/snowboard instructors, and assorted others. Most significant, 90% of us have now already submitted our "schedule of availability", in other words "the days we're able to teach on the hill".

In a nutshell, NOW is the time to book ski lessons if you know what your lesson needs are, and if YOUR ski area is ready/able to take ski lesson bookings and/or requests for specific instructors. And here's a few things to know if the above answers are "Yes":

1. Many (Stratton for sure) ski resorts will allow you to book your favorite instructor...but in the case of Stratton, ONLY IF you 1)ASK or REQUEST the specific instructor, BY NAME, at the time of the booking. Imagine their predicament: on any given ski day, they've got an online list of instructors who will be available to teach THAT DAY. And that means, when they look at the list of instructors for that day, that's all the instructors multiplied by a 3-hr morning lesson and a 3-hr afternoon lesson. If an instructor is requested, for example, for an ALL-DAY lesson (morning 3-hr + afternoon 3-hr lessons), then the ski school's "supply" of available instructors just decreased by one AM 3-hr lesson AND one PM 3-hr lesson...oh, and it's the same guy or gal instructor for both. So, the resort's got to know WHO that instructor is, and YOU have to provide the instructor's name AT THE TIME/MOMENT of booking. Otherwise, several minutes later a new caller may phone Stratton and request the instructor who you were thinking about, but did NOT specify by name. PLEASE remember to do that! I want to take everyone out on the hill who wants me to help them improve their skiing, and I hate it when someone is disappointed because they forgot, or didn't realize, that they needed to REQUEST their instructor at the TIME of BOOKING.

2. And I've seen many ski resort websites, and some don't make it clear at all!

3. Make sure to ask the resort operator you speak with, how to MAKE CERTAIN you properly request the instructor you want. This is why I make a point to communicate (by text) with my previous guests who have invited me to stay in touch with them. This week and next I will be sending my annual "Welcome back to Stratton & your favorite instructor, John Gelb" texts to many of my previous ski school guests, many of whom I've instructed before, or, whose kids I've taught before.

4. Any questions about this process? It can seem confusing when you're getting started. Feel free to reach out via a "Reply" to this thread, or if you're in a rush, happy to reply by text at 203-249-3008.

5. Getting the season started with one or more lessons is a great way to continue improving. All of us instructors are required to be on snow in late Nov/early Dec for two full days on snow of ski instructor training.

Happy trails! John