realskiers

Liam's OP causes me to stop for a minute and be grateful for those who give up their time and do the volunteer Patrol work at all ski hills. We take them for granted, until the need arises.  Sadly, service to others is a diminishing value in our society. The Patrol is semi-invisible at most resorts, ever though they wear the very distinctive jackets. Patrolers seem to ski in a like manner: very controlled, very stable, constantly checking out what's going on with others. Never pushing the limits like jibbers or racers.

From a parenting standpoint, I think it's great that their children get to experience a real-world working environment where cash payment does not exist. You do it out of love for the sport and the job, great values to demonstrate to youth. Looking back, I'll always remember the days on the golf course with my dad, and, someday Liam's children will have the same memories. Put kids in the right environment and good things happen. It's what families should be about.

From a skiing perspective, the families of patrollers get a fantastic start. I don't think adult learning can ever duplicate what they just absorb in their youth. Philpug grew up in the Pocono area of Pa and spent his youth at Camelback, doing whatever adventures young people do. Those experiences are so clear in his skiing today, he just goes on auto-pilot, leaving me way, way behind. Riding chairs and looking at the quality of skiing, it's clear who came out of racing programs or was raised at mountains. HelluvaSkier is a similar story at Greek Peak. At Holimont this year, Greg had a friend from his youth who just ripped. Watching those two was a treat, but, in this lifetime, this body will never do what they do on skis.

On a little bit of a downside, while the Patrol may have a bright future, there is a lot of self-centered, negative behavior demonstrated by youth while on the mountain. We all had unpleasant experiences with "other side of good parenting" coin about whom Liam speaks.    Maybe it's just the few bad ones give all a bad reputation, but, that group seems to be growing. Never generalize!

All very well said LP.

Good point about the racing program background--my littlest guy spent 3 years in the race program and it did wonders for him--Greentrails and Beastieboy's kids have all grown to be fantastic skiers and spending formative years racing (or at least part of a dedicated racing culture) is indispensable.  I'm like you--I learned to ski at age 30, and I see the effortless gaps the kids who grew up racing have on the rest (a gap I just can't close).

GreenTrails, I was already with you about video, I was just ruminating out loud about seeing these kids.

Damn great day of skiing yesterday by the way!   We'll be up in Maine Monday-Wednesday (I've never skied in Maine before-so I'm pretty stoked!).