Who to pick for coaching / Pro Ski Coach Water Ski Forum

GarrettGroller · #1 Fri, Oct 2, 2009 1:33 PM

How do I choose who I want to virtually coach me?

Obviously, all the pros are great skiers but they all have there own style. Correct?

Is it possible to send video in of me skiing and have one or more pros take a look and make a recommendation on which pro's style would best fit me?

I have been trying to emulate the west coast style and have recently been skiing with guys who are into 35 off but are teaching me more of the old school hips up style. Should I forget about west coast style and try to change the way I have been skiing?

I need some guidance, please.

Thanks,

Garrett

WadeWilliams · #2 Fri, Oct 2, 2009 1:55 PM

I know there is some hesitation to spend your hard earned bucks on virtual coaching.

The bottom line is any coach is going to be worth the time & expense. And they will be able to help you.

If I wasn't on this side of this website, and I was on yours, I would probably just go down the line and get lessons from varying different coaches. You'll learn more, and hear it in several different ways.

We will have feedback reviews available in the future, but right now I can tell you that the most popular coaches have been myself, Seth Stisher, and Chris Rossi. Obviously all the guys on there know whats up though.

If you want a west coast lesson, go with Marcus Brown or Terry Winter.

Steve Schnitz is a great traditional coach - great with ski setup, but a little rough around the edges. You'll still learn a lot, for sure.

Chris Parrish, or Nick Parsons both ski with a more traditional style. Trent Finlayson is another one - he gets the added bonus of being a writer so you can expect a well composed lesson from him too.

Jason Hutchins, Mike Kusiak, and Julien Beaufils have all spent long hours in the boat at Ski School -- they are all super-capable coaches and skiers themselves. They have a great understanding and a great way of communicating it.

OH and there's Jamie Beauchesne. He'll probably take 2 weeks to get back to you (assuming he can find his way out of the woods and back to a computer)... but if you have the time to slow-play it, you're sure to get an interesting response from JB.

Deke · #3 Fri, Oct 2, 2009 2:12 PM

I can recommend Seth Stisher. I spent a week with him just a few weeks ago and came out feeling like I've got tons to work on but not in an overwhelming way. He has a great eye and a way of explaining/communicating that you will really appreciate and he will adapt this to whatever your level or situation is right now.

Not to steer you away from Virtual Coaching, but he's probably only 9 or 10 hours drive from you in PA.

Last edited by Deke (Fri, Oct 2, 2009 2:14 PM)

miski · #4 Fri, Oct 2, 2009 2:16 PM

Of the coaches on PSC, I have only worked with Wade - but can't say enough about the coaching I've gotten. I have made big gains with my skiing since I started w/ WW after spending months being frustrated. I'm not killing short-line yet, but feel like I have some great form & feel going and if I can get some regular sets in, think I will jump down the line a few loops.

I have had coaching from ski partners and at schools from skiers running full passes at 35, 38, and not all of them are able to help you figure out how to get through the longer lengths. Hips to the handle and the athletic posture that goes with it is a good thing no matter how you are trying to ski, but there are a lot of other things that you can be missing out on that either don't let you do this or take advantage from it. At the longer line lengths, the rope stretch is a much bigger factor, the direction you have to shift your mass is different, the smaller angle of the rope starts the load sooner – if someone tells you how to ski -22 based on what the are doing at -35, my experience is you should at least consider it might not be exactly what you need.

So after all this, I would just comment that WW has been a huge help figuring out what was most important for me to progress, and would recommend him 100%.

GarrettGroller · #5 Fri, Oct 2, 2009 5:01 PM

Deke wrote:
I can recommend Seth Stisher. I spent a week with him just a few weeks ago and came out feeling like I've got tons to work on but not in an overwhelming way. He has a great eye and a way of explaining/communicating that you will really appreciate and he will adapt this to whatever your level or situation is right now.

Not to steer you away from Virtual Coaching, but he's probably only 9 or 10 hours drive from you in PA.

I have heard good things about Seth. Last year or the year before, he coached some of the people I ski with now at the actual site where I just recently starting skiing. I wish I had known about these guys back then. Oh well.

I have watched interviews with Seth and I really like and agree with his opinion that if you are doing something wrong at one particular part in the course it's because you are doing something else wrong two or three steps before that.

mbskier · #6 Fri, Oct 2, 2009 9:29 PM

I have had several chances to have Trent coach me and it has been amazing. He has come to my ski location and held clinic for as many as 10 skiers in 1 day with no problems. His rates are very reasonable. He is very easy to understand. I highly recomend contacting him when you are ready for some coaching.

Deke · #7 Fri, Oct 2, 2009 10:10 PM

Garrett Groller wrote:
I have been trying to emulate the west coast style and have recently been skiing with guys who are into 35 off but are teaching me more of the old school hips up style. Should I forget about west coast style and try to change the way I have been skiing?

Garrett,

I wouldn't worry too much about style. My opinion is "West Coast" = Marcus Brown. Underneath it all though are some really basic fundamentals that all great skiers and coaches, no matter what "coast" they're style is have in common. These are the mechanics that most of us need to be focusing on. They are "big picture" and "macro" in nature. Any of these coaches are going to give you that same foundation but will communicate it differently. The most important thing is to get coached!