Cross Country Skiing

When you look back on your career to date, what achievement are you most proud of?

Discovering the Power of Perseverance: A Ski Career Turning Point

So my ski career is obviously less storied than a lot of the people who are on this app, but one of the things that was instrumental to actually wanting me to be a coach was one of, it was a sprint race in the early days of sprinting when they did heats of four, and it was when I learned that perseverance really matters. And I just remember my coach saying, Hey, it's a sprint race, anything can happen. And I was like, I don't know, I'm tired. I've done a bunch of races already in the day, you know, you had to do the qualification and what not. And like, it's like, I'm tired, who knows what's gonna happen, but I don't think I can race against these girls. They're faster than me. And then in the final, like this girl tripped. And I mean, I was almost off the back, but I was like, I gotta try. And she tripped in front of me. And so I ended up on a podium in an oram. And I was like, Hey, that's cool. It's always worth it to keep trying. And I'd like to pass that on.

I learned the importance of perseverance from a sprint race where I ended up on the podium despite feeling tired and outmatched.

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When reflecting on my career to date, one achievement that I am most proud of is a sprint race in the early days of sprinting. It was during this race that I learned the importance of perseverance. Despite feeling tired and unsure of my abilities, my coach reminded me that anything can happen in a sprint race. In the final, one of the girls ahead of me tripped and I seized the opportunity to push forward. I ended up on the podium, which was a pleasant surprise. This experience reinforced the value of never giving up and always giving it a try. It's a lesson I cherish and aim to pass on to others.

How do you balance the need to create a psychologically safe environment with the pressure to perform and compete in skiing?

Creating a Psychologically Safe Environment: Essential for Skiers

So this is a really good one. How do you balance the need to create a psychologically safe environment with the pressure to perform and compete in skiing? And I would argue that because of said pressure, it's that much more important to have a psychologically safe environment. And so I actually don't think there's much to quote unquote balance. I think the emphasis should be on creating this environment. And the reason for that is that most skiers have a pretty strong internal drive to perform and compete. They all have expectations for themselves that generally come from within. And I don't think it's a great idea, like as a coach, I don't want to stand there and say, well, you need to get top ten or else fill in the blank. Like, I don't think that's particularly helpful. Whereas if I'm asking them to focus on a process goal or to kind of stay in the moment and especially in practice to put themselves out there in a way that makes them a little bit vulnerable, that doesn't detract from their ability to compete. And in fact, will make them a stronger competitor in the long term. And so, yeah, I don't think these things are at odds with each other at all. But yeah.

The emphasis should be on creating a psychologically safe environment for skiers due to the pressure they face to perform and compete. This will help them focus on process goals, stay in the moment, and put themselves out there in a way that makes them vulnerable, which will ultimately make them stronger competitors in the long term.

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Balancing the need to create a psychologically safe environment with the pressure to perform and compete in skiing is a significant consideration. However, I would argue that due to the pressure involved, it becomes even more important to prioritize a psychologically safe environment. In my opinion, there isn't much of a traditional balance to strike between these two aspects. The emphasis should be placed on creating and maintaining a psychologically safe environment. Most skiers already possess a strong internal drive to perform and compete, often setting high expectations for themselves. As a coach, I don't believe it is helpful to dictate specific performance outcomes or impose external pressure. Instead, I encourage athletes to focus on process goals, staying present in the moment, and embracing vulnerability during practice. These practices not only support their ability to compete but also contribute to long-term growth and resilience as athletes. Ultimately, I see no conflict between creating a psychologically safe environment and fostering competitive excellence in skiing.

Can you give another example of how constraint-based learning can be used in skiing instruction?

Unlocking Skiing Skills Through Constraint-Based Learning Techniques

Alright, so the question is asking for more examples of constraint-based learning in skiing instruction. So drills are an obvious one, setting up cones or chalk. You know, you can say, stay in the slalom, go around the cones. You can set up, for example, an uphill drill if you're working on wide feet with lines of chalk that make an ever-widening V, and you're asking them to keep their skis on either side of the chalk. That would be in the summer, obviously. This is one, it's also, you can use this in the gym. Say, for example, you're trying to teach skiers how to squat correctly. You can set up boxes for them to squat down to until they hit that. You can, you can use bands so that they have to stay within a certain, like, area. Yeah, it's really just setting up an environment that they have to stay within or stay out of and learn the skill that way instead of kind of being shown or following somebody who knows what to do. And this isn't the only way to teach, but it is one of many tools in your toolbox. Have fun!

Constraint-based learning in skiing instruction can include drills, setting up cones or chalk, using uphill drills with lines of chalk to keep skiers' feet on the line, and setting up boxes for squatting in the gym. Bands can also be used as a constraint.

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Sure, here's another example of how constraint-based learning can be used in skiing instruction. One common approach is to use drills with physical markers such as cones or chalk. For instance, you can set up a slalom course and ask skiers to navigate around the cones, staying within the designated path. In the summer, you could create an uphill drill by drawing lines of chalk in the shape of an ever-widening V and instruct skiers to keep their skis on either side of the chalk. Constraint-based learning can also be applied in the gym when teaching skiers how to squat correctly. Setting up boxes for them to squat down to until they reach a certain point can help them learn proper form. Additionally, using bands can help ensure that they stay within a specific range of motion. The idea is to create an environment where skiers have to adhere to certain constraints or boundaries in order to learn the skill, rather than simply observing or following someone who knows what to do. Remember, constraint-based learning is just one tool among many in teaching skiing, but it can be a fun and effective approach to instruction.

Can you give an example of how you create a psychologically safe environment for your skiers?

Creating a Safe Space: Fostering Confidence in Skiers

So the question is, can you give an example of how you create a psychologically safe environment for your skiers? Um, so psychologically safe environment doesn't necessarily mean like everything's happy, warm, fuzzy, like feel good. It just means that the kids have a place that they feel like it's okay to try things and fail at them. Right, like just trying to reframe any mistakes or failures as like a learning opportunity. So, you know, an example of this is we have lots of little challenges. You know, we'll do like little balance things in the gym or like, you know, relay races where everybody is kind of silly together. And they're trying things that have really nothing to do with skiing and failing at them and like laughing about it and just sort of getting comfortable messing things up. Um, at a deeper level, we'll do like team values discussions and we'll have the kids lead that. And it lets them, you know, a kid will shout out a value and they sort of will talk about it and they'll discuss it in the team setting. And that kind of helps because you need the group to create this feeling of psychological safety. Like a coach can't be the only one doing it. I mean, the obvious stuff is like you always frame things in a positive light and don't be mean. So I hope that helps.

A psychologically safe environment for skiers can be created through activities such as balance challenges in the gym, relay races and team values discussions. It is important to frame mistakes or failures as learning opportunities and to maintain a positive attitude. The group must also come together to foster this feeling of safety, rather than relying solely on the coach.

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Creating a psychologically safe environment for skiers means providing a space where they feel comfortable trying new things and embracing failure as a learning opportunity. It's not about everything being happy and feel-good, but rather about reframing mistakes and failures in a positive light.

One example of creating this environment is through engaging in various challenges and activities that are unrelated to skiing. These can include balance exercises in the gym or silly relay races where everyone participates and has fun. The focus is on trying new things, failing, and laughing about it, which helps skiers become more comfortable with making mistakes.

At a deeper level, team values discussions can be conducted, with the kids leading the conversation. They can shout out values and engage in discussions about them within the team setting. This involvement allows the group to contribute to the creation of a psychologically safe atmosphere, as it's not solely the coach's responsibility.

Additionally, it's important to always frame things in a positive light and avoid being mean. These simple actions contribute to fostering a psychologically safe environment for skiers.

Overall, the goal is to provide skiers with a space where they feel supported, encouraged, and empowered to take risks, learn from failures, and grow both as individuals and as a team.

Alex Jospe answers your Cross Country Skiing questions. See all the advice Alex Jospe has and get answers to your own Cross Country Skiing questions.

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Alex Jospe is an American cross country ski coach at Stratton Mountain School, with a background in a variety of endurance sports. She is an avid outdoorswoman and advocate for women's sports.