Day 35 | W.E.S.P.

Another year for WESP:  Whistler Elementary School Program.  It's a great program funded by the Whistler Blackcomb Foundation and it gives local kids,  especially those who might not be able to afford the sport, the opportunity to give skiing and snowboarding a try.  As instructors, we don't realize how expensive the sports are between equipment, clothing and lift tickets.

The program runs out of Creekside but this season Creekside is basically shut down for beginner level skiing and riding due to the Olympic games.  The Creek, as it's called, is the base where the downhill skiing events will take place in February.  As a result, the lower level kids, who would normally use the Creekside Magic Carpet, had to be bussed to the Village so they could upload to the CLC and use that beginner area.  It doesn't really make sense to me as to why the program isn't just running out of the Village to begin with but who am I to question the higher ups?  What it meant for me was a fast easy day with my level ones.

There was chaos at the CLC with all pods (Village, Blackcomb, and Creekside) all running out of the same area instead of spreading out over the two mountains.   I'm thinking we had close to 50 snowboarders on the Magic Carpet area today and over 150 kids in the Childrens' Learning Center for lunch.  I'm not complaining because I would rather have it be busy with a ton of kids instead of being quiet with only about 5 kids in Snowboard School.  I feel bad for the rookies who aren't quite use to the whole routine and they have been getting stuck with up to seven to nine kids in a class.  Ok, well maybe I don't feel THAT bad.  ha ha    

Day 29 - W.E.S.P.

Today was the first day for the 2009 Whistler Elementary Schools Program.  Instead of spending Monday's in the classroom, these kids sign up to go snowboarding once a week for six weeks.  Not too shabby.  I wish I had a program like that when I was in school.

I'm a rookie instructor for WESP so naturally I was assigned a Level One class.  In fact, there were 32 level one kids so three other instructors got the same level.  The morning was a little hectic trying to get all these kids organized but once we got up and going the day went by pretty quick.  I took my one run down the Magic Carpet on Creekside.  My kids were sideslipping and a few were turning by the end of the day so next week I hope to get them up the gondola.  Back to Destination tomorrow and my high level class.  I can't wait as forecast is calling for a blue bird day with warm temps .....  

Day 73 - Creekside filling in

I was asked to fill in for my co-worker who broke a couple ribs over the weekend. He had a class that was taking part in WESP: Whistler Elementary School Program. Once a week, for six weeks, elementary students in Whistler learn how to ride or ski for a day instead of going to school. Today was the last day of the six week period.

I only had three girls who were on the verge of turning. They started at Creekside, which is on the other side of the mountain. I took them to the top and down into Ego Bowl. We had lunch at the CLC. Spent the afternoon learning how to turn on the Supercarpet. It was then time to head back up the gondola and make the long trek back to Creekside. The day went by super fast and although I got a few runs in, I spent most of my day standing on the Supercarpet catching some rays and darkening up the goggle tan. Stay tuned, I'll be back in seven days ....... taking a much needed vacation.