Here it is, the first post. April 17, 2007. I had just started teaching that January after about 35 days on skis as a kid. I hadn't been on snow in a decade, and for a decade before that, I'd been on a snowboard. (Very poorly, I might add. Missy Cashman saw me on a board once at the end of this season and she was like WOAH! Lady, you are OLD SCHOOL! Thanks a LOT, Missy. That's still not quite as bad as Andy Docken yelling "Hey, Kate, the 80's called, they want their turns back!" from the lift in Mammoth...)
I thought that skiing and snowboarding were things that to get better at, you just had to work on getting less scared. The concept of a normal human being able to hone a skill that could make something really steep very fun to ski on wasn't even on my radar. It is for this reason, amongst others, that I'm really really grateful to PSIA and the people in it.
It started with Josh Spuhler, who looked at me on my first clinic and said, "Wow, Kate, you are kind of a race car!"
I grinned back, "Yeah, I know!" (I was proud.)
"No, I mean, every time I look behind me, you are gaining on me!" he added.
"Yeah, I know, I like to go fast!" I said, still kinda super proud.
"Um, but... well, that's not necessarily a GOOD thing, Kate."
?? What ??
"Here is my question: could you go slower if I asked you to?"
"Sure." I said. Confident.
LET THE EDUCATION OF KATE BEGIN. Thanks, Josh. I will never ever forget my very first lesson on turn shape. I have a funny feeling we're gonna be RIGHT back there again this season!
Fun Fact: stuff that's posted dated earlier than that are just linked pages to other pertinent information...
I get about five hits a week from folks looking for the beginning of the story, so here it is, knock yourselves out, and thanks for reading!
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