Passing the Skiing, Learning from the Teaching

Last week I didn’t pass the teaching component of my CSIA Level 4 exams, but I did pass the skiing, which most consider the more demanding element - mixed result, though meaningful progress.

Looking back at my plan, the outcome makes sense.

About a month out, I built a simple training spreadsheet: each on-snow day listed with hours and structure (30-minute warm-up, 60-minute training zone, 60-minute performance zone, cool-down). I set daily technical focuses, long turns, short turns, moguls, and logged a green “win” when I completed the session. The same structure carried through April for recovery, diet, sleep, and equipment notes. Boring? Maybe. Effective? Absolutely.

Beyond the plan, three things helped:

Neuro priming. My applied neurology coach, Matt Bush (Next Level Neuro), gave me two quick on-snow resets.

• Activate the sensory system by rubbing down my body with my hands.

• Prime the motor system by saying a few tailored keywords out loud.

There’s more neuro behind it, but the effect was simple: present, ready, go.

Capacity through rest.

My EQ coach, Dietrich Desmarais, reminded me that emotional and physical capacity are intertwined. I built micro-rests into chair rides and lunch: closed eyes, breathe, reset. On exam day, that simple cadence kept me calm under pressure.

Externalize the cues.

The night before, I wrote key turn cues (plus a few affirmations) on my right forearm with Sharpies. It sounds quirky, but it got the noise out of my head and anchored the focus in my body.

Passing the skiing is a big win, and the examiners’ comments were especially gratifying; one more small step to go on the teaching side.