Before you start
Are you ready to be an instructor?
 Before you start the course you will need to determine your current level of skiing or snowboarding and whether you have the potential to achieve the New Zealand Ski Intructors Alliance (NZSIA) or Snowboard Instruction New Zealand (SBINZ) Level one or Level two standard.
Cardrona expects you as a trainee to be of a certain standard when you arrive on your chosen course. This is where you have to be honest – are you ready to be an instructor?
NZSIA / SBINZ Level One
For Level One the first question you need to ask yourself is:
Skiers – Can I make a parallel turn? This is when your skis remain parallel through the whole turn.
Snowboarders – Can I make a strong edged turn? This is when you turn round to look at your tracks, the mark left by the edge of your snowboard is 10cm wide or less.
You should be able to do this with confidence on at least blue runs. As you ski or snowboard you should be in control, meaning that you don’t speed up too much and then have to skid your skis or snowboard down the slope to slow down.
NZSIA / SBINZ Level Two
For Level Two the next question would be, do I ski/snowboard off piste?
This doesn’t mean that you can rip it up in the powder. Off piste means any snow that has not been groomed by a machine. So if you have skied/ridden chopped up snow, little bumps or runs through trees, then you have been off piste.
Some of you may feel that you can go anywhere on the mountain with confidence, others may feel a little more cautious on the slopes. As long as you’re making the parallel turn/strong edged turn, you are ready to train towards becoming an instructor.
How you feel about your skiing/riding and the time you have available will help you decide which of the courses is right for you.
Otago Polytec
If you are serious about getting involved in instructing as a career and are able to commit to 18 weeks of training and work experience then we would strongly recommend the Otago Polytec Ski or Snowboard Instructor certificate.
Equipment
Get advice from our trainers before you buy
Our trainers have a wealth of knowledge about equipment and are always hapy to assist you with getting the right gear. We recommend that you wait until you get to New Zealand to make use of this resource. Your trainer will be able to assess your current level of ability and suggest the right gear so that you can get the most out of your training.
Having the right equipment has an enormous effect on your ability to perform – often it can make the difference as to whether you are able to reach the standard to pass level two skiing or riding. We prefer to help you purchase equipment and make sure you get it right. Please contact us before you go out and buy.
Cardrona has a great relationship with the local ski and snowboard shops. These shops offer discounted prices for people who are training on our programmes (when you enquire with your trainer):
Well fitting boots and the right skis or snowboard could make the difference to your success on the course.
Boots: We recommend that you get your boots looked at by a professional boot fitter. They will make sure that they are the right size and shape for your feet. This is important, as you will be spending a lot of time in your boots. They have to be comfortable and perform well. Your boots are your connection between you and your skis/snowboard. Too tight and your feet will be sore, too loose and you won’t be able to control your equipment. In Wanaka there are some excellent boot fitters that will be able to help you.
Skis: There are lots of types of skis on the market for different types of skiers. Racing skis, all mountain, twin tips etc. With all this variety, things can get a little confusing!!! We recommend a ski that has a turn radius of around 15 m. It should also be no more than 72mm under the foot.
Snowboard: As with skis there are many different types of snowboards around. The best advice would be to seek the help of professionals making sure to tell them what exactly you will be using the board for. Make sure it’s the right height for you and that it is neither too wide (when your toes and heels are too far from the edges), or too narrow so you end up with toe drag.
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