I spent Saturday all day on the bunny hill at Trollhaugen in Dresser Wisconsin. My job for the day was to help guide 20 children age 7 and 8 with 5 instructors through the beginner skiers experience. The sun was out, the hills were covered with man made snow, the kyds were excited and it was a perfect day.
Not everyone would consider working the beginner hill to be an enjoyable way to spend a day. I have to admit to loving the progression from “never ever” to first turns. There’s something magical to starting with a child who cannot even get into their ski bindings and a few hours later they are going up the rope tow and making turns down the beginner hill. They may not be pretty turns and there’s only the glimpse of good control, but they have discovered balance in motion and they are skiing.
I always tell my new skiers that their first day is the best day of their life. Everything will be different by the end of the day on skis. They will no longer be simply Danny or Nikki, they will be skiers! They will have claim to something very special that not everyone has experienced.
I love making new skiers! It is one of the joys of my winters and it’s only just begun!