In the late fall of 1981, my friend Ray Willman talked me into trying to become a downhill ski instructor. He had been an instructor for a couple of years and thought I would like to be one also.

Since we lived in an area with several close-by major ski areas, and I was just vegetating in the winter, I decided we needed to try the sport so I enrolled my family into ski classes at 49 Degrees North. I have to admit, during these lessons I had a difficult time getting the hang of it. I think at least part of the problem was that the ski school was teaching using the graduated length method which fell out of use after only a few years. My wife, Patti, had better success and outdid me at the end of the 6 weeks of lessons.

For the next few years we skied as a family and I also skied with Ray. I thought I had become at least proficient so I signed up for instructor training at Mt. Spokane Ski Area. Right away I found out just how little I really knew about the sport.

At the first training session, we were given a written progression that listed all the maneuvers to be mastered from the students’ first day on the snow all the way to expert skier, if any student made it to that level. Each maneuver skill was designed to build on the previous skills to advance the student’s proficiency.

To introduce each new skill we were supposed to tell the student what the skill was, demonstrate the skill two or three times, and then ask the students to try to copy what we said and did. You can imagine this required more than one demonstration and attempt. As part of the training program it was important for us instructors to be able to see what the students needed to do to improve their use of the skill and give corrective feedback. All this during the 8 or 10 days of instructor try out.

To help me with all this Ray spent several evenings grilling me on the progression, teaching technique, and having me demonstrate each maneuver as well as I could on my basement floor.

After the last day of training we all had to stand outside the Ski School office and wait while we were graded by the 6 or 7 clinic instructors who had worked with us.

When the director came out, he announced those who had made the grade and the rest were sent home. Fortunately, I was selected. I’m sure Ray lobbied for my selection. Later the director said to me: “We can teach you to ski, but we can’t teach you to teach.” So I guess my teaching made up for my lack of skiing ability.

From that day forward, through my attending learning clinics introducing many ways to further develop each skill, reading PSI manuals, watching videos, and the things I learned from teaching, I became a much better skier myself.

I have to say however, I still need a lesson now and then from my long-time skiing friend and fellow instructor Ron Vierra.

Ken Kaiyala
2-27-2023