2011-2012 Season Begins

Our first session on the 'snow' started today with a dry land session at Wolf Park in St. Louis Park.

• Slack-line training
• Plyometrics in the amphitheater
• Mini-Obstacle Course
• Playground
• Panerra for Lunch

As I type this, it looks like we are getting some real snow.  Tomorrow is clinic day as all the instructors return to PowderRidge.

Tonkawood Dev Team

Tonkawood  Development Team ---  The “Dev Team”

The Tonkawood Dev Team is designed for the skier who is looking for a bit more from the Tonkawood Ski School.  More time on the hill, more coaching, more fun with friends, and more independence and room for growth.  The Dev Team will blend drills, instruction, and racing through gates to provide kids with a team environment that is challenging, exciting, and a great chance to make friends. Dev Team members need to have a strong basic turn, and a desire to improve. 

The Dev Team is designed to bridge the gap between recreational skiing and the more competitive race teams (USSA or High School).   We will be using team work, fun, and great coaching to teach kids how to get the most out of skiing in the Midwest.   While team members will have the opportunity to compete in four all day races (four runs each), our focus is less on the competition and more on the skills and attitude that are required to be competitive.

Skiing and racing are hazardous and the safety of the kids and coaches is our number one priority.  To keep the program safe we have a few expectations.  Kids have to be able to follow directions and obey our safety rules in order to participate in the program.  Each skier is required to wear helmets and goggles while training and racing. Dev Team members need to have a strong basic turn, and a desire to improve. 

Kids on the Dev Team will be taught to work together (buddy system) to ride the lifts and navigate Powder Ridge without direct supervision from the coaches.  The team will also teach kids how to prepare and deal with more extreme winter conditions; if the mountain is open we are skiing (with lots of hot cocoa breaks.)

Cost includes all instruction and tickets for 7 weekend sessions at Powder Ridge, 8 Tuesday evening practices at Powder Ridge.  The tuition includes coaching but not lift tickets for the 4 races.