In the last post about the new progress cards that are on ShredBetter, we use levels 1-9 to describe abilities.
These aren’t the be-all, end all definitive “grade” that you get but rather it’s a framework to see what you’ve done and what you can do next.
Here is a short list of what each level summarizes:
Level 1 – First time experience / “Never ever”
2 – Can traverse or wedge to stop on beginner hill
3 – Turn both directions to a stop on beginner hill
4 – Can explore green terrain beyond beginner
5 – Ski/Ride blues with confidence
6 – Ski/Ride black trails with confidence
7 – Developing dynamic skiing/riding on advanced terrain
8 – Blending multiple dynamic movements on advanced terrain
9 – All mountain expert
Our progress cards have skills that represent abilities at each level. A detail of each is below here for each discipline of skiing and snowboarding. It’s long, but it gives you an idea of what you may be working on with your instructor.
We’ve decided to keep it simple and say “Can do it” or “Working on it” as a way to assess each skill. No need for grades or numbers, just a friendly reminder from your instructor as to where she thinks you are.
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SKIING
Level 1
- Put on/take off equipment and complete flat terrain activities
- Demonstrate side stepping and movement patterns from foot to foot
- Learn to get up independently after a fall
- Glide in a straight run and use counter slope to stop
- Glide with varying wedge size
- Safely ride the Magic Carpet
Level 2
- Develop balance and mobility, skating and herring bone
- Comfortable gliding in a wedge and adjusting wedge size to stop
- Demonstrate slight direction changes through turns in a gliding wedge
- Turn out of the fall line to a stop in both directions (J turn)
- Control speed by starting to link turns in both directions
- Demonstrate edge control movements
Level 3
- Safely ride a chair lift
- Control speed and direction through linked turns
- Match skis between turns
- Demonstrate varying turn sizes and shapes
- Skid skis slightly at the end of the turn in both directions
Level 4
- Ski beyond the beginner chair lift
- Balance on outside ski while completing a turn in both directions
- Steer inside foot to match skis at end of turn
- Manage speed through skidded turns on varying green pitches
- Control speed through varying turn size and shape on green runs
- Consistently ski in a parallel stance after the fall line
Level 5
- Demonstrate proper pole position and usage
- Consistently hockey stop in both directions
- Perform skidded and carved turns in both directions
- Comfortable linking turns in control on gentle blue terrain
- Consistently ski in a parallel stance slightly before and across the fall line
Level 6
- Demonstrate dynamic movements to match more difficult blue terrain
- Balance and turn on one ski (outside ski to outside ski)
- Consistently use poles for timing and rhythm
- Blend dynamic turns and tipping movements into skiing
- Ski easy bumps in control
- Ski a groomed black run in control
- Consistently ski in a parallel stance throughout the turn
Level 7
- Demonstrate rail road track turns on green and blue groomed terrain
- Confident in bumps on more difficult blue terrain
- Ski groomed black runs in control with confidence
- Blend technique and tactics to match terrain
- Make short turns with upper and lower body separation
Level 8
- Demonstrate dynamic turns on steep terrain with confidence
- Confident in bumps and trees on more difficult blue/black terrain
- Comfortable on off-piste terrain
- Consistently perform hop turns on varying black terrain
- Blend technique and tactics to match more difficult blue/black terrain
Level 9
- Demonstrate big mountain safety
- Identify and ski different lines in variable conditions, powder and crud
- Blend technique and tactics on all double black terrain
- Consistently perform hop turns on all terrain
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SNOWBOARDING
Level 1
- Put on/take off equipment and complete flat terrain activities
- Balance, climb and glide toe side and heel side
- Stand up on your own toe side and heel side on flat ground
- Safely ride a magic carpet
- Consistently side slip, toe side and heel side, to a stop
Level 2
- Traverse across the hill on toe side and heel side
- Garland on toe side and heel side
- J Turn to a balanced stop on toe side and heel side
- C Turn to a balanced stop on toe side and heel side
Level 3
- Link S turns to a balanced stop
- Safely ride a chair lift
- Control speed and direction
- Confidently link multiple turns
- Demonstrate varying turn sizes
Level 4
- Ride beyond the beginner chair lift
- Manage catwalks and flatter terrain
- Perform Ollies and Nollies
- Control speed through varying turn size and shape on green runs
- Confident making turns on varying green pitches
Level 5
- Manage speed through turn size on blue groomers
- Demonstrate skidded turns
- Perform basic switch turns
- Demonstrate basic carved turns
- Learn smart style and basic tricks on progression features
Level 6
- Consistently make dynamic turns on groomed runs
- Make short turns with upper and lower body separation
- Ride a groomed black run in control
- Ride trees
- Ride powder and off-piste terrain
- Ride easy bumps in control
Level 7
- Ride groomed black runs in control with confidence
- Demonstrate dynamic carved turns
- Confident in bumps on more difficult blue terrain
- Proficient pressing and sliding on boxes/rails
- Proficient throwing 1’s (180 degrees) on small jumps
- Proficient at changing edges on the walls of bigger half pipes
Level 8
- Demonstrate dynamic turns on steep terrain with style
- Confident carving and skidding switch turns on more difficult blue terrain
- Confident in bumps and trees on more difficult blue/black terrain
- Blend technique and tactics to match more difficult blue/black terrain
- Pressing and board sliding various sizes, types, and shapes of rails
- Proficient throwing 3’s (360 degrees) on small jumps
- Airs at or above the lip of a bigger half pipe
Level 9
- Demonstrate big mountain safety
- Powder slashes forward and switch
- Identify and ride different lines in variable conditions, powder and crud
- Confident riding medium jump features with style
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