NONSTOP Ski & Snowboard interview

An ever increasing trend in the ski industry is the growth of people keen to improve their ability and also become snowsports instructors. Reflecting this increase in demand is the increasing number of companies offering both instructor and improvement courses. One of the first companies to offer these courses was NONSTOP Ski & Snowboard who have been running since 2002.

This family run company was set up by Rupert Taylor after he had spent a season in Fernie working as a snowboard instructor. He recognised the demand for instructor and improvement courses and also the great potential that Fernie offered. Since then the company has developed significantly to offer courses in Whistler, Banff, Red Mountain and Fernie.

Rupert and his team have a real passion for the snowsports industry and have successfully trained over 1500 people and instilled in them their love for the Canadian Rockies. We have chatted with NONSTOP Ski & Snowboard to understand a bit more about what makes their courses so successful.

1. Can you sum up NONSTOP for us?

We are a family-run company with a passion for the mountains, snow and adventure. Offering a friendly, personal service providing you with the experience of a lifetime in some of the world’s most stunning scenery.

Based in Western Canada we run instructor courses and improvement camps that focus on providing you with the chance to:

  • Significantly improve your skiing or snowboarding
  • Gain life-changing qualifications
  • Experience the famous Canadian powder
  • Challenge yourself in new environments
  • Make a host of new friends

With 2, 3, 6 and 11-week programmes there course are ideal for those looking for a gap year, a career break, a lifestyle change or simply a holiday with a difference.

Skier in powder snow

2. What is the coaching like?

Our team of coaches includes many of Canada’s leading trainers and examiners, all of whom have a wealth of experience helping their clients reach their goals. Complimenting this, Canada’s varied terrain and renowned snow conditions result in a rapid rate of progression. All our programmes improve personal performance and our instructor courses also develop teaching skills. We focus on the following key areas:

Ski Class looking at Snowpack lesson

PERSONAL SKILLS
Carving
Freestyle
Moguls & Trees
Off-piste & powderINSTRUCTOR SKILLS
Detection & analysis
Group improvement drills
Confidence in front of a group
Transfer your love of the sport

By the time you leave you’ll be riding terrain you’ve previously only dreamt of!

Excellent tuition
We include up to 25 hours of tuition each week with group lessons taking place four days a week, for five hours per day. The fifth day is used for private coaching, additional courses, weekend away trips or practising what you have been taught during the week.

Small groups
Our courses cater for novice to advanced skiers and snowboarders and groups are organised according to ability and experience. The groups are small and personal – between five and eight people – guaranteeing one-to-one attention. Each week the instructors move between groups, ensuring you gain from their individual teaching styles and the collective knowledge of the whole team.

3. What qualifications can you get on your courses?

We provide the opportunity to gain the following Canadian Ski Instructors Alliance (CSIA) qualifications.

• CSIA Level 1 (3 and 11 week courses)
• CSIA Level 2 (11 week courses)
• CSCF Entry level course “trained” status (11 week courses)
• CSIA Snow Park Certification Course (11 week courses)

And we also offer snowboard (CASI) qualifications.

• CASI Level 1 (3 and 11 week courses)
• CASI Level 2 (11 week courses)
• CASI Freestyle Coach Level 1

These qualifications will allow you to work all over the world as they are internationally recognised. We have had past clients work in Australia, Argentina, Japan, USA, Canada, all over Europe and even South Africa!

The training that they receive is highly regarded throughout the industry and one of the biggest compliments is to hear from Ski School Directors how great our instructors have been at their job. Some of our past clients are doing so well that they are now working on our competitors courses!

4. What type of courses do you offer?

3 week instructor courses
PRE-SEASON INSTRUCTOR TRAINING
Starting in November and December these three-week courses are designed to get you qualified before the season starts.

11 week instructor courses
SEASON-LONG INSTRUCTOR TRAINING
Gain your Level 1 & 2 Canadian instructor qualifications whilst spending a whole season in the mountains. Packed with activities like winter camping and cat skiing, this course really is NONSTOP!

2 week snow safari
Two weeks touring the best resorts in Canada’s “Powder Triangle”, visiting Fernie, Banff, Whitewater, Red Mountain and Kicking Horse. Expert instruction and guiding included.

2 & 3 week improvement courses
A HOLIDAY WITH A DIFFERENCE
Our two- and three-week improvement courses are designed for those looking to dramatically improve their skiing/riding through intensive coaching. Extra activities like cat skiing are included.

6 week Master the Mountain
All-round improvement coaching over six weeks. This course also includes backcountry training preparing you for the highlight of the trip, a four day backcountry tour with heli drop.

Ski Class standing by snow cat

5. What makes you stand out?

This is a hard on to answer as there are so many little things that we do to improve the courses that may not be immediately obvious to the clients. For example we run an instructor training week for all our instructors at the beginning of each season. This sees all the pros come together in Fernie and we make sure they all understand the standards that are expected and all learn from each others experiences. It really helps to ensure each course is taught to the same standard and that our clients really get the best instruction.

On a different level we have bought and spent $1.2 million on a new Lodge and restaurant in Fernie. This 42 bedroom lodge allows us to have total control over our accommodation and food in Fernie ensuring that our clients get an experience that is second to none.

On top of this we offer a range of extra activities so that their clients can experience as much of Canadian mountain life as possible. These range from career boosting skills such as avalanche courses through to pure fun in the mountains like a day’s cat skiing.

Finally we try to continually invest in the communities that we operate in. For example we run community days where we operate in partnership with the ski hill to provide instruction, equipment and lift passes for local who can’t afford to enjoy the delights of the mountains on their doorstep.

Further details, on anything discussed above, can be found on NONSTOP Ski & Snowboards website.

Comments

One response to “NONSTOP Ski & Snowboard interview”

  1. Carla Silvestre avatar

    I like attending snowboarding courses because it helps me to improve with my snowboarding and I get to enjoy meeting new people and making friends with them.