Having a friend or family member teach you to ski or snowboard may seem like a good idea before you actually get up the mountain, and if there was no actual teaching involved it could be a good idea, but here’s a few things you’ve probably conveniently forgotten while tricking yourself into believing having a friend teach you is a good idea…

1 - You’re a beginner, your friend is not.

Your friend who is good at skiing or snowboarding probably had lessons when they learned, and while they remember that their instructor was good looking, they have probably forgotten the finer points of the actual instruction, which is actually what you need when you’re learning.

2 – You don’t like being yelled at, nor does your friend

Professional instructors have different ways of saying the same thing.  It’s because different people hear things differently, or learn differently.  Your friend is not a professional, so there’s a good chance they’ll teach you by saying things they understand, and if you don’t quite get it, they’ll just say it again louder, and louder, until you’re sitting on backside in the snow screaming that if you friend would just chill out and calm down a bit you’d get it.  Meanwhile other adults are looking at you because you’re making a scene and 4 year olds are racing passed you like this skiing or snowboarding thing is the easiest thing ever.

3 – It’s more than just the instruction

When you try skiing or snowboarding for the first time, it’s often not just the instruction you get for free.  Sometimes you’ll borrow gear as well.  The thing with skiing or snowboarding is that while it can be a great sport that you can get a lot of enjoyment out of; the equipment you use can help determine the amount of enjoyment you get out of it.  If your boots don’t fit quite right or if your board is too long that’s going to hamper your learning.  There is definitely merit in going to a ski rentals place and getting fitted in the right gear for you, before you hit the slopes of Ruapehu.

4 – Lunch

When your friend teaches you how to ski or snowboard there’s a good chance you’ll fall over a bit, there’s a good chance you’ll end up in a tense conversation at some stage, and there’s a good chance that just after you think you’re never going to get this caper and you don’t understand why your friend likes it so much, it will all come together and all of a sudden you will be skiing or snowboarding and you will feel amazing… and 5 seconds later you’ll fall over again.  And if your friend is teaching you, you won’t be able to relive that story over lunch in the ski field café because they would have been there and their version of the story is probably a little different from yours.

5 – Instructors 

The other big reason to have professional instruction when you’re learning to ski or snowboard is instructors.  I don’t know if it’s a rule or if it’s your mind playing tricks on you when you’re in a learning environment, but instructors are attractive.  Sit in a bar after a day on the mountain and listen to the way people talk about their instructors.  Everyone has a crush on their instructor…do you really want to miss out on that?

Turoa and Whakapapa ski fields have great facilities for those who are learning, there is mountain transport to take you right to the ski field and Ohakune and National Park have a selection of excellent retail ski and snowboard hire stores to help make your learning as easy and enjoyable as possible.  So to get the most out of learning while keeping friendships, choose the professional option and make the most of it.

Pania Mowat