Young YES pro in the making!
One of the YES team sent me this photo with the subject title "humble beginnings" I honestly didn't know who it was.
Do you know who it is???
YES Down under!
YES is heading downunder for it's 19th year – come and say hi at one of our YES apres functions or a one of the many ski show locations around Oz. We'll be talking all things Ski, Snowboard, Whistler, Niseko, Wanaka, Instructor, Improvement and much more…
Sydney YES apres – Thursday May 22nd at the Firehouse Hotel, North Sydney – Time: 5:30pm – 7:30pm
Sydney Travel Expo – Sunday May 25th at the Sydney Exhibition centre – Whistler Blackcomb Stand – Time: 9am to 4pm
Melbourne YES apres – Tuesday May 27th at the Emerald Hotel, South Melbourne – Time: 5:30pm – 7pm
Melbourne Mogul Ski show – Wednesday May 28th at the Kooyong Tennis club – Whistler Blackcomb Stand – Time: 5:30pm – 8:30pm
Travelplan Melbourne show – Thursday May 29th – Melbourne Exhibition Centre – Time: 5pm to 9pm
Brisbane YES apres – Friday May 30th – The Paddo Tavern – Time: 6pm
Travelplan Brisbane show – Saturday May 31st – Brisbane Event and Exhibition Centre – Time: 10am to 3pm
Travelplan Sydney show – Sunday June 1st – Australian National Maritime Museum – Time: 11am to 4pm
We look forward to seeing you at one of these events
Happy Skiing
B
Surf the POW!
There is nothing quite like riding the endless wave of powder to awaken the senses.
The opportunity to learn to achieve this sensation is completely possible with YES. Our professional Level 4 CASI Snowboard pros Rob Leblanc and Jaron Pauls have a combined 30+ years of experience teaching the art of snowboarding. The fact that people feel that they will never be able to "ride like that" is not something that we believe here at YES. Everyone can achieve their goals with a little training, confidence and guidance.
So come and join us in Whistler, Niseko or Wanaka… take the plunge to become stronger at a sport you love. Everyone can improve with the right instruction and practice in a safe and controlled environment. We know we will exceed your expectations.
Do it with YES!
**Image taken by Steve Andrews from http://500px.com/steveandrews
And thats a wrap!
What a fantastic way to end the season.
Last friday the 25th April was out final client apres and to make it even more exciting it was also the results day for the BASI Level 2 exam. We're thrilled to annouce that everyone passed, thats right the first BASI course in Canada and all the YES participants passed. Alex who was the BASI examiner said that he felt that with the high caliber of training from the CSIA instructors, this really set up the entire group with a strong ski foundation for the BASI course. The BASI Level 2 course is available to all those that join the 11 week course that starts in Feb 7, 2015.
Check out the end of season images and I will be posting some more as they trickle in from clients.
Thanks for a great season to everyone that joined us. Whistler, Niseko, Europe improvement and instructor courses, Thank you 🙂
Love the YES crew
BASI Course – Whistler, BC
This year YES has arranged for a Level 2 BASI course to be offered here in Whistler. I had the honour of joining the group for the first of two weeks to see what the British were up to. BASI course examiner Alex Leaf came over from Europe to run the course. The week started on Sunday with a meet and greet at the Alta Vista Chalet. Alex was introduced to the group of 8 that were taking the course.
BASI Examiner Alex Leaf
The BASI Group
Manuals and workbooks were handed out as Alex went over the course curriculum and the plan for the next 10 days. The first days were spent bringing us up to speed on the terminology that BASI uses. The 5 skills became the Fundamental Elementals, pivoting became rotation and the Fast Track to Parallel became the Central Theme. Alex introduced the new concepts on snow as we adapted to the British technique. Plough parallels (Christies) were explained with a slight twist as the emphasis was on stretching the leg to press on the new ski at the start. The group started teaching on Wednesday with the rest of the week alternating between ski improvement and practice teaching. Different teaching methods were explored such as command, reciprocal and inclusive just to name a few. Piste shorts (short radius) were introduced on Thursday and the whole group marvelled at how short Alex's short turns were. Friday brought about more teaching as everyone had a crack in front of the group.
On-hill practice teaching
A relaxed moment
James leading the group
I had a great week shadowing the course and learnt a lot about the British system. A big thank you to Alex for letting me tag along. The group was great and open to the new ideas/terminology and the atmosphere was fun. Good luck to the group for week two and I hope for some strong results on Friday. Cheerio!!
Meesh observing, Euro-style
100% success at CASI results
What a awesome good friday we had here in Whistler!
It was all about the snowboarders yesterday and he whole YES team showed up at the CASI results to hear the outcome for our Level 2 riders and YES pro Jaron who was going for the CASI Level 4.
First up where our rockstar clients that hit a 100% pass result with all the boys receiving their CASI Level 2 certification!! It was so awesome. For every YES student's name that was called the YES support team cheered loudly, it was like they had bought their own cheersquad! These guys have worked hard over the past 11 weeks to gain the CASI Level 1 and 2, CASI Park certification and the AST 1 Avalanche certificate.
Up next was Jaron and when his name was called the whole room erupted in applause. Jaron proceeded to do a lap of honour with high fives all round! This response from the crowd just goes to show how many people supported him and his goals, he is a truley awesome person and we're so stoked that he is one of our pros.
So from the whole team at YES a massive congratulations to all our riders who showed that with some hard work, quality training and great support you can take it all the way.
Happy Shredding
100% success at CASI results
What a awesome good friday we had here in Whistler!
It was all about the snowboarders yesterday and he whole YES team showed up at the CASI results to hear the outcome for our Level 2 riders and YES pro Jaron who was going for the CASI Level 4.
First up where our rockstar clients that hit a 100% pass result with all the boys receiving their CASI Level 2 certification!! It was so awesome. For every YES student's name that was called the YES support team cheered loudly, it was like they had bought their own cheersquad! These guys have worked hard over the past 11 weeks to gain the CASI Level 1 and 2, CASI Park certification and the AST 1 Avalanche certificate.
Up next was Jaron and when his name was called the whole room erupted in applause. Jaron proceeded to do a lap of honour with high fives all round! This response from the crowd just goes to show how many people supported him and his goals, he is a truley awesome person and we're so stoked that he is one of our pros.
So from the whole team at YES a massive congratulations to all our riders who showed that with some hard work, quality training and great support you can take it all the way.
Happy Shredding
YES down under!
I'm going to be back in Australia in May 2014 and will be attending the following Snow expos around the country:
- Sydney Travel Expo – Sunday May 25th at the Sydney Exhibition centre – Time: 9am to 4pm
- Travelplan Melbourne show – Thursday May 29th – Melbourne Exhibition Centre – Time: 5pm to 9pm
- Travelplan Brisbane show – Saturday May 31st – Brisbane Event and Exhibition Centre – Time: 10am to 3pm
- Travelplan Sydney show – Sunday June 1st – Australian National Maritime Museum – Time: 11am to 4pm
Also we will be hosting YES apres catch ups in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane! Dates to be announced shortly.
Would love to see you, swing by and say hello.
Cheers B
Believe and you will achieve!
Successful Steph!! Well thats not her real name but she sure has been successful while participating on our instructor programs.
Let me start from the beginning ….
Stephanie Taylor showed up at our YES office in Whistler last season (around December 2012) and asked me if she could join the CSIA Level 1 & 2 course. We don't often get walk ins like this so I was pretty surprised. Steph was pretty shy, quite young lady from the UK. She had come over to Whistler to work for the season but decided to take the time to also gain some certifications too.
Steph joined us for 6 weeks and during this time she successfully completed her CSIA Level 1 and 2 with flying colours in the 2012/2013 season. During this time we also noticed that she was starting to open up and that shy girl was growing confident.
A few months later I get another knock on my door, its around May 2013. Its Steph again. This time she tells me that wants to come back to Whistler and go for the snowboarding Level 1 and 2 certification along with some additional courses that we offer and even complete some CSIA Level 3 training at the end of the season. We work out the time frame and she will need 15 weeks to plow through her list. I mention there is also a BASI Level 2 course at the end of April that if all goes to plan she could do it too. She agrees and we book her in.
Steph arrived in Whistler on the 11th Jan 2014 – Let the games begin…
By end of Jan 2014 she successfully completes the CASI Level 1 and receives another badge
Around the end of Feb 2014 she participates on the AST Level 1 course and passes with flying colours.
By end of March 2014 she adds the CSCF entry level race coach badge to her lanyard
By the 1st week in April 2014 she gains her CASI Level 2 badge
Right now she is participating on the Level 3 training and next week she will be going for the BASI Level 2 badge.
Yep … it has been tick after tick on her personal goal checklist. She has worked really hard and the effort has paid off. Ultimaltey she believed and she acheived
All the team at YES are so proud of her and her amazing attitude. Steph is a confident young women and it has been so awesome to watch her grow. She'll hate me for writing this but she is truely one of my favourite clients ever and I am so proud of her. Trust me when I say 15 weeks of non stop skiing and boarding is exhusting and she has never backed down.
So in light of this awesome achievement, the whole YES team would like to congradulate Steph. This is a first for YES, in our 25 years of operation, no one has ever gained more certifications than this star student.
Nice work Pinky!
Dapper Dave
Dave McPeake is honestly one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet… yep not even exaggerating! Dashing, kind, smart, groomed…
Week after week clients swoon (even the men) about how great Dave is. Not only is he a great ski instructor, he is a great guy, has some pretty funny stories to tell and he plays a killer guitar tune!
We're so lucky to have you on the team Dave. Thanks for bringing such a positive attitude week after week, for 'wowing' everyone you ski with and for just being a generally awesome dude.
See you next season buddy
