January is Learn a Snow Sport Month
January 12, 2010, by eugenebSkiing is like riding a bike. Okay, well, not really. It’s cold, doesn’t have wheels, and comes with that whole losing mittens issue. But for kids getting their feet wet, so to speak, learning the two is similar. It requires patience and coaxing from parents, so toddlers glide rather than topple down the slopes.
Luckily there’s an organization offering help. Hosted by Snowsports Industries America, Learn a Snow Sport Month officially kicks off this January with free or discounted learning programs offered by resorts and Nordic centers throughout the U.S.
While learning programs vary from state to state, participating venues in 32 states make it easy for children and adults to learn alpine skiing, snowboarding, cross country skiing and snowshoeing by highlighting programs that are free or are modestly priced. Most lessons include a lift ticket and rentals as part of the discounted package. In addition, the Winter Trails program, held January 9, offered free snowshoeing and/or cross country skiing at 80 locations.
And SIA brought in the big guns to help promote it, signing ski icon Glen Plake as the program’s national spokesperson. As part of the campaign, Plake appeared on NBC-TV’s Today Show to explain how snow sports can contribute to a healthy lifestyle. He even gave anchor Hoda Kotb a quick ski lesson at Camelback in Pennsylvania.
“This is a great opportunity for children and adults to learn snow sports by taking lessons from a pro,” says Plake, whose Down Home Tour travels to smaller ski areas every year to talk with children and adults about the joys of snow sports. “You don’t have to be an expert to have fun on the snow. And I never underestimate the role that smaller resorts play in nurturing interest in skiing and snowboarding among children and adults.”
Now in its second year, Learn a Snow Sport Month has ballooned into a collaborative effort involving five national organizations, national trade media, and 16 resort associations representing 32 states with more than 350 alpine resorts and Nordic centers.
Info: www.LearnaSnowSport.org.
Mohawked Marketing: SIA is using ski star Glen Plake to help kids start skiing.
phone: 888 582 2001 | International: 613 582 7154
info@helipress.com | www.helipress.com
Subscribe