# First Post: Becoming an Instructor



## bkozzz (May 31, 2012)

Hello everyone, bit of a lurker here, had a few questions I wanted to get some feedback on. I am a 19 year old kid who currently works a decent summer job in the midwest. However, I do not want to continue doing this for years to come. Obviously as this is a Snowboard forum, I am highly interested in the sport. I am a very good rider, though I still have much to improve on.

Anyways, I've been thinking for some time that I want to turn my passion into something I can do for a while. I've seen the posts about the pros and cons of instructing, from someone like Snowolf who has a well informed opinion. Assuming I have enough saved up to live on my own in an area like Breckenridge, CO what can I do to make this happen? I have been to the area many times and love it. Would you say this is a complete mistake? I dont want to live thinking about what I could have done, or anything like that. So basically I am wondering what my first steps to accomplish this would be and some general advice.


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## BurtonAvenger (Aug 14, 2007)

First year you're guaranteed clients from Breck if you're a higher level instructor otherwise hello Kid Castle! Second year you're on your own as a higher level to get your own clients. Third year you hit the bottle so hard after blowing out your knee that you become washed up and bitter towards tourists. Fourth year everyone assumes you're dead even though you moved back to Ohio. Fuck working for the mountain you won't ride.


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## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

From what people have said, it doesn't look like you can make a living at it -- at least not more than you could get working at Home Depot. It seems like the best tactic is to find out what non-snowboarding-related but decent-paying jobs are available where you can live and work near the mountain. Preferably flex-hours or shift-work so you can ride weekdays.

At your age, you are in a good position to do this -- no dependants, no commitments built up yet. Ask again, but this time ask what types of jobs might fit these criteria.


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## Irahi (May 19, 2011)

Donutz said:


> It seems like the best tactic is to find out what non-snowboarding-related but decent-paying jobs are available where you can live and work near the mountain. Preferably flex-hours or shift-work so you can ride weekdays.


The key, you've found it. I'm a software engineer with a 100% remote job with highly flexible hours, I couldn't tell you how many riding days I got in because I could log in from the lodge for whatever the meeting du jour was, and then strap in for the rest of the day. I clocked 112 days this season, and my riding days weren't ever limited to an hour or two long ride break that my resort employee friends get stuck with.


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## bkozzz (May 31, 2012)

Arlight, quality responses especially Avenger haha, so you guys are saying stay away from the mountain for work completely? I'm really not concerned about the money, I just dont want to get stuck doing busy work in an office the rest of my life now which is what I'm doing right now.


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## snowklinger (Aug 30, 2011)

I work in a restaurant in Evergreen that I can get to from Breck in an hour. With my days off this affords me a minimum opportunity to ride 4 days a week and still work 50-55 hours.


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## BurtonAvenger (Aug 14, 2007)

bkozzz said:


> Arlight, quality responses especially Avenger haha, so you guys are saying stay away from the mountain for work completely? I'm really not concerned about the money, I just dont want to get stuck doing busy work in an office the rest of my life now which is what I'm doing right now.


Choices learn to make good ones.


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## Matt166 (Oct 19, 2011)

I usually find people who hate on instructor lifestyles either teach at the wrong mountain, or aren't instructors.

My 2p, if you really are serious about teaching.

Start off in kids school, they aren't paying the bills, so less pressure and a better environment for you to hone your teaching techniques.

Take all the free training you can get.

Get as many certs at you can afford quickly. I hate the fact that AASI has such a huge part to play in our lives, but it is what it is, if you ever want to earn money out of teaching or actually ride, you need to be qualified.

When you have a couple of years under your belt, have a mountain in mind that has high end clientele, and work adults - they ARE paying the bills, which means if you do a good job, they will probably tip you depending on the mountain.

I work at a pretty decent mountain, I normally come out of the season about 5-6k in profit. It wasn't always this way, this season will be my 7th teaching and the early years were defo a struggle, especially when I worked in the east. 

Some things to consider:

To earn good money it helps to have the following characteristics - you need to look good, be professional, be easy to get on with, connect with all types of people, be extremely nice, be willing to tie a few bootlaces/carry boards/stop old ladies from falling over.

If i were you kid, i would go to college first, the mountain will always be there and if you go near a mountain town you can teach in your time off. One day you might decide you want kids, you'll need that degree. 

Good luck buddy, if you can swing it, and swing it well, lifes good.


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## BurtonAvenger (Aug 14, 2007)

^ These are all wrong decisions. College will always be there youth won't we're all gonna die some time might as well bang it out now before you're an old crusty bastard in a ski town getting drunk at 3 in the afternoon talking about the good ole days. 

The fabled myth of ride all day, party all night in a ski town is a joke if you fall sucker to the pitfalls of being a snow carnie. Yes instructors are snow carnies and should always be noted as that. And for the record I have no respect for instructors and view them only slightly higher than mountain safety but somewhere below cafeteria dish washer. 

Breck is a great town I love it, you love it, and the tourists love it. Remember this about any job here, you are here solely to serve the tourists your job is dependent on their money. Regardless of what you think you will not be a local until you get to the point that you don't even care that you live here or that you have banged every girl at least 4 times and contracted no less than seven STD's. Only then will you officially be a local. Losing bodily organs can be substituted for STD's.

Key jobs for letting you ride all the time. Dishwasher, food delivery, server, bar tender, night auditor, night stocker, snowboard shop, off mountain rental shop, anything with a split shift or afternoon shift, man slut, backseat skier, cougar tamer. In Breck high end waiting jobs are coveted but you can find ones at some of the more touristy places that have high turn over. Do not bother applying to Downstairs at Erics unless you have a vagina. Get here right at the start of September to secure a good job/housing. 

Housing is another key important factor if you do not have a car you will be on the bus system which is awesome although always 5 to 15 minutes late at any given time. Remember this it's Summit County time. If you have a car parking sucks and you will need to learn how to become a fucking ninja of stealing parking spots or just take the fucking bus. But back to housing it's a lot like joining the army in terms of roommates, you'll meet people from all walks of life and most of them will seem stupid to you. Do not adopt a dog because you think you're cool, chances are it's one of the same 7 dogs that gets adopted then ends up back at the shelter at the end of the season. Do not live with women and if I have to go into detail about this you are already a lost cause and should proceed to smoke meth now while driving drunk and getting a suck off from some poor dude from Keystone. Blue River is not Breckenridge, no matter how close to town they tell you it is. Peak 7 is the fucking boondocks and you could die waiting for a search party to find you out there. If potential new roommate tells you, "I have some friends crashing on the couch they're chipping in on rent" read this as they will freeload off you and your rent will never decrease all while having your shit abused more than one of the 10 lifty chicks that lives in staff housings vagina. 

Contrary to popular belief Breckenridge is not Amsterdam as much as people believe weed is legal here. We do have a few dispensaries and town law states that it's officers discretion on whether or not to prosecute if you have an ounce or less on you. County law supercedes town law and state law supercedes that followed by federal. It's decriminalized not legal, don't be stupid. 

If you do work for the mountain make the right choices in terms of jobs. Lifty's do not ride, instructors are day care, food service means you're a slave, shuttle drivers are fat and cranky, day cleaners don't speak English, park crew is coveted, cat driver means you drink a lot, which means night jobs are the best bet i.e. night cleaning. 

If you're not working for the mountain buy your pass. Regardless of if one of the jobs in town offers you it as an incentive buy it yourself. Then if you want to play hooky and go shred they can't call the pass office and have it turned off on you. Yes this does happen if you let it. Do not ever give an employer a chance to be your dark overlord masters. 

Since you are 19 you can not get into any of the bars legally, get a good fake ID. Tip well, don't be a douche, and if a girl tells you she's 21 assume she's 18. If she tells you she's a 20 something figure she's a cougar and her vagina is more busted than the Delorean at the end of Back to the Future 3. If house parties are you thing do not party with the high school sluts from Summit High they are trouble and you will get one pregnant. You think I'm joking but those bitches are in heat. 

Keystone has herpes it's the rumor year after year and it's true that is all you need to know about that. 

This is how you live in summit county.


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## snowklinger (Aug 30, 2011)

BurtonAvenger said:


> ^ These are all wrong decisions. College will always be there youth won't we're all gonna die some time might as well bang it out now before you're an old crusty bastard in a ski town getting drunk at 3 in the afternoon talking about the good ole days.
> 
> The fabled myth of ride all day, party all night in a ski town is a joke if you fall sucker to the pitfalls of being a snow carnie. Yes instructors are snow carnies and should always be noted as that. And for the record I have no respect for instructors and view them only slightly higher than mountain safety but somewhere below cafeteria dish washer.
> 
> ...


This is quality shit my friend, cut paste for a nice editorial on your site.


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## Matt166 (Oct 19, 2011)

I refer to my original statement.



Matt166 said:


> I usually find people who hate on instructor lifestyles either teach at the wrong mountain, or aren't instructors.


There is a difference between a bro that teaches at Breck, than a career instructor who works at a nice resort, actually has a brain and aims to get something out of the season.

FYI, I spend 75% of my teaching time riding the mountain, and I think Breckenfridge is the arsehole of Colorado.

Bottom line, if you are a bro or a snow carnie, take heed to BA's post, it will probably be very useful. 

If you are a respectable human being and have had at least 1 decent job in your life, don't move to breck.


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## bkozzz (May 31, 2012)

Appreciate the responses people, to be honest I just want to get the fuck outta Michigan, 90% of the people here are potheads going nowhere in life. Even though I'll miss some of em, theres really not much motivating me to stay. And yeah I still wanna get my degree (probably CS), so I would still wanna be taking classes if I do this.


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## Matt166 (Oct 19, 2011)

bkozzz said:


> 90% of the people here are potheads going nowhere .[/QUOTE]
> 
> HA! if this is why you are moving away from Michigan, then I strongly suggest you don't move to Breck, as its probably 99%.


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## bkozzz (May 31, 2012)

Matt166 said:


> HA! if this is why you are moving away from Michigan, then I strongly suggest you don't move to Breck, as its probably 99%.


Nah, I mean I don't mind toking up every once in a while, but its a daily habit for most people here, and probably for many there too. If you don't mind me asking, where are you at, and are you currently an instructor?


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## BurtonAvenger (Aug 14, 2007)

CMC 4 year college in Breck but oh yeah we're all bro's in this town and a bunch of degenerates. I forgot the people that hate on Breck are the ones that can't snowboard our parks or think the mountain is flat. Go ride Keystone.


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## budderbear (Nov 27, 2011)

BurtonAvenger said:


> I forgot the people that hate on Breck are the ones that can't snowboard our parks or think the mountain is flat. Go ride Keystone.


People that say Breckenridge is flat most likely haven't been off the greens on peak 8,9 :laugh: I always hit up imperial, peak 10 and the bowl between 9,10 (backcountry) and its far from flat  Also once I actually got older and started throwing a coat of wax on my boards I can make it through the cat walk areas without skating or unstrapping. Vail is ridiculous in spots as far as flat goes but can also be avoided if you know your way around.


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## WVrider84 (Aug 5, 2011)

x2 on most of what snowolf said.

I taught full time for a winter about 7 years ago at Snowshoe WV. I got back into it working part time for the last 2 years at Wisp MD.

Its selfish, but my biggest reason to get into teaching was to improve my personal riding. I was self taught and that I was a pretty decent rider. Riding with and learning from people who had been in the industry for quite some time was an eye opening and extremely positive experience. I realized I knew little to nothing about proficient snowboarding.

There are a lot of positives to teaching. Girls dig snowboard instructors, you will have an amazing opportunity to learn how to snowboard well, you will get a lot of snowboarding days in, you will make money being active doing something you love, you will get to share something you love with other people, you will probably meet a lot of interesting people.

There are negatives as well. When I started I had the idea that I would be on black diamonds everyday. That wont be the case. Starting out you will not have choice on lessons and you will most likely be stuck dealing with kids. Kids can be challenging to teach. You will probably only get beginner lessons, unless you are a very gifted rider. As Snowolf said it can be very frustrating dealing with unfit people in a lesson. Its tough when people get frustrated.

From my personal experience I think working part time is the way to go if you want to instruct. Make decent money during the week so you don't have to be stressed about making ends meet from teaching. I think each resort is differnet, but at my current mountain - the pay is nice. I probably averaged 20 bucks an hour not counting tips for the hours I worked. I find it to be a very rewarding job. I genuinely enjoy sharing my passion for snowboarding with others. Its really cool to see someone pick up a concept and be excited about progressing. Maybe its different out west, but I feel that AASI is a great organization. I only have my level 1 but plan on going for the 2 this year. Both resorts I have worked for refund your dues/exam fees at the end of the season. If it doesn't cost anything why not do AASI events and learn from the best riders in the country? You also get nice proform deals on gear.


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