 |
SnoWoman
Interview: Zeke Straw Assistant Ski School Director Northstar-At-Tahoe Resort |
 By: Rebecca Hale |
|
 Alpine Meadows | Diamond Peak   |
|||
While Anne, Holly and Nancy were off having SO MUCH FUN reviewing Northstar I was enjoying myself a bit more quietly by having a conversation with fourth time new dad and Assistant Ski School Director, Zeke Straw. I was a bit hesitant about talking with Zeke for the SnoWoman Page, because, let's face it, Zeke is a man! But, putting at least some of my prejudices about gender aside, I ended up learning a lot about the state of the art in snow sports from Zeke, as well as some of the keys to Northstar's success. A person who chooses to devote their life's work to helping others learn to master their fears and enjoy one of life's greatest sports has to be an individual who genuinely likes almost all people, and I think that describes Zeke pretty well. As mentioned, Zeke has the title of Assistant Ski School Director, which means he spends a lot of time devising clinics and classes for kids, singles, women, guys, parents, grand-parents and anyone else I may have left out. The classes and clinics are really popular, and they keep the ratio nice and thin. Northstar definitely has a high-morale atmosphere, which shows up at the ski-school and throughout the resort. They have a lot to be proud of, such as nifty state of the art hardware, like the completely enclosed pod-like gondolas. Northstar also has a lot of wide, groomed, terrain, but the Ski-School area is kept completely apart from other, more high-speed runs which gives students a little pocket of safety in which to practice and parents a net of security for their kids. And then there is the nature of the mountain itself that makes Northstar special...nestled into the spine of the Sierras at the perfect angle to capture more sunlight than even seems possible. This is a very pretty place. Northstar is taking a special interest in snowboarders, providing fresh challenges in the form of dedicated snowboard runs named Epicenter and Ground Zero. These runs were designed in-house especially for snowboards, and include both quarter-pipes and half-pipes for boarders as well as surfers and skateboarders who want to cross-train. Northstar offers free clinics for snowboarders at the intermediate level and above, which is as good as "walking-the-walk" when it comes to calling safety and education priorities. All children at the Ski School wear bright vests, and the location of the school is very contained, considering it borders a wilderness area. It's a great learning environment, because students of all ages can take some risks and push their limits in safety, while being given concrete and definite tips on how to make their experience on skis or snowboards an enjoyable one. The Ski School at Northstar takes a lot of pride in its instructors and provides continuous training. Skiing really enforces the rewards of goal-oriented behavior and trusting oneself. The Ski School actually over-staffs on most days, just to be sure that any individual who wants or needs to spend some time with an instructor can do so. I really enjoyed talking with Zeke about the psychology of sports, and of course the different learning styles of men, women, and children. As with any human-science, the bottom-line is really impossible to define completely, but we know it has a lot to do with pushing through the limited perceptions of what individuals may feel that they can endure and achieve. This season Northstar and its' sister resort in South Lake are continuing a program that began in the '96 - '97 season which I found pretty inspiring. This is an outreach program for fifth graders (10 and 11 year olds) wherein they are invited to the Resort, given a free pizza lunch, free rental for skis or snowboard along with a comprehensive talk regarding safety and responsibility. Then they are given a free 1 ¾ hour lesson with the usual student/instructor ratio of about 5:1. Since this special day falls on Wednesdays, the day I happened to be out there, I had the opportunity to watch some of the kids. The students are mostly coming in from Reno, Sacramento, and the Auburn area, and their school district is responsible for bringing the kids to the resort. Kelli Twomey, Director of Sales at Northstar, told me that 95% of these kids are brand new skiers, kids who would not have a chance to be exposed to snow sports due to financial considerations. It's really a memory-maker for the kids, and the resort looks after every detail of their day to make absolutely sure that it's a good one. From my personal observation, I can see that they treat the kids with a lot of respect. Kelli also mentioned that much of the inspiration for keeping this program going came from the heart-felt thank-you letters they received from every class they've hosted. Experiences like this can make a big difference for kids who may feel far away from a lot of the good things in life. Northstar Ski School is offering a great Women's Four-Day Clinic from February 3 - 6, featuring massage therapists, a sports psychologist, a specialist in after-hat "bad-hair", wine-tasting, and boot-fitting. These speakers are invited in after Zeke listens to and reads the feedback from previous women participants about what they really want to hear and learn more about. I especially liked the idea of a dedicated talk about the hair/hat problem. Unfortunately, my most recent stylist is telling me to just keep my hat on as much as possible. Boy do I know a lot about bad-hair! I guess one thing that really impressed me about Zeke's philosophy of snow sports was the understanding of the balance between the social aspect of getting out with teachers and friends, and the personal empowerment aspect of mastering technique and equipment. Another cool thing about snow sports is the ever-present respect for and observation of the mountain, the weather and our Great Mother Nature. Thanks Zeke at Northstar for taking the time for some chat! SnoWeb Home | Ski Conditions | Bookstore | Featured Products | Backcountry This page was prepared by Sierra Web Design. Email webmaster@sierraweb.com for comments or details on our services to Ski Areas and Resorts. For information about SnoWeb advertising & sponsorship placement rates and submission guidelines, contact SnoWeb Sales: v# (702) 833-9500. © 1998 |
|||
