It was a pleasure and honour to be involved in DSUK annual charity regatta on 31st August 2017.  The event has grown over its 4 years and this year had an entry of 15 Sunsail match 40 one-design yachts raising money for the DSUK Charity.  I was fortunate to skipper the BASI yacht, which included Sir Steve Redgrave, BASI CEO Andrew Lockerbie and former BASI Chair Gareth Roberts amongst the crew.

This event reinforced that sailing is an ideal activity for team building or leadership development, it created real and deep experiences to draw upon and develop from.

Recent coaching conversations with an International Level Archer reminded me of this article I wrote a few years ago and prompted me to share it again.

Skiing is a balance sport, yet general observations on the slopes indicate that the vast majority of skiers are not able to balance effectively. I would suggest that most recreational skiers have little perception of what effective balance actually is nor how to achieve it.

And an irony is that it is not just recreational skiers who would benefit from improved balance, many qualified instructors could also balance much more accurately.

On August 23rd I was invited to delivering at the Coaching for More Continual Professional Development day.

Coaching for More is recognised as one of the leaders in business and executive coaching and training in the UK and overseas so it was an honour and pleasure to deliver to their alumni in Edinburgh.

CfM Consulting run 4 CPD events through the year designed to inspire & take their coaches to the next level.

I am very fortunate to have worked my way to the very top of the ski teaching industry.  As well as holding the top qualification and having worked with all levels from beginner to international competititors, I have spent 20 years training and educating other instructors in my role as a BASI Trainer.

 I have delivered all BASI Teaching and Technical courses and twice been elected by my peers as their Trainers Director, I regularly train the Trainers and recently I have been appointed as the Team Coach for the Great Britain Interski Team.

I am at the top of my profession and I continue to love the challenge and stimulation this brings. 

However, last weekend was once of the bigger challenges of my career so far.

Every 3 years, every BASI Ski Instructor Trainer has to undertake a technical exam, our Quality Assurance, to prove that we are still able to ski to a high enough standard to train and assess ski instructors.

Last weekend was my turn.

On 9th December, BASS Morzine hosted the first LEAD Conference for professional Snowsport Instructors as a chance for them to LEARN, EXPLORE, ASPIRE & DEVELOP.

The day was attended by 30 career professionals, from Morzine, Avoriaz, Chamonix, Megeve and as far away as Verbier and Val d’Isere.

They came together to hear short, insightful and inspiring, thought provoking presentations from recognised industry experts.

I presented 2 x 20 minutes presentations.

The BASI training body has responsibility for educating and assessing British Snowsport instructors against the internationally recognised BASI qualifications.  The annual trainers conference is a major event in the calendar.

As a senior trainer and the elected trainers director, I take the lead in much of the planning and delivering the conference content, this year that involved preparing the delivery team as well.