Jackrabbit Level 2 – Lessons 1 – 7
Chelsea Nordiq
Jackrabbit Level 2 Lesson#1
Activity | Description/ Location | Time |
Warm Up | Stork stance
Skiers stand on one leg only then switch Tippy toes -skiers rock forward and back between their toes and their heels finding the best balance point Reach for the sky -skiers reach for the sky going up on their toes |
5 min. |
Review skills
ready position, star turn, falling and rising |
Ready position
-arms and hands forward, knees and ankles slightly bent, relaxed upper body Star turn -arms out for balance -stepping in one direction -tips apart and tails together Falling -remind skiers to fall like they are sitting down Rising – tuck skis close to bum, lean forward with hands on skis and stand up |
10 min. |
Game | Quick thinking –skiers spread out and face the coach. Coach points in different directions and the skiers move in that direction (forward, backward, left and right) | 10 min. |
New Skill
kick turn On flat terrain |
Kick Turn -skiers reach right arm backward to plant it on the outside of the left ski (both poles are here). Skiers lift their right ski, perpendicular to the snow and place it parallel to the left ski but tip beside tail. The left leg and arm follow around to bring the skis side by side tips and tails together. | 5 min. |
Game/Review
tracking, movement on skis (running step) |
Running step – lots of knee and ankle flexion
Tracking –skiers step sideways out of and back into tracks, knees slightly bent Track tag– skiers side step into tracks to get safe, can stay for 5 seconds only |
20 min. |
Ski Destination
Snack |
Ski to special snack location (caves?)
20 min. to get there and 20 min to get back. |
40 min.
10 min. |
Free Play | Soccer
Have skiers take off one ski and switch half way. Try two balls and no goalies |
20 min. |
Extra activity | Rope tag– skiers try to catch the rope dragging behind the leader
Statues -skiers ski around until leader calls “statue” -skiers stop and hold whatever position they are in last person to move becomes the caller |
Notes or Comments on lesson:
Chelsea Nordiq
Jackrabbit Level 2 Lesson#2
Activity | Time | |
Warm Up
Balance |
Simon Says
-If coach says “Simon says jump” skiers jump -if coach says “jump” skiers do not jump |
5 min. |
Review Skill
-sidestep -kick turn |
Sidestep obstacle
Lay five ropes 1m apart and a pylon 3-6m past the line of ropes. Skiers side step over ropes then ski around the pylon and return. Second skier starts when the first skier has stepped over the last rope. Extra challenge Place ropes 2m apart. Skiers do a ½ start turn to step over the rope facing the other way. Kick turn –as in lesson 1. Skiers try opposite direction. Skiers may need assistance with this. |
5 min. |
New Skill
-diagonal stride (gliding step) -double poling |
Diagonal stride – the skier has to push down into the snow to get traction, skier balances on one ski to glide
Run, Run Glide Drill – skier takes two running steps then glides on one ski, continuing with 2 running steps then one glide step (this will have the skier gliding on one leg then the other. Double poling –poles tips plant beside boots body flexes at the waist, poles extend behind Robot Drill –skiers stand in place with poles planted beside boots, skier flexes at waist keeping arms stiff like a robot then comes back up (poles can be held slightly above snow to simulate motion without actually pushing into the snow) |
15 min. |
Ski
Snack |
Adventure ski
-skiers are explorers -add some off trail skiing -look for animal tracks or interesting marks in the snow |
50 min.
10 min. |
Game | Pie tag-skiers run on skis, skiers make a herringbone position and say the name of a favourite pie to keep from being caught, skiers are only safe for 5 seconds, change to snowplow pie tag
Fetch -Coach throws socks with balls in them in all directions, skiers fetch. Throw -Skiers ski up to a target and throw a sock/ ball at the target. |
20 min. |
Ski Play/join another group | Soccer -Challenge another group to a soccer game, no goalies, two balls
Hoops – skiers Glide down a hill through hoops and around pylons |
20 min. |
Extra activity | Scooter drill– skiers take off one ski and push with the boot foot and glide on the ski (make sure foot lands beside the other foot and not in front or behind) |
Notes or Comments on lesson:
Chelsea Nordiq
Jackrabbit Level 2 Lesson#3
Activity | Description | Time |
Warm Up
Practice: kick turn, |
Red Light/Green Light/ Kick turn
Coach calls Red light skiers stop, Coach calls yellow light skiers ski slowly, Coach calls green light skiers ski quickly Coach calls kick turn skiers do a kick turn |
10 min. |
Ski / Practice
–diagonal stride, -double poling. |
Ski on rolling terrain to get to a wide hill
Remind skiers along the way to glide on each ski and to practice double poling |
25 min. |
Review Skill
-Herringbone -Free glide -Snowplow braking |
Nibbles and Bites *On flat terrain
-skiers stand with skis parallel in ready position, skiers use varying degree of edge to make nibbles (small amount) and bites (more edge), edge left, right and both inner edges Ridges and valleys-skiers now push ski to the side(tails apart) and make a ridge, skiers switch push ski when coach says “change” Herringbone-poles behind, keep “V” narrow when possible Free glide-skiers are in ready position gliding in tracks Snowplow braking –tips together tails apart, control speed by adjusting size of wedge and edging of skis, even pressure on both skis, upper body in ready position |
20 min. |
New Skill
Herringbone (moderate slope), free glide, snowplow stop |
ski to a moderate slope
Herringbone– on inside edges, pole tips planted behind and to the side of the boots, hands below shoulder level Free glide– skier in ready position, skis parallel, body upright, knees and ankles slightly bent Snowplow stop– as in snowplow braking skier applies pressure on the edges to come to a stop |
15 min. |
Snack
Ski |
Ski back to meeting area | 10 min.
25 min. |
Game | Chain tag-coach catches a skier and they hold hands and chase together continue until all skiers are caught Blob tag– same idea but once the chain has 4 skiers the group splits into two and continues chasing | 20 min. |
Extra activity | Horse and Carriage
-a rope with a fixed loop is placed around the waist of one skier -a second skier holds the rope -the horse (first skier) double poles pulling the carriage. |
Notes or Comments on lesson:
Chelsea Nordiq
Jackrabbit Level 2 Lesson#4
Activity | Description | Time |
Warm Up/ Practice
-kick turn, -diagonal stride |
Flea Leaps -skiers leap off snow, keeping their knees flexed when landing
One-Leg Pops Skiers jump off snow from one ski to the other Practice edging skis -Nibbles and bites, ridges and valleys Stomp Fest -skiers push snow vigorously to the side one ski at a time -goal is to create a large snow pile |
10 min. |
Review Skill
-herringbone, -free glide, -snowplow stop |
Ski on rolling terrain stop to review key points
herringbone –skis edged inward, poles plant behind feet, hands below shoulder height free glide– ready position, skis parallel, ankles and knees slightly flexed snowplow stop –even pressure on skis, come to a full stop |
30 min. |
New Skill
-snowplow turn. |
Snowplow turn -Skier applies more weight to the right ski to turn to the left, ankles are rolled in to edge skis
Set up poles or pylons –skiers weave through the pylons snowplow turning right then left |
10 min. |
Game | Downhill & uphill obstacle course– set up a snowplow turn course, ski poles to ski under, a line to stop before, a zig-zag herringbone course
Mines -spray coloured dots on tracks, but not left and right track directly side by side. -skiers glide down the tracks lifting a ski over the “mines”. |
15 min. |
Snack
Ski |
Continue skiing to end up at meeting area | 10 min.
35 min. |
Ski Play | Crows and Cranes –divide group into two teams. Both teams (crows and cranes) scatter on the playing field. On the whistle they freeze where they are. The coach calls “crows” or “cranes” and the group called tries to tag the other group. When tagged the player switches teams. The coach signals for everyone to freeze and changes the group that is chasing. Continue back and forth until all players are on one team. | 10 min. |
Extra activity | Pursuit Tag –one skier starts skiing around a loop, second skier tries to catch the first, when caught both skiers turn and race back to the starting point
Partner Pushes-half of the skiers take their skis off on a packed, untracked area. Skiers without skis push skier’s hips to move them across the packed area pushing slowly then gradually faster. Skiers keep skis parallel. |
Notes or Comments on lesson:
Chelsea Nordiq
Jackrabbit Level 2 Lesson#5
Activity | Description | Time |
Warm Up/ Waiting
Practice: kick turn |
Treadmill
1. skiers run in place on their skis starting slow and gradually getting faster. 2. walk on spot extending leg backwards 3. skiers balance on one leg with the other extended backwards –hold for 3 seconds –switch. |
5 min. |
Review Skill
-diagonal stride, -double poling |
Ski to a moderate hill
Stop to review on the way: Diagonal stride –emphasize glide repeat run, run glide drill Double poling-concentrate on planting the poles beside boots One legged Ski -skiers imagine that their legs are tied together move from one side of the play area to the other using poles only to move them forward Pole Drag drill –skiers drag their poles in the snow while recovering and plant them when they are beside their boots |
30 min. |
Review
snowplow turn |
Set up slalom on the hill
Snowplow turn -weight skis evenly, keep ski tips close together, hands forward and poles tips behind |
10 min. |
Practice
-herringbone, -free glide, -snowplow stop. |
Set up
-gates to glide through -a line to stop at -cones to mark the area to herringbone up |
15 min. |
Ski & Snack | Adventure ski
leader takes group on a ski pointing out -trees, -snow types, -wild life -wild life signs (tracks) alter the terrain by: -taking group off trail, -skiing around a tree etc., interesting objects can be placed around trail to keep skiers interested in what they will see next |
50 min. |
Free Play/join another group | Penny, Penny, who’s got the penny? –group is divided into two teams on one team a player is secretly given a penny. The team attempts to get to the other side of the playing field (or a hoop “castle”) without the penny carrying player being tagged. | 10 min. |
Extra activity | Downhill Catch
Skiers try to touch the snow then lift their arms into the air while skiing down a slope progress to throwing a bean bag and catching it as they glide. Then try having the coach throw a glove to them which they catch and throw back as they are gliding. |
Notes or Comments on lesson:
Chelsea Nordiq
Jackrabbit Level 2 Lesson#6
Activity | Description | Time |
Warm Up/ Balance | Pendulum swings
-stand on one leg while swinging the other leg back and forth Combo swing -when the skier stands on their left leg, the left arm swings in the same direction as the right leg and the right arm swings in the opposite direction (like walking) |
5 min. |
Practice Skill
kick turn, diagonal stride, herringbone, free glide, snowplow stop, snowplow turn double poling. |
Distance ski -with varied terrain allowing for practice of all of the skills for level 2
Review any techniques with which skiers are having difficulty |
50 min. |
New Skill
free skate (no poles) |
In an open area with a slight downhill slope
Free skate -tips of skis 30cm apart -shift weight from one ski to the other -skier glides forward Tick Tock –skier stands on a slight slope with fairly straight legs the skier rocks from one ski to the other with skis slightly edged, skier will move forward |
15 min. |
Game | Shark and Squid– The shark has a feather duster and tries to tag skiers who pass from one side of the playing field to the other, once tagged the skiers stay in place and try to touch passing skiers make the playing field smaller to make it easier to catch skiers | 10 min. |
Review/ Balance | Marching Soldiers
Skiers walk on the spot lifting knees high in front of chest Tail lifts Skiers walk on the spot extending the leg backward. Try to lift the ski tails off the snow Bobbing stork –skier stands on one ski and tips forward, then comes upright again with hips ankles and shoulders lined up one on top of the other |
10 min. |
Snack | 10 min. | |
Ski Play | Obstacle course
Set up obstacle course so that skills can be practiced. Include a slope to ski down with bumps, turns. Include a target to throw balls or snowballs at. Make the loop large enough that skiers will keep moving. |
20 min. |
Extra activity | Sizzling snow
-skiers stay in one place and quickly step from ski to ski trying to have only one ski on the “burning” snow at one time -skiers “hiss” when their ski is on the snow |
Notes or Comments on lesson:
Chelsea Nordiq
Jackrabbit Level 2 Lesson#7
Activity | Description | Time |
Warm Up/Balance | Favourite warm up
Review balance activities |
5 min. |
Evaluate
-kick turn -diagonal stride (flat terrain with tracked area) -double poling (slight downhill slope) |
Kick turn-poles behind first, poles wide for balance, attempted in both directions, fine if they need some assistance
Diagonal stride (gliding step) -able to do 5 strides in a row -glide is visible it’s ok if: weight transfer is not complete, balance insecure, poles not used for propulsion Double poling -hands come forward, upper body flexes at the waist just after poles are planted, arms extend to the rear, legs are fairly straight throughout |
20 min. |
Evaluate
-herringbone, -free glide, -snowplow stop, -snowplow turn. |
Ski to a moderate hill set up a loop so that the skiers can keep moving up then down the hill demonstrating all of the techniques
Herringbone –skis turned to inner edge, poles planted behind and to the side of feet, hands below shoulders Free glide – glides 3-5 metres on moderate slope in ready position, arms and hands away from body, hands in front tips behind, skis parallel Snowplow stop –good wedge, ski tips together, equal pressure on skis, come to a full stop Snowplow turn –weight shift visible, turn completed, tips together , two successful turns |
20 min. |
Game | Bumps and Jumps
-pile some snow to create bumps and jumps on the hill, -ski off trail to find natural bumps and jumps |
20 min. |
Ski & Snack | Ski to favourite snack location
Story ski -tell a story as you ski to your destination stopping to bring group together to tell the next part of the story (adaptation of Hansel and Gretel, Snow Gnomes hiding in the forest etc.) |
40 min. |
Ski Play with another group | Tug of war
-challenge another group to a tug of war -try sidestep tug of war (skiers are in side step position) and snowplow tug of war (skiers are in snowplow position Crows and Cranes -challenge another group to Crows and Cranes |
15 min. |
Extra Activity | Cops and Robbers –Coach is the cop and the skiers are the robbers. Robbers are safe in their hideout (a marked area) for 5 seconds. If caught skier must go to prison (another marked area). Captured robbers can be set free by a free robber. |
Notes or Comments on lesson: