Jackrabbit Level 2 – Lessons 1 – 7

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

ready position, star turn,

falling and rising

-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

kick turn

On flat terrain

tracking, movement on skis (running step)

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

Snack

20 min. to get there and 20 min to get back.

10 min.

Have skiers take off one ski and switch half way. Try two balls and no goalies

Statues 

-skiers ski around until leader calls “statue”

-skiers stop and hold whatever position they are in last person to move becomes the caller

Balance

-If coach says “Simon says jump” skiers jump

-if coach says “jump” skiers do not jump

-sidestep 

-kick turn

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.

-diagonal stride (gliding  step)

-double poling

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)

Snack

-skiers are explorers

-add some off trail skiing

-look for animal tracks or interesting marks in the snow

10 min.

 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.

Hoops – skiers Glide down a hill through hoops and around pylons

Practice: 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

–diagonal stride, 

-double poling.

Remind skiers along the way to glide on each ski and to practice double poling

-Herringbone

-Free glide

-Snowplow braking

-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 

Herringbone (moderate slope), free glide, snowplow stop

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

Ski 

25 min.

-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. 

-kick turn, 

-diagonal stride 

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

-herringbone, 

-free glide, 

-snowplow stop

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

-snowplow turn.

Set up poles or pylons –skiers weave through the pylons snowplow turning right then left

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”.

Ski

35 min.

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.  

Practice: kick turn

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.

-diagonal stride,

-double poling 

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

snowplow turn

Snowplow turn 

-weight skis evenly, keep ski tips close together, hands forward and poles tips behind

-herringbone, 

-free glide, 

-snowplow stop.

-gates to glide through 

-a line to stop at

-cones to mark the area to herringbone up

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

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.

-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)

kick turn, diagonal stride, herringbone, free glide, snowplow stop, snowplow turn double poling.

Review any techniques with which skiers are having difficulty

free skate

(no poles)

 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

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

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.

-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

Review balance activities

-kick turn

-diagonal stride

(flat terrain with tracked area) 

-double poling

(slight downhill slope)

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

-herringbone,

-free glide,

-snowplow stop, 

-snowplow turn. 

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

-pile some snow to create bumps and jumps on the hill, 

-ski off trail to find natural bumps and jumps

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.)

-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