Ski Ward’s Snow School Will Show You How!

By Kim Dunbar

Are you someone who cringes at the first signs of winter because you associate it with running on a treadmill or shoveling snow? Keep reading. Other, more enjoyable activities are within reach.

“Skiing and snowboarding are not just sports but also a great form of fun entertainment,” said Ski Ward Snow School Director Tom Chesney (known to most as “TC”). “If you like it, you will have an activity you will enjoy for a lifetime.”

Ski Ward, located in Shrewsbury, follows the motto “Where it all Begins” and, according to Chesney, it’s a place to do just that…begin.

“Many people have never done anything like skiing or snowboarding and Snow School is where you need to start,” he said.

Why, you ask?

“If you try it on your own or have a friend teach you, it might work out but the odds aren’t as good,” Chesney said. “Skiing and snowboarding are activities that are best started by taking lessons first.”

Although the school has lessons for skiers and snowboarders of all ages and skill levels, it is especially great for rookies. Instructors cover even the very basics like walking around and explanation of equipment. “[They] make it fun and use a teaching system that has an extremely high rate of success,” Chesney said.

Chesney loves snow sports not only because they’re a form of fun, family-friendly entertainment, but also because they offer plenty of personal challenges. “You can go after those challenges at your own pace and you get to enjoy the accomplishments at every step,” he said, adding that with advancements in equipment and training methods, learning is easier and quicker than it used to be.

Sounds great, you say, except you still picture yourself rolling down the hill due to a lack of coordination no amount of lessons can fix? Wrong!

According to Chesney there are really only four skills needed to be successful in skiing or snowboarding ~ balance, edging, rotary and pressure ~ and guess what, you already have them!

“For people who are already active in sports, many of the skills are already there and they just need guidance on how to apply them,” he explained. “For individuals who have not been very active in sports or exercise, you will be amazed at how well you will do in lessons in just a very short time.”

And if you think you’re too old to start, wrong again.

“When you stop taking up new sports you get old very quickly,” said Chesney. “Many ski areas, including ours, have instructors who are past 70.”

In the end, if you find skiing and snowboarding just aren’t for you, there’s always tubing. “Something for everyone,” Chesney said.

For more information on Ski Ward and the Snow School,  visit www.skiward.com.