The ski season is practically over and my dear friend Paul has left me with a few deep thoughts to contemplate over the summer. For those who don’t know Paul, here is a brief introduction. Paul is a professional skier, which means that he spends his winters giving other people an incomprehensible series of explanations about how to move on snow with two long boards attached to the feet without killing themselves and the others on ski slopes that are crowded with people who are learning how to move on similar two long boards without killing themselves or the others on the very same ski slope.

So, here are some deep thoughts about skiing and teaching skiing by Paul and my comments about his views.

Paul on ski boots:

You Are In What You Are In

I just bought a pair of ski boots that are exactly the same as a pair I already own, except for being a size smaller. The showing of my new ski boots has prompted a short discussion about the advantages of well-fitting boots and subtle differences between just the right size and the size too small. I now favor the ski boots that are at least a size too small because I am driven to insanity by any “play” in my boot. I define the undesirable “play” in a ski boot as a state in which there is a possibility of being able to wiggle my toes, allowing the blood to circulate to my toes, and having the room necessary to prevent serious pinching and bruising. My dissertation was cut short with just one statement from Paul: “You Are In What You Are In.” Clearly, Paul has attained the next, higher level of understanding of the relationship between our feet and the ski boots, which will make him a lot of enemies from the ranks of people who rely on their income from the sales of ski boots.

Paul on skis:

You Are On What You Are On

During our recent discussion about the gear, Paul has summarized my eloquent discourse about the oh-so-important differences between skis based on their construction and geometry with one statement: “You are On What You Are On.” Of course, I can read between the lines and it was obvious to me that Paul simply does not share my mad obsession for that one ski that is interesting and yet so rewarding. It is also evident that Paul does not share my love for our country and is not willing to support its economy during the recession.

Paul on teaching turning, or a directional change:

Ski Forward and Sideways at the Same Time

I never stop working on the perfect turn or a perfect-anything-while-skiing so I can definitely relate to Paul’s quest for the truth in skiing. However, I was taken aback by his indifference to our complex system and sequence of teaching people the tools to move diagonally in the direction of the turn. It is possible that I have wasted years learning how to create an environment for my students that allows them to discover and learn all the movement pools needed for a decent turn while all I may have needed is Paul’s teaching system.

Paul on time warp

You Ski in the Past and the Future

You will just have to ask Paul about this one.

Paul at Powderhorn, March 15, 2009   (click to enlarge)