Snowboard Instructor Success Stories - Adam Lovick
Having discovered the joy that is sliding on snow in 2008, Adam knew that this was a turning point in his life. He joined the Nonstop 5 week snowboard instructor course in March 2011 and since qualifying on his course as a CASI Level 1 instructor he has gone on to instruct in Canada at Mount Seymour and Whitewater resorts. Here is his story...
First day of instructing at Mount Seymour
A week in the French Alps in January 2008 was to change my life forever. It was my first time experiencing the majestic sight of snow-covered mountains, and my first chance to learn how to snowboard, just three months before I was due to turn 21. Having spent my teenage years on rollerblades at skateparks, rather than on a sketchy skateboard, for some reason I still felt that I would rather snowboard than ski when I'd decided to book this last minute package holiday, and I haven't lived to regret that decision. After my third week-long holiday in Europe in March 2010, I knew that just one week a year in the mountain environment was not going to be enough for me, and so I began to look for a way I could extend that happiness I felt when I was on my snowboard. After a few weeks of investigating tour company job opportunities and what it would take to go and work a winter season in the Alps, I somehow stumbled upon the Nonstop website, and the rest, as they say, is history....
There was no way I was going to have enough money saved up in time for an 11 week course beginning in January 2011, so after numerous calls and emails with staff in the UK office, I opted for a five week level one snowboard instructor course that ran from early March. I took comfort in the fact that even if I didn't have what it takes to become an instructor, I was at least going to have a fantastic experience with people of a similar mindset, and hopefully improve my riding! The seductive offer of deep fresh powder was too much to refuse, so Fernie was the resort that stood out the most for me. Six months later I was there enjoying fresh tracks almost on a daily basis, and not having to worry about trying to learn another language just to get by!
I arrived two weeks before my course was due to begin, and stayed in the hostel in town before a room became available for me in the Red Tree Lodge. I soon met many of the 11-weekers around town and at the mountain, and had no shortage of people to hang out with after each day of shredding. Those first two weeks of unguided exploration were eventful to say the least. Who knew you could give yourself whiplash from doing four consecutive backflips down a double black diamond run on a 30cm powder day?!
Thankfully once the course began, the instructors I would ride with quickly pointed out my poor techniques and were able to solidify my riding skills, bringing me up to and above the standard required to pass the CASI Level 1 course. Standing up in front of strangers and talking or explaining things was something I'd always struggled with, but everyone in my group felt the same and so we had lots of fun 'teaching' each other to snowboard as we went through the procedures of how a beginner snowboard lesson should be taught. Lots of mistakes, stuttering and falling over whilst trying to skate around switch were some of the things that put us all at ease and made us all feel equal.
Celebrating CASI Level 1 results, April 2011 (Adam on far right).
After five weeks of getting to know each other, riding in epic snow, and becoming the best snowboarders we had ever been, all but one of us passed the Level 1 course. I look back on it now as only being the beginning of my new life, which holds a whole new outlook and different priorities from before. I knew that this trip had opened a lot more doors for me, and that travelling around the world, being in the mountains and snowboarding was something I definitely had to pursue further.
As soon as I got back to England, I started to investigate how I was going to go about being in Canada for the next season. I soon discovered that many Canadian ski resorts do not offer sponsored visas for instructors, and most of those that do only offer them for Level 2 instructors and above. That moved my attention on to gaining a one year working holiday visa from the Canadian government, which I found I would have to wait until early the next year to apply for, as all of the positions for 2011 quota had been assigned already. This meant it was time to go get a job, and bide my time whilst saving as much as I could to prepare myself for what I hoped would eventually come. And in July of 2012 it did come, acceptance on to the IEC working holiday program....it was time to start making real plans.
I sent out my CV to every ski resort in BC and Alberta, and detailed my eagerness to get into the industry. I received far fewer replies than I'd anticipated, it seemed none of them were too interested since I was on the wrong side of the pond. In no way was this a deterrent though, I decided to book myself a flight to Vancouver for early October, and go take a chance on getting hired at the job fairs for the three mountain resorts in North Vancouver. If that didn't work out then I was going to take myself on a merry trip around BC over winter, and go ride at as many different resorts as possible until I only had enough funds left for a return flight to Manchester....either way I was going to have some fun.
The best ever sunrises from Mount Seymour, North Vancouver
As it turned out, I was fortunate enough to be offered positions at the two resorts I had visited on their job fair days, and was able to pick my favourite. I had been willing to work in any department, just to get my foot in the door, and chose the best option for me, which was to work on the Snow School desk at Mount Seymour. This gave me a fantastic insight into how a Snow School operates, from lesson bookings and staff scheduling, to day-to-day organisation. The management staff took my instructor status into consideration when they chose to hire me, and were able to give me my first chance to gain teaching experience in the New Year. This was when the school groups were to begin, and the crazy Christmas rush was over. I look back on it now as a huge benefit to have built up a knowledge of ski resort operations, and how I can contribute the most to that sort of company. Had I been a full-time instructor from the start, I would probably never quite have understood how the whole thing works from just turning up at the desk, collecting my lesson card, and going out to find my students.
I also benefitted from a full-time wage....it was an eye-opener to find that despite the glamour we associate with this industry, as an instructor your days can be filled with a lot of waiting around for lesson time slots to gain bookings, and going out to help other departments just to do your hours for the day. There is much more demand for ski lessons as a whole, and so don't be surprised if as a full-time snowboard instructor you only teach (and therefore get paid for) two to four hours of lessons each day. This can be frustrating of course, but you can still take the positives in the form of a free season pass, lots of free time to go ride and an opportunity to make a huge impression on someone’s life by teaching them a new skill and sharing your passion for something you love!
My first winter season was to end on low note. A seemingly innocuous fall in late March resulted in a torn AC ligament in my left shoulder, and was to be my last time on my board that season. I finished up my last few weeks on the lesson desk, and then had to decide whether to come home for surgery or persevere with pain and physiotherapy. It was a pretty easy decision in the end because I was living a dream, there was no way was I going to give that up.
The office for summer 2013, a marina resort on BC's West Coast
I was able to find myself a job at a quaint little holiday resort on the Sunshine Coast for the summer, about three hours north of Vancouver (including a ferry ride). I was working on the marina there, mooring and refuelling the boats, which was another whole new world for me to enter, and what an amazing summer it was! A first real summer of consistent sunshine (being a Northerner!), swimming in the lakes, kayaking on the ocean, drinks around open fires at night time...a huge contrast to winter in the mountains, but not at all a worse option! Adding to that, the news that my application in March for a second IEC visa had been accepted, and I was able to do this all over again, was the icing on the cake!
On top of the world...a hike up The Chief, Squamish, BC in summer 2013
So come August of 2013, as the summer was drawing to a close, I began to send out my updated CV to all the ski resorts of BC and Alberta again, knowing that I wanted to experience something new rather than go back to Mount Seymour, despite it having a special place in my heart. I knew deep down that I wanted to head back to the Kootenays for the 'champagne' powder that the west coast just doesn't get, and so focused my attention on the resorts in and around the east of BC. Fortunately this time my CV seemed to stand out a little more, since I had some experience in that environment. Once again I was able to choose my favoured destination, having been offered positions after telephone interviews at three different resorts. I chose to move to Nelson, BC, which is local to Whitewater Ski Resort. I can honestly say that it has been the best decision of my life! The people in town, the ethos of the resort, and above all the terrain and snow conditions are way better than I could ever have hoped for.
So far the '13-'14 season has been one of relatively little snowfall across much of western Canada in comparison to previous years, but that still doesn't put a downer on things. This season I work on the Snow School desk here on the weekends and teach on Fridays. Part-time work gives me four days a week to go out and freeride with friends and colleagues, although I do cover my bills with a second job, serving some evenings in a restaurant in town. I find myself coming home every night with a huge smile on my face. I am satisfied with what I am achieving, happy being where I am and living a life I would never have even dreamed of if you had asked me only three years ago before I had started my Nonstop course. The way I look at it is that we only get one shot at living this life, and although I may not have too much in mind for the distant future, or have any particular final destination in mind, I'm sure as hell enjoying the journey that can help everything else fall into place!
Knowing that I have now used my two available year-long working holiday visas means that I must find other ways to be allowed to continue working in Canada. I intend to take my CASI Level 2 course at the end of this season, which if I pass could potentially make sponsored working visas an option in the future, or maybe my amazing Canadian girlfriend might want to contribute to a BC residency application! Then again, I'd love to see what New Zealand has to offer, and check out some southern hemisphere riding. The beauty of my life right now is that I have so many possible outcomes for the future, and I can take my life in any direction I like. Before I discovered Nonstop I had worked numerous meaningless jobs that did nothing more for me than to put money in my pockets to allow me to escape real life on holidays, or with fancy gadgets or my car. This last 16 months it has been honour to work in environments that I love, at times being paid to teach people how to do something that I love doing, and am surrounded by people who share my passion....sliding on snow!! Who would ever have guessed that something so simple could be so rewarding!?!?
If you would like to follow in Adam's footsteps, you can join the 5 week snowboard instructor course in Fernie in 2015. You might even consider the same course in Banff, training across all three of the regions fantastic resorts, Lake Louise, Sunshine and Mount Norquay. Or if you have a little longer to spare, why not enjoy a whole season in the mountains with one of the 11 week snowboard instructor courses. If skiing is your thing, don't worry, there are the ski instructor course equivalents for you too!
