Situated in the heart of France’s Three Valleys, Méribel is SnowSkool’s base for its European snowboard instructor courses. Here you can undertake the snowboard qualifications governed by BASI (the British Association of Snowboard Instructors) up to and including the BASI level 2 snowboard instructor certificate, allowing successful graduates to teach snowboarding in resorts around the world. BASI is a particularly well-respected member of the ISIA (International Snowboard Instructors’ Alliance) for its requirements that, even at the lower levels of qualification, snowboarders must complete work experience within a Snowboard School.

BASI Level 1 Snowboard Instructor

The BASI level one snowboard course is five days in duration, during which you will be assessed on both your technical riding ability and newly acquired teaching skills. Students will have to successfully plan and teach snowboard lessons for beginner snowboarders. In terms of your snowboarding, candidates must be able to ride confidently on all red runs and demonstrate the ability to link small radius turns with good speed and control. Completion of the snowboard instructor qualification is achieved alongside completion of the Safeguarding Children Module, a first aid course and 35 hours Snowboard School experience. All this is included within the SnowSkool package.

SnowSkool BASI Level 1 Snowboard Instructor pass rate: 100%
Available on: All SnowSkool France snowboard instructor courses.
Employment: On all artificial and indoor slopes worldwide.

BASI Level 2 Snowboard Instructor

The ten-day BASI Level 2 snowboard instructor qualification is an entirely different animal to the level one, and very much a step up and in the right direction if you want to make a career in snowboard instructing. The course requires candidates to complete an additional 35 hours of work experience with a registered Snowboard School before they take the BASI Level 2 course. The work shadowing is factored into the SnowSkool snowboard course timetable. In addition to this candidates must be able to snowboard confidently on a variety of terrain; steeps, bumps, and freestyle terrain. They must also have the knowledge, ability and understanding to teach snowboarding in a variety of situations, adapting the lessons to the varying needs of the client.

SnowSkool BASI Level 2 Snowboard Instructor pass rate: 95%
Available on: SnowSkool France 11 week snowboard instructor course.
Employment: All countries (including France with Test Technique, albeit on skis!)

BASI Freestyle Coach Level 1:

This three-day course allows SnowSkool students to gain their first freestyle coaching qualification - a great additional qualification to have on the CV when applying for snowboard instructor jobs worldwide.

Candidates for this course must be able to cleanly link carved turns on blue terrain, ride switch linking turns, perform good ollies & 180s all ways on the piste, straight air a small kicker (4-7m) and 50/50 a box. By the end of the course candidates will be able to design & deliver a well structured coaching, introduce people to performance snowboarding, understand different methods of rider analysis and be able to prepare people for snowboard competitions.

All in all they’ll be well on their way to becoming a full on shred sensei!

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