Bio Cross Country Ski Instruction

 

Llona Ney Clausen

 

 

Growing up in Georgia, I did not see snow for the first time until I was 21.  I loved cross country skiing immediately, and moved to northern Wisconsin so I could spend my winters enjoying the sport.  Unfortunately, I could not get down hills or turn.  I tried a few lessons and manage to just frustrate the instructors.  I eventually had an experience that enabled me to turn and stop, and enjoy the hills.  That experience made me realize two things.   The first was that I learned skills in a way that the instructors did not understand.  The second was that I had a mental picture that needed to change to enable me to ski hills confidently.

 

In 1981, I decided to become a ski instructor to learn how to instruct.  My goal was to learn to teach the unteachable.  I have been instructing cross country skiing ever since.  I was certified a PSIA (Professional Snowsports Instructor of America) Level one in 1981.  I quickly progressed to Level 3 and eventually obtained Examiner status.  (Examiners teach others to be instructors and exam other candidates for certification.)  I did an extensive USSA Coaches training and received a Level 1 certification.

 

I have taught skiing at Minocqua Winter Park in Wisconsin from 1982 until 2005.  I was also the ski area manager for 13 year and managed/owned the ski shop for 25 years.  I left to manage the Nordic Ski Program at Tamarack.  I was the assistant coach for the Lakeland Nordic Ski Team for 20 years.  Through the years many of the children that I had the privilege of coaching went on the place at the Junior Olympics, win state championships, and get college scholarships.  I worked in Australia for 10 year with the Lake Mountain Ski School during North American Summers and Australian Winters.  I was brought to the ski school to develop a children's teaching area and children's program.  High school students in Australia study Outdoor Education as part of the curriculum and schools brought their students for a day cross country skiing at Lake Mountain.  Our ski school did huge numbers of high school students each day.  I worked with the Australian Ski Instructors Program to help teach new instructors how to teach children.

 

PSIA requires semi-annual updates to remain certified.  I have actively worked to remain current on the technical aspects of cross country skiing, instructing, and coaching.  I try to take clinics as often as possible.  I read technical manuals and other information on the sport.  I will continue to obtain information and ideas that will improve my teaching and coaching abilities.