“How many years have they skied?” is a useful opening question, but it does not determine level by itself. A child may have skied for two seasons and still need support with braking or turn control. Another may complete the same outcomes in less time. In the Les Alpes system, level is therefore based on skills visible on snow, not time completed.
Why does assessment happen on snow?
Information shared by phone and previous certificates give the team context. The actual assessment happens on snow. Our domestic camp template includes a two-hour level assessment on day one. Coaches look at:
- Movement in equipment and basic stance
- Balance and weight transfer
- Braking and stopping under control
- Starting and linking turns
- Adjusting speed to terrain, traffic and personal ability
- Following instructions and general confidence on the run
One strong descent or one fall does not make the decision. The aim is to identify repeatable skill and place the child where progress can happen safely.
The Les Alpes pathway
Junior
One-to-one, play-based teaching for ages 3.5–5. Getting used to equipment, balance on snow, enjoyment and basic motor skills come first. The goal is not a number of runs but a safe and positive first relationship with skiing.
Beginner
Correct stance, balance, braking and steering are developed. The programme’s main completion outcome is controlled skiing on a blue run. Simply reaching the bottom is not the same as skiing under control; the child needs to manage speed and direction.
Intermediate
Independent stance, pace management and a wider variety of turns develop. The child begins to make decisions for changing parts of the run rather than only following the coach.
Advanced
Speed control, agility, endurance and technical precision are addressed together. Performance work increases, but safety and control still come before speed. This level prepares the route to Let’s Race.
Let’s Race
The race-team pathway after Advanced. Individual goals, technical development, performance tracking and race planning are built for the athlete. Entry is considered together with the athlete’s level and the season plan, so ask the team for the current criteria.
Why assess again at every camp?
Skiing is seasonal. A long break, growth, new equipment, different snow or a recent injury can change how the first day feels. Reassessment does not “take away” a previous level; it finds the right starting point for that day.
How should a parent read the result?
- Treat level as the next training plan, not as a grade.
- Look at outcomes, not only a colour or run name.
- Do not assess a child through the group their friend joins.
- Ask “Which skill needs to be completed?” rather than “When will they move up?”
- Share the end-of-camp review when registering for the next programme.
The right group is not the group in which the child is never challenged. It is the group in which a new skill can be attempted without losing control.
