By Fischer Genau DIGITAL MEDIA LEAD
Next school year, Big Sky Discovery Academy is launching a ski program for students ages six through 11. Through the private school’s new Ski Enrichment Program, parents can pay an additional program fee to enroll their child two days a week, from 1 to 3:30 p.m., to train with Moving Mountains’ personal trainers and eventually ski with instructors at Big Sky Resort.
“We want our kids to thrive in all areas,” Scott Poloff, the head of schools at Big Sky Discovery Academy, told EBS. “This is a great opportunity for kids to be able to pair skiing with education and show them how the two can work together to be successful.”
Poloff said it’s important to teach students at an early age how to balance their schoolwork with other responsibilities.
“When these kids get to 10 or 12 and they’re ready to really make a commitment to [the Big Sky Ski Education Foundation], they’ll have had years of not only foundational ski training and athletic training, but also educational training and how to manage time and still continue to uphold a high level of academic excellence while also succeeding on the mountain,” Poloff said.
Training better skiers
The program will start with up to 12 students divided into two groups, one beginner and one more advanced. For now, the program is only open to skiers comfortable skiing parallel on blue terrain—snowboarders will not be included in the program. In the fall, Discovery will bus students to the Moving Mountains gym two days a week to work on mobility, strength and agility training, focusing on movements and muscles they will use on the mountain.
“I think it’s a really cool opportunity to teach young people about movement and strength in the gym, and how they feel and how they can then perform because they’re strong,” Amy Herran, a co-owner of Moving Mountains, told EBS.
Herran said that Moving Mountains rarely gets to work with anyone this young, and she hopes they will bring their foundational fitness training and skills with them into their adult life.
After 10 weeks of training, Discovery students will then take what they’ve learned to the mountain. Four coaches from Big Sky Resort will work with the Discovery group each week on skiing fundamentals, as well as reinforcing etiquette and respectful behavior. Each student will be equipped with a GPS chip so instructors can monitor their progress, and parents will be able to view a video summary of their child’s activities each day.
“I’ve spent my whole career promoting skiing, so I see this is a great opportunity to not just promote the sport, but these kids are going to come out of this and be lifelong skiers,” Matt Ruuhela, the assistant director of mountain sports at Big Sky Resort, told EBS.
One of a kind
Discovery’s intensive Ski Enrichment Program will be the first of its kind in Big Sky, organizers explained, although the Big Sky School District has a long history of bringing students to the resort for ski days.
“I think it’s important to recognize how unique this is,” Ruuhela said.
One reason Discovery can offer such a unique program is their flexible curriculum, Poloff said. The school will ensure that classes students miss during skiing or training will be offered on other days of the week, and Poloff said he’s confident that students who opt into the program won’t suffer academically.
“If they’re going to make the dedication to be on the mountain that much, odds are they’re making the same dedication in the classroom,” Poloff said.
During the program’s pilot year, Discovery, Moving Mountains, and the resort intend to adapt as necessary to best serve the students. Poloff said Discovery might decide to expand the number of kids, open it to more beginner skiers, or fine-tune the schedule as the season progresses to make it sustainable long-term.
“We’re super excited to work with these guys, get this up and get it moving, and get these kids on the mountain,” Poloff said. “When you get people that are pro-kid, pro-education, and pro-opening-up-opportunities-for-kids, it’s amazing what you can accomplish.”
Herran and Ruuela are also excited for the program to begin, and said they are looking forward to watching its participants grow throughout the years.
“If you’re passionate about athletics, if you’re passionate about art, if you’re passionate about working on cars, any opportunity you have to be exposed to that is a great opportunity,” Poloff said.
