As the snow slowly but surely covers the ground, we are reminded that it is finally time for ski season, a quintessential part of the New England winter experience. Senior Nate Welsh has been a ski instructor for the past three years, zooming through the snow and spreading his love of skiing.
Nate currently works at Ski Sundown in New Hartford, Connecticut. As he describes, the ski season in Connecticut can start and end without warning due to the unpredictability of the weather. “It generally gets going around Christmastime and ends by mid-March,” Nate said. “The lack of natural snowfall and cold temperatures to sustain snow means that Ski Sundown relies heavily on man-made snow, which is made by blasting ice chunks into the air.”
Nate loves being a ski instructor, “There’s nothing quite like the feeling of when a kid complains about a lesson ending too soon,” Nate said. “I love the excitement on people’s faces when they finally nail the stem christie.”
As with any outdoor activity, the weather can be difficult at times. “It can be really cold in the morning, and you can have a group of kids who are rightfully kvetching about how cold it is and you have to stay there and comfort them,” Nate said. “That’s a teaching thing, I suppose, and a valuable skill – learning how to show up for others in big ways, like helping kids when they small down, or in small ways, like having kids imagine themselves at the beach to warm them up, that I want to transmit to other parts of my life.”
As Nate describes, nepotism has had a big influence on his skiing pursuits. “My dad is also a ski instructor,” Nate explained, “He’s been doing it for well over a decade. Ever since I was a young one he’d schlepp us out to the hill, and I went through all the lessons and programs that I teach now.”
Nate believes that he’s learned a lot by being a ski instructor. “I’ve learned that people are so cool and unpredictable and that you never know who you’re going to teach next!” Nate said. “I’ve also learned a ton about how to ski well, which is always great”.
Nate typically works on Saturdays, maintaining a delicate academic and work balance. “I can’t have my side gig interfering with my scholarly pursuits at the esteemed KO school during the week!” Nate exclaimed.
On a normal Saturday, Nate and his father wake up early to get to the mountain by 8:30. “My groups are usually between the ages of six to ten, and I usually have five or so kids,” Nate explained. “Then, I go to work on a one-hour ‘Puffin’ lesson, which consists of a lot of laps in our learning area with a kiddo aged four to six.” After a few more classes and a much-deserved lunch break, Nate typically ends his day at 4:30.
Nate currently has a Level 1 certification by the Professional Ski Instructors of America and is currently in pursuit of a Children’s Specialist 1 Certification this winter.
Nate encourages everyone to try out the snowy slopes. “Come on out and take a lesson sometime!” Nate said, “It never hurts to get some pointers or discover something new. You never know what you’ll learn.”
