EMSC
Well-known member
Not sure what age range he is coaching, but if he is really coaching anyone other than "developmental young kids", then for the most part he is getting a small handful of runs at those Ottawa locals per day. Many (most) of even those runs will be dragging around gates, playing with b-net, side slipping the course, innumerable hours standing at top or bottom of the course, etc... So all but the best powder days when even the coaches run around the resort will be more like 'days on snow', but relatively little in the way of what we would consider really skiing.
Most coaches of dedicated racers/teams that I know don't even bother to ski with poles anymore for example. Maybe grab them if there is a partial day session dedicated to fundamentals outside of gates (and then only maybe). Again, that is excepting the early stage kids where gates is a much smaller proportion of the equation as they are still working mostly on fundamentals, with some gates. Still tons of slow moving drills vs normal skiing even then.
Which is not to say any of this is in any way bad. Coaching can be extremely rewarding and sounds like for Patrick a way to sponsor at least one major trip per year in retirement.
Just pointing out the days on snow for a vast majority of coaches are mostly not about typical skiing at all. That is one of the reasons I stuck with 9-12 year olds on our development level team back in the day. Old enough for the drill runs to move much faster yet still a good mix of actually skiing various types of terrain for the basics (even if advanced basics like balance, turn shape, etc... on moguls on steep double diamonds). I've done tons and tons of 'coach skiing' in life. I'll definitely help out as an emergency resource from time to time, but don't sign up for even being a regular substitute anymore. Very much enjoying skiing what I want, when I want, and just for me or with my family - even if it often is just Eldora.