Chapter 5: Lesson Plans — Teaching Mono-Skiers
2 Outdoors for ALL Volunteer Manual
The Bucket
The seat should be snug and comfortable. Choose a ski that has a bucket best suited for the student. We
have two basic styles:
A more up-right, comfortable seat — good for almost all mono-skiers (Yetti)
A more angled, athletic seat — better for skiers with more control of their body (Shadow, Grove)
Adjust straps so that there is no movement inside the bucket. Think of it as the equivalent to a ski boot. It
needs to be tight, but not painful. When tightening straps, watch out for leg bags and sensitive areas. In
general, strapping should be as low as possible, allowing fore/aft and rotary movement of the torso.
Continuously check the straps to make sure they are snug, especially after a fall. Remove any
snow that accumulates in the bucket after a fall as well.
Adaptations — Higher-level injuries may require additional strapping to help restrict movements. For
example, a T8 might be able to move forward, but not back. A strap can limit the movement forward to a
point where the student can recover and move back at will. Be careful not to limit flexibility and mobility
however. The point is to use what the skier has available, and compensate for anything that is not available.
The Foot Tray
The foot tray provides a platform to secure and protect the lower legs and feet. It should be adjusted to allow
for bent knees and an ―athletic‖ position. The knees should be bent enough to help the student mo ve
forward and backward easily. A higher-level injury may require the knees to be bent more to keep the
student’s body from moving too far forward.
Outriggers
Hand-held outriggers provide balance and a mechanism for moving around on flat terrain. In the crutch
position, outriggers are used for when maneuvering the ski in a static position, such as pushing on the flats
and loading a chairlift.
Fitting Outriggers — When in the neutral athletic position, with elbows relaxed and bent comfortably, the
outriggers should sit on the snow between the knees and feet.
For beginners, outriggers can be a little longer to provide a more stable platform. As skiers become more
advanced, the outriggers are used less and less on the snow, although be sure they are long enough for the
skier to push up onto a chairlift in the loading position.
Adjusting the brake — For beginners, allow for more braking, but not so much that the skier can’t glide
without braking. As the skier advances to more difficult terrain, less brake is needed.
Dowel Tests
Perform a dowel test when setting up a student. This ensures that the person’s body is properly balanced on
the ski. Record the appropriate settings in the student’s progress report. For details, see the ―Teaching Tips
and Tricks‖ section of the SFA Manual.