A Three-Part Framework for Clearer Ski Coaching Cues
11/15/20262 min read
At an early-season clinic, ask three instructors to help the same skier. One says, “Flex your ankles.” Another says, “Get forward.” A third says, “Keep both ski tips sliding on the snow as you start the turn.” All three may have observed the same movement, yet each cue directs the skier’s attention somewhere different.
That difference matters. When evaluating a coaching cue, technical accuracy is only part of the question. Consider what the skier can do with it in the next five seconds: Can they remember it? Do they know when to apply it? Can they notice whether it helped while they are moving?
Choose the skier’s point of attention
An internal cue directs attention toward a body movement. “Flex your ankles as the skis start to turn” is one example. An external cue points toward the effect of movement, such as what the skis do on the snow. “Keep both tips sliding on the snow as you start the turn” asks the skier to notice ski contact.
A cue can refer to the body and still emphasize an external effect. Listen for the part of the sentence that tells the skier what to pay attention to. When skiing, a long explanation of mechanics may be more information than a learner can use during a turn. Discuss the reasoning while stopped if needed; once the skier is moving, offer one clear idea they can try. Research on attentional focus gives instructors reason to experiment with cues about movement effects, while each skier’s response helps determine whether a particular cue is useful.
Build cues with an object, direction, and verb
A practical way to revise a cue is to check for three elements: object, direction, and verb. Consider: “Brush your skis toward the open side of the corridor.”
The object is what the skier should notice. In this example, it is the skis. The ski tips, tracks, or a patch of snow can also provide a reference that the skier can perceive while looking ahead.
The direction describes where the action should go: toward the open side of the corridor. Make sure that direction makes sense from the skier’s perspective, including when they turn the other way. A direction that seems clear to an instructor beside the run may be ambiguous to someone skiing through it.
The verb tells the skier what to do. “Brush” suggests a light movement across the snow. “Slide,” “trace,” and “drive” imply different actions and intensities. Select a verb that matches the movement you want to see, rather than one that merely sounds vivid.
Test and refine the wording
Use the three elements to diagnose a cue that feels vague. “Be more active” offers little information about what to notice, where to move, or what action to try. A more specific version might be, “Slide your skis toward the open side of the corridor.” The right wording depends on the skier and the task, but the framework makes missing details easier to spot.
At your next clinic, have instructors describe the same movement in different ways. Ask what each cue makes the skier attend to, then try the cues on snow. Keep the one the skier can understand, apply, and evaluate. Clear coaching is not about finding a perfect phrase for every person. It is about choosing a useful focus, giving it direction, and offering an action the skier can attempt right away.