Seven days of skiing

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I’am on the plane. We’re flying back from Sun Peaks, British Columbia. We have just completed a fantastic ski camp. I learned this morning that British Columbia has just limited all non-essential travel. I imagine that an out-of province ski camp is considered non-essential. We had the perfect window.

However…I won’t hide the fact that organizing this camp was extraordinarily complicated and stressful. So many constraints and so much uncertainty so that everything would be super safe. We had to take into account the many public safety protocols and those of the CNESST – the Québec workplace standards, equity, health and safety commission.

During the planning period, we had to manage the convictions and expectations of parents and participants. I wondered, several times, if the trip was a good idea. I felt that the parents had become engaged in the adventure hoping that in the end the club would cancel it. That way, they themselves wouldn’t have to choose to pull their child out of the camp.

I didn’t sleep much in the four weeks leading up to departure. I’d wake up every morning questioning myself. Have we forgotten something in our protocol? Is it really reasonable to go? Quarantine before departure, covid test, big bubble concept, mini bubble concept, personal protective equipment in case of covid in the group, Plan A, B, C….

To add another layer, three weeks before our planned departure the airline company cancelled our itinerary. For seven days, we didn’t have a flight option! At the time, I almost hoped that there would not be a solution and that we would refund the trip deposits.

In the end, a few days prior to departure, the travel agents found us an acceptable route that allowed us to apply our covid protocol. So the trip was going to happen, and I was almost disappointed.

And if I had to do it again?

Considering that the young people hadn’t skied since mid-March and that several of them had had provincial and national championships suspended which, for most of them, was their goal for the season.

Considering as well that everyone – including the coaches – had greatly appreciated getting back to nearly normal activities for a few days. I saw coaches and athletes who were so happy and grateful that we’d gone to all the trouble.

The few days of training on the snow let them concentrate on their sport before returning to their regular uncertainty. In the end, three months of planning for seven days of skiing…. It was all worth it.

So the answer is yes, absolutely, 100 per cent: I’d do it again

Our young people deserve to have us to do the impossible for them to give them some respite from this difficult, unhappy time. For that sevenday period, despite mask, Purell and bubbles, everyone had the same mission: training for our sport!

 

More from this author by clicking on his picture below.

Jocelyn Huot

 

Jocelyn Huot30 Posts

Entraineur Chef du Club de ski Mont-Tremblant Entraineur Niveau 4 certifié FESC / PNCE Niveau 3 de l'Alliance des moniteurs de ski du Canada Formateur pour Alpine Canada depuis 2007 Head coach of the Mont-Tremblant Ski Club Leve 4 FESC/PNCE – certified coach, Level 3 CSIA/AMSC – certified instructor

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