2010 Snowboard Scholarship

After winning a number of snowboard racing prizes over the last few years, Rangatira Alpine Sports Club decided it was time to acknowledge the future potential our young snowboarders have and hold a snowboard scholarship this year. 

So on the first weekend of October 2010 a group of riders arrived at Rangatira Ohakune for the club’s first ever snowboard scholarship. The seven boarders chosen to represent the club were James Beuvink, Geordie Holibar, Michael Bryant, Molly McDonald, Simon Millar, Grace Addington-Hall and Edward Martin. The manager of the event was Mike Beuvink (a skier).

We all got together on the Sunday evening to get to know each other, the code of conduct and to meet Sigmund, our instructor, to talk about the week ahead. Simon Millar was appointed team leader for the first day.

We awoke to blue skies and unlimited visibility at Turoa and all agreed to be at the ski Instructors hut at The Wintergarden at 9.30am. Unfortunately six out of the seven scholars were late to the meeting point and two of the scholars (including the team leader), who decided to go to the top of the six pack, before riding down to the meeting point, ended up being 25 minutes late. After some discussion about the ramifications of being late (Simon and Michael had to wash all dishes that night), the rest of the day was spent on developing the scholars’ boarding techniques.

After completing a full day’s boarding, including being videoed by Sigmund, everyone headed back to the club for showers and a de-briefing. Each scholar also had to write a review of the days activities in the scholarship diary. After dinner the scholars played a few team building games, with the aim of everyone getting to know each other better. Later that evening at a meeting of parents and scholars, Thursday evening’s agenda was discussed. Parents and scholars were advised that they would have to perform a skit in front of the rest of the club and the instructor. 

Tuesday dawned another great day. This time all the scholars were on time at the meeting place and a full day was experienced by all. Techniques learned included improving turning and riding switch. That night after dinner and dishes were finished and the entries in the diary completed, the whole club joined the scholars for the quiz. The night was won by the non-scholars team, the parents came 2nd with the Scholars a distant last.

Wednesday dawned to another clear day, although some cloud did roll in during the afternoon and it got rather cold. Techniques learned included twists and 180s. After returning to the lodge and warming up under hot showers, the scholars got together for a debriefing, completing their diary entries and a team building exercise. Dinner followed and then Wednesday evening was a “free” night, as unknown to everyone except Mike Beuvink and the custodians, Luigi Hotter from the Ohakune Fire Service and his smoke generator were scheduled to make a late night visit. At about 10.30pm the fire alarm went off as the hall filled with smoke. What followed was an orderly evacuation into the cold night, with everyone being accounted for fairly quickly. A few grumbles were heard about having to get kids out of bed, but most thought the exercise a worthwhile experience.

Thursday and the sun was back for another beautiful ski day! Today the scholars got an introduction to the terrain park and how to use the boxes and rails. Sigmund accepted our invitation for him and his fiancée to come back to the club for dinner and to judge the skits and present the awards. Again before dinner we had our de-briefing session and each entered another observation in the diary.

That night after we were all entertained, firstly by Mike Beuvink reading some of the hilarious excerpts from the scholarship diary, and then by the skits.

The parents’ skit involved each parent dressing up as their child, using articles of their clothing and acting out a copy of the first meeting on Sunday night and the fiasco of the Monday morning meeting at The Wintergarden. 

The scholars meanwhile had put together a song about one of the parents who had been following them around during the week. No names, but the song was titled “Solid Steve”. Have a look at the back of the scholarship diary if you get a chance sometime. The words are on the back page.

Sigmund and his fiancée were asked to judge the skits and they both agreed that the parent’s skit had won the night. As we weren’t meeting again on the Friday, Sigmund also gave each scholar feedback on how they had developed during the week and also announced that Grace Addington-Hall was the winner of The Most Improved Scholar, which all the scholars agreed with.
Friday morning arrived and while the weather was good, the forecast was for a deterioration of the weather as the day wore on, which was exactly how it panned out. Sigmund still had enough time to video the scholars again and the improvement in skill levels was amazing to see. The scholars all met at the bottom café at 3.30pm to complete their final diary entry and for the final debriefing before everyone said their goodbyes and drove off to different parts of the North Island.

As the first-time manager of a scholarship, I can say it was a fun experience with a bunch of really good kids who all ended up as good friends by the end of the week. The future of our club is looking pretty good if the calibre of these young people is anything to go by.

Many thanks to Sigmund and The RAL Snow School, and thanks also to the Parents and family members who came along and enjoyed the week with us. Also thanks to Mark Fairley and Adrian Farnsworth for the amazing snowboard trophy. And finally, thanks again to the 2010 Snowboard Scholars for a very impressive and fun week.

Mike Beuvink

Posted by Rob Yallop on 27 March 2011 at 08:34 PM