Selecting the Right Wake School

Every summer there are more and more watersports schools popping up in Ontario. With all the choices out there, how do you pick the right school for you and or your children?  In most cases location is the number one factor in wake school selection. However, the closest school is not always the best option. You may get a lot more out of driving a little further. Here are some things to consider to select the best school to ensure you are going to learn the most in a safe and effective manner.

Insurance

This should be your first question. All (well almost) schools in Canada use the same insurance policy. Water Ski Wakeboard Canada has a collective policy that all school subscribe to. If the school you are looking at does not have liability insurance through Water Ski Wakeboard Canada, this should be a huge red flag.

There is another important insurance that ski schools require. This is commercial boat insurance. Normal boat insurance does not cover commercial operations, so the school should have a commercial policy.

Equipment (sponsors)

Lets face it, most of us don’t have $80,000 for a boat. If you are dropping big money for lessons, you want to ride behind a cool boat. However, the reality is that most riders don’t need a weighted X Star to learn how to land a heel side 180. In fact, in some cases a massive wake might make it harder. Ensure that the boat suits your level of riding and is in good condition.  Talk to the instructor about how they weight the boat for intermediate riders.

You will probably want to use your own board and vest, as this is what you will be using when you get back to your place. If you are interested in trying a new board, demo it from a shop and try it on your boat.

As a form of reference, ask what sponsors the school has. This will give you an indication of the industry support the school has. Generally, the more sponsors (in this case the bigger the better) the more legit the school is.

Qualifications

To qualify for the insurance policy from Waterski Wakeboard Canada (mentioned above), you have to be qualified by Water Ski Wakeboard Canada. The Canadian Water Ski Instructors course trains instructors in boat driving, all aspects of waterskiing and wakeboarding, and requires first aid and a boating licence. This course ensures that your instructor will meet all of these important requirements.

Experience

While it is important to be a qualified instructor, it is the experience that makes a great instructor. The instructor’s course is just the tip of the iceberg of what you can know.  A good instructor should have worked as an apprentice or with an experienced instructor before starting their own business. When talking about experience, as about the number of students taught not just the number of years.  Some schools only teach a few students each year, where as other schools teach thousands of students per year. As with most things, practice make perfect. The more times an instructor has taught something, the more perfected their teaching style will be. This is a very important consideration when selecting an instructor. Ask them several questions about how many students they have taught that are of your ability level.  Discuss with them your goals for the lesson and how they plan to teach that trick or tricks. A good instructor will be able to explain several teaching techniques for each trick and justify why they teach a certain way.

Instructors riding level (who will be taking you out)

You do not be able to do what you teach. However, having experience with the learning process of like or similar tricks will help the instructor explain and provide explanations for the trick. Find out what skills the instructor has, and if you are looking at a larger school this will be your chance to reserve an instructor that will meet your needs.

Cost

The honest reality is that it will take some time before you can work effectively with a new instructor. Even best instructors need time to look at your riding and get an idea of what you can do before they can really get into the teaching. Look for a package or program that will give you some time to get to know the instructor. Also, be realistic about what you can do. No matter how athletic you are, you cannot ride for an hour. Break it into 30 minute or less time slots, with time to rest.

The bottom line is that cost should not be your determining factor. You have made huge investments in your boat, cottage, fuel, board etc. A little more spending should result in way more fun on the water. In most cases, the schools that charge less, do so for a reason: there service is inferior.  More expensive schools should offer better boats, and more experienced instructors. Paying a little more for a lesson should get you a lot more!

Location and Availability

If a school is busy, it’s usually because they are good at what they do! Book your lessons well in advance and be flexible. It is a short summer for instructors to make money, they will usually work in the early mornings or into the evening. You may find the water is the calmest at these times!

At the end of the day the more time you spend researching your ski school, the more fun you will have and the more you will get out of it. Don’t be shy to ask questions of your instructor and take advantage of the skills they have. Their role is to help you have more fun on the water and behind the boat!

Making the Most of Your Lesson

Show up 15 minutes early, as there will be paperwork to complete. Explain to the instructor your goal or goals for the lesson.  Trust the instructor, they may have you take a few steps back to ensure that you can move forward effectively.  This may be disappointing, but it will help you reach your goal more quickly and effectively with fewer falls.

Save your questions that are not directly related to the skills you are working on until after the lesson.  You do not want to clutter your mind with to much information. Take advantage of the instructor to ask questions, but also remember that this is their job, and they make money by charging for their skill set. If they spend an hour with you answering questions, that is time they cannot make money.