Level up in skiing or snowboarding

Learn to ski or snowboard and advance your skills at each level. Not sure what level you are right now? Use our Levels Guide below to understand where your skills are today and what level you should register for in our programs.

WinSport Snow School

Levels 1-4. Learn basic skiing and snowboarding skills. Start as a beginner and progress to intermediate.

Recreational Ski & Snowboard Clubs

Levels 5-8. Where skiers and snowboarders further develop their skills.

Development Ski & Snowboard Teams

Levels 7-9. Where skiers and snowboarders take their skills to the next level and begin to compete.

Ski Levels

Skiing Ages 3-5

Level Prerequisites Level Goals

0 - First time

First time on skis.

Remain active for 60 minutes. Introduction to equipment and basic mobility.

1 - Beginner

Still learning to stop and control speed.

Have skied once or twice, still working on the basics.

Stopping: I can make a pizza shape and stop on bronze

Balance: I can slide down a slope standing up

Mobility: I can walk and slide on flat snow

Turning: I can pizza turn both ways on bronze

2 - Novice

Able to stop and control speed on gentle slope.

Stopping: I can make a pizza shape and stop on bronze

Balance: I can slide down a slope standing up

Mobility: I can walk and slide on flat snow

Turning: I can pizza turn both ways on bronze

Stopping: I can go slow and stop on silver & gold terrain.

Balance: I have a stable body position through my turns.

Mobility: I can glide on flats, sidestep uphill, jump and touch my toes.

Turning: I can connect different size turns, while using pizza.

3 - Intermediate

Able to stop, control speed and direction on beginner terrain.

Stopping: I can go slow and stop on silver & gold terrain.

Balance: I have a stable body position through my turns.

Mobility: I can glide on flats, sidestep uphill, jump and touch my toes.

Turning: I can connect different size turns, while using pizza.

Stopping: I can turn and stop (with downhill ski).

Balance: I can stay strong and stable going over bumps.

Mobility: I can stand up after a tumble all by myself and be tall and small around my turns.

Turning: I can match skis after a turn (french fries across the slope between turns).

4 - Intermediate

Able to control speed and direction, ready for chairlift.

Stopping: I can turn and stop (with downhill ski).

Balance: I can stay strong and stable going over bumps.

Mobility: I can stand up after a tumble all by myself and be tall and small around my turns.

Turning: I can match skis after a turn (french fries across the slope between turns).

Stopping: I can control my speed over bumps and on chairlift terrain.

Balance: I can balance on my outside ski at the end of a turn.

Mobility: I can side slip (downhill) in a straight line.

Turning: I can make parallel turns on beginner terrain.



Skiing Ages 6+

Level Prerequisites Level Goals

0 - First time

First time on skis.

Remain active for 2 hours. Introduction to equipment and basic mobility.

1 - Beginner

Still learning to stop and control speed.

Have skied once or twice, still working on the basics.

Stopping: I can perform a controlled snowplow to stop on a small incline.

Balance: I have a stable body position when going straight on green terrain and can keep weight on the centre of skis.

Mobility: I can walk and slide on flat snow with my skis on.

Turning: I have been introduced to turning.

2 - Novice

Able to stop and control speed on gentle slope.

Stopping: I can perform a controlled snowplow to stop on a small incline.

Balance: I have a stable body position when going straight on green terrain and can keep weight on the centre of skis.

Mobility: I can walk and slide on flat snow with my skis on.

Turning: I have been introduced to turning.

Stopping: I can snowplow (pizza) to control speed and stop on Bronze, Silver & Gold Carpets.

Balance: I have a stable body position when linking turns.

Mobility: I can sidestep uphill.

Turning: I can link turns on call carpets.

Timing: I can demonstrate rhythm in linkings turns.

3 - Intermediate

Able to stop, control speed and direction on beginner terrain.

Stopping: I can snowplow (pizza) to control speed and stop on Bronze, Silver & Gold Carpets.

Balance: I have a stable body position when linking turns.

Mobility: I can sidestep uphill.

Turning: I can link turns on call carpets.

Timing: I can demonstrate rhythm in linkings turns.

Stopping: I can control my speed and stop on chairlift terrain.

Balance: I can demonstrate upper and lower body separation while turning.

Mobility: I can consistently stand up without assistance.

Turning: I can match my skis on the traverse of my turns (I can create french fry skis when travelling across the slope).

Timing: I have been introduced to pole planting.

4 - Intermediate

Able to control speed and direction on chairlift terrain and starting to ski parallel.

Stopping: I can control my speed and stop on chairlift terrain.

Balance: I can demonstrate upper and lower body separation while turning.

Mobility: I can consistently stand up without assistance.

Turning: I can match my skis on the traverse of my turns (I can create french fry skis when travelling across the slope).

Timing: I have been introduced to pole planting.

Stopping: I can consistently hockey stop.

Balance: I remain in control through uneven terrain.

Mobility: I can flex extend (be tall and small) in the correct sections of a turn.

Turning: My skis are parallel on all green and blue terrain.

Timing: I can make even turns using only the outside ski.

Snowboard Levels

Snowboard Ages 4-6

Level Prerequisites Level Goals

0 - First time

First time snowboarding.

Remain active for 60 minutes. Introduction to equipment and basic mobility.

1 - Beginner

Still learning to balance and control your snowboard.

Snowboarded once or twice, still working on the basics.

Stopping: I can lift my toe edge and heel edge on flat ground.

Balance: I can remain standing while sliding downhill.

Mobility: I can walk and jump in my boots.

Turning: I can look where I am going.

2 - Novice

Able to maintain a standing position when sliding down beginner terrain.

Stopping: I can lift my toe edge and heel edge on flat ground.

Balance: I can remain standing while sliding downhill.

Mobility: I can walk and jump in my boots.

Turning: I can look where I am going.

Stopping: I can lift my toe edge and heel edge while sliding.

Balance: I can stand tall while sliding on my board.

Mobility: I can get up on my own sometimes.

Turning: I can make small direction changes.

3 - Intermediate

Able to stop, control speed and direction on beginner terrain.

Stopping: I can lift my toe edge and heel edge while sliding.

Balance: I can stand tall while sliding on my board.

Mobility: I can get up on my own sometimes.

Turning: I can make small direction changes.

Stopping: I can stop on my own, heelside and toeside.

Balance: I can skate on flat terrain.

Mobility: I can climb uphill with one foot strapped in.

Turning: I can stay on my heel edge and my toe edge.



Snowboarding Ages 7+

Level Prerequisites Level Goals

0 - First time

First time snowboarding.

Remain active for 2 hours. Introduction to equipment and basic mobility.

1 - Beginner

Still learning to balance and control your snowboard.

Snowboarded once or twice, still working on the basics.

Stopping: I can stop on a small incline, both heelside and toeside.

Balance: I can keep a stable, balanced body position while sliding on green terrain.

Mobility: I can comfortably skate with one foot strapped in.

Turning: I can change direction on heel and toe edge.

2 - Novice

Able to stop and change direction on both heel and toe edge.

Stopping: I can stop on a small incline, both heelside and toeside.

Balance: I can keep a stable, balanced body position while sliding on green terrain.

Mobility: I can comfortably skate with one foot strapped in.

Turning: I can change direction on heel and toe edge.

Stopping: I can come to a full stop on all carpets while remaining balanced.

Balance: I am able to adjust body position to change direction.

Mobility: I can stand up without assistance.

Turning: I can confidently demonstrate heelside and toeside turns.

Timing: I can wait until my base is flat before changing edges.

3 - Intermediate

Able to turn from heelside to toeside and back.

Stopping: I can come to a full stop on all carpets while remaining balanced.

Balance: I am able to adjust body position to change direction.

Mobility: I can stand up without assistance.

Turning: I can confidently demonstrate heelside and toeside turns.

Timing: I can wait until my base is flat before changing edges.

Stopping: I can stop in control on green and blue terrain.

Balance: I am turning with my lower body.

Mobility: I can stand up on both heel and toe side without assistance.

Turning: I can confidently link toeside and heelside turns on green and blue terrain.

Timing: I can demonstrate rhythm in linking turns.

4 - Intermediate

Able to link S-turns on chairlift terrain.

Stopping: I can stop in control on green and blue terrain.

Balance: I am turning with my lower body.

Mobility: I can stand up on both heel and toe side without assistance.

Turning: I can confidently link toeside and heelside turns on green and blue terrain.

Timing: I can demonstrate rhythm in linking turns.

Stopping: I can stay standing while stopped on all terrain.

Balance: I maintain a strong body at speed and adjust my position to respond to variable terrain.

Mobility: I am in control through uneven terrain.

Turning: I have been introduced to carving turns.

Timing: I can make novice turns while riding switch.

A Release of Liability, Waiver of Claims, Assumption of Risks and Indemnity Agreement ("Waiver") must be completed prior to participation in WinSport’s Snow School Programs, Lessons, and Camps. If the Waiver is not completed, participation in the WinSport Program and access to WinSport's facilities will not be permitted, and a refund will be provided.