Oakley Progression Sessions Lake Louise
One of the many things I love about this job is the numerous opportunities we get offered to be apart of. One of these opportunities just so happened to be the Oakley Women’s Progression Session here in Lake Louise. Two whole days of riding with Oakley’s top Women athletes in our own private park, how could I not go! With approval to get Sunday off from my awesome bosses, I made the long journey (7min) from my house to the ski hill early Saturday morning for registration and goggle building (yes I got to make my very own one of a kind Oakley crowbar goggles). Then some yoga to warm up for the day. Not knowing what to expect or who I was going to meet or how the day was going to go I was needless to say a wee bit nervous.
After getting put into groups and heading out onto the hill I met with the coaches for the weekend who turned out to be Faye Gulini, Maddy Schaffrick, Christine Savage, Grete Eliassen & Marie Walsh needless to say I was star struck!
Nerves and star struck put aside Faye, Maddy, Christine, Grete & Marie along with the many amazing women I rode with inspired and pushed me to learn and explore my own riding abilities. They helped me over come my fear of falling and looking silly (which I did ALOT of over the two days) to achieve my goal of landing a 180 spin.
Each coach I worked with helped me to see the ski hill in a different light not just as a way to go as fast as I dared to the bottom but as a natural free-ride park where a steep incline can mean amazing heel-side indie turns (we call it land surfing) or those terrible long flat sections are great for figuring out different tail and nose presses or butters. They taught me that no matter where you are or what your skill level is snowboarding & skiing is a passion for all ages that never dies it evolves with you.
How you shred is an extension of who you are, get out there and find yourself!
~Emjay