Career Break Skiing – Paul’s Experience on the Autumn Course

Paul attended the Autumn Gap Course in 2020; he was a dedicated skier looking to get better at one of his favourite sports. With a long and successful career back in the Netherlands, Paul looked at the 2 month course as a nice break to up-skill in something different. He tells us about his experience.

“Choosing Subzero in order to learn how to ski like a pro, meet great people while doing just that and live in beautiful Zermatt all at the same time has been a great decision!

Fede Sollini was and is the best teacher I could possibly hope for.

Technically extremely skilled himself, Fede is very passionate to convey his in-depth knowledge of everything related to the noble art of skiing. He and his dedicated team will do anything to make you a far better skier than you ever were and, probably more important, to enable you to teach the acquired heaps of abilities and knowledge to others. Even somebody like myself, doing the old Austrian stuff for decades and being quite pleased with that, admitted very fast that in terms of learning from the best, Subzero is where I should have gone. And luckily I have gone to in October / November 2020, to get my Level 1/2 qualification.

These were especially challenging months, where the old adagium “break down and build up” has never been more true. There were a few moments where I thought I’d better stop and play cards or something. But the instances where the purpose and the necessity of actual (and punctual..) skiing dawned one me, were extremely rewarding and fulfilling.

Being able to consistently, (one of Fede’s favorite words), make near perfect turns, at the desired width in terrain with varying grade, is fantastic in any possible sense. Plus, I managed to acquire the art of carving too, or at least a bit of that, which gives a wonderful feeling; a technique I previously did not admire too much.

One is never too old to learn, as long as you put your mind to it and are willing to learn. The same applies to teaching, which is in Subzero’s blood, and basically brings technique, theory and (social) skills together. Great experience!

Especially in these, still difficult, times of the COVID pandemic, a big applause goes to Fede’s Team for organising courses like they do, and cope with ‘varying’ and often changing / challenging circumstances. I remember the area being almost closed (…), infections, international complications, and all sorts of issues that had to be dealt with by Subzero and -one way or the other- were. Great respect for that. And, I can now tell friends and family -with pride- to be a ski instructor trained by the best in Switzerland, and not a bit of that is untrue.

I have and I will recommend Subzero’s courses to anybody withe the ability and ambition to become a better skier, especially as a ski instructor! In all honesty, even if I’d have known only 10% of what was coming, Fede’s Team gave me 200% of the experience! Of course the blue skies, the people and the Covid escape feeling also helped a bit :)”

The Autumn Course Paul choose is the best one for a career break skiing in Zermatt.

Lasting 8 weeks, from the start of October onwards, it allows you to get a good couple months skiing without missing out on any family holidays, such as Christmas, New Year or Feb half term.

As well, it gives you plenty of quality mountain time. Snow time in the morning until the early afternoon means you  still have plenty of time in the second part of the day to go for hikes, mountain bike trails or just relax.

Many participants are also able to dedicate some hours to their “other job” back home, keeping in the loop with things. Other prefer to switch off completely, letting go of the world back home and merging themselves in the mountain environment.