Pasadena residents Will Drover, 10, and his brother Jack, 7 have been skiing at Marble Mountain in Steady Brook since they were old enough to strap on skis.
Mom Joy and dad Steve say the money and time they’ve invested in lessons on behalf of the boys is well worth it.
“For us, it’s partly about taking advantage of what’s unique to the area. It’s squeezing all the good that this region of the province offers,” explains mom. Dad agrees, adding that the physical activity aspect that comes with a day spent on the hill is also priceless.
“It’s a life skill too, something that once you’ve learned, you know it forever. And yes, it’s an outdoor activity. Skiing is time when there’s no draw of screen time of any sort,” adds mom.
For Will and Jack however, feeling like part of a team seems to be the biggest draw. Will explains how if you wipe out, or if someone in your group does as they head down the mountain, then everyone stops to lend a hand. “It’s about helping others,” he says.
‘A team environment’
For Jack, it’s about doing something that at first seemed impossible. “The mountain is pretty high,” he shares.
Mom smiles. “These lessons are group lessons, so it’s a team environment. Kids are working together. If you are in a group of six, you wait for your team, and if someone is having difficulty getting down, then the other kids help that teammate down. They becomes buddies over the season. And Jack, his confidence has grown so much. To be there at the top of this mountain and know that you have to make your way down? There’s real fear to be overcome. It’s a long way down, and that’s a daunting thing,” she says.
A whole lot of fun
For the boys, however, they mostly see their Saturdays spent on Marble Mountain as a whole lot of fun. When asked what they liked most about skiing, both are quick to answer. “Going fast,” is Will’s favorite. While Jack enjoys going fast too, he really loves “being out for hours in the snow.”