Ten cadets and two officers mustered at 0700 to begin our journey to the German-Austrian border. The boys, aged thirteen to fifteen, were keen to begin their adventurous training, a week of activities in the beautiful amphitheatres of the Bavarian Alps.
The programme we run is designed to improve technical winter skills but also to give as much responsibility to the cadets as possible within the limits of safety and group activities. Development of ‘soft’ skills such as personal organisation, working as a team, socialising and appropriate behaviour, are just as important to us as the ‘hard’ skills of learning how to use a variety of equipment and improving techniques. The high adult-cadet ratio allows this personalised instruction to take place.
Following our journey to Sonthofen, we were met by our instructors for the week who explained the action packed programme: six days of activities including alpine skiing, langlaufing, a show-shoe trek, snow shelters and avalanche rescue. This was an exciting prospect, but, despite it being February, it was clear that our plans would be at the mercy of the weather: temperatures were too warm and the forecast was for rain. In hindsight we were amazingly lucky and our activities just managed to stay above the snowline enabling us to run a full programme.
The first day of alpine skiing allowed us to get used to the routines for getting up, breakfasting, travelling to the ski area, kit issue and instruction. As the week progressed the boys initially became better at turning up in the right place, at the right time with the right kit and in a receptive frame of mind; but towards the end many struggled with aspects of this as fatigue set in. The second day was a real highlight for me – the Langlaufing (or ‘Nordic skiing’) is a real leveller as it is new to all and everyone has to learn quickly. The change from not being able to even put the skis on, let alone stay standing, to being able to undertake a two hour tour down the valley to buy a Heiße Schokolade is amazing.
Following a relaxing evening at the swimming complex, the next two days are a snow-shoe tour involving an overnight stay in a mountain hut. This was when frustrations started to build as advice fell on deaf ears, focus deteriorated and personal organisation slipped.
Presumably, at this point parents would usually step in, make excuses and pick up the pieces – our approach is to continue to insist that the boys step up to the mark, that they help each other to make the ‘right’ decisions and that they take personal responsibility for their actions so as not to let the team down. This is why the training is not a ‘ski holiday’ and as such is much more difficult and developmental. Following stern words and ‘reality checks’, some boys responded well and we were very proud of them; some still have some growing to do!
