BOW VALLEY – On a brisk, bluebird winter day, a beginner to downhill skiing snaps in and gets a feel for balancing on skis, controlling their turns and managing speed levels. There are tumbles and falls, but that’s part of the learning process.
With an array of foreign equipment snapped on and zipped up, typically first contact for a newcomer at a bunny hill is from a savvy ski instructor who can break down basic techniques and answer questions.
A good lesson from the slopes specialist could turn the novice into a life-long skier, and a bad lesson could mean a swift end before it even gets going.
“It's such a powerful position to be in to share our passion for not only the sport that we love, but to hook people on to that sport so our industry continues to grow,” said Warren Jobbitt. “It's a big responsibility.”
For decades, Jobbitt of Canmore has excitedly mentored the next wave of ski instructors who are shaping how the sport is perceived across Canada and around the world.
A highly respected and sought-after mentor, Jobbitt has been given the nod to be inducted into the 2024 Canadian Ski Instructors’ Alliance (CSIA) Hall of Fame. The CSIA is the professional ski teaching body in Canada.
Jobbitt’s enthusiasm and care of the sport’s advancement lands him in two hall of fame categories as a builder and inspirational leader. Over the tens of thousands of students he’s seen over a 35- year career, he has taken skiers of all levels under his wing from beginners to World Cup gold medallists.
“There's no better feeling in the world when somebody starts with you at the beginning of the day and we're struggling to get down and then all of a sudden they can. That's pretty special,” said Jobbitt.
Carving through fresh powder, the sound technical skier holds the CSIA Level 4 Certification and is a Level 4 CSIA Course Conductor and Course Conductor trainer, which means Jobbitt is on a short list of the most skilled and professional ski instructors in Canada. He can train all levels of skiers and future instructors.
He was on the CSIA National Technical Committee and the Alberta Regional Committee. Jobbitt is a former Snow School Director of Club Ski in Banff. He is a two-time Interski team member and also served as head coach.
Jobbitt’s passion for skiing started in Thunder Bay, Ont., an active ski community, where he grew up racing. His family was also into the sport. He said his mother, Liz, would drop him and his siblings off at the ski hill’s daycare and get in a few runs.
His roots in the Bow Valley began more than 35 years ago, when he moved to Banff to be a ski instructor at Sunshine Village. As the story goes, once Jobbitt got here, opportunities came up and the rest is history.
“I got the job at Sunshine Village and started December 6 and I'll never forget that date because it just all kind of went from there,” he said.
Over the past six years, Jobbitt has run his own business, the Warren Jobbitt Snowsports Academy, which offers mentoring and training to ski instructors and individualized instructor training programs.
An unfortunate skiing accident five years ago resulted in a broken leg for Jobbitt. However, there were learning lessons for the veteran skier, allowing him to slow down and better understand the physics of the sport.
“The further ahead I get staying ahead of the curve and understanding today’s equipment, why it works, how it works, the biomechanics of it, but also the learning principles and motor skills development,” said Jobbitt.
“One of my statements is, ‘You’re not going to change your skiing until you change the way you think about it.‘“
In the past few years, the veteran alpinist has worked with ski cross World Cup gold medallist Kris Mahler, who described Jobbitt as a phenomenal skier, coach and person.
Another skier he is mentoring is Suzanne FitzGerald, who sought out Jobbitt when struggling to get a CSIA Level 3 Certification.
“He has a reputation of being an excellent technical coach,” said FitzGerald. “I had some technical difficulties with my skiing and I couldn't figure it out. I kept failing my Level 3 exam.
“Within literally three runs he had it fixed … he's quite a magician.”
FitzGerald is a development level coach and assistant supervisor of the U8-U10 program at Nakiska ski area in Kananaskis Country. She also mentors about 35 junior ski instructors. Working with Jobbitt for the past four seasons, FitzGerald said she has adopted some of his habits while out on the slopes.
“He's about good technical skiing,” said FitzGerald. “He has a very positive, lax attitude and a systematic approach with very clear directions. He's very clear on where to start with your corrections.”
On Nov. 27, Jobbitt will be recognized at the CSIA Hall of Fame ceremony at Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise.
At 86 years old, the long standing not-for-profit has more than 20,000 members.
Jobbitt said he’s quite humbled by the honour.
A Hollywood take on ski instructors can sometimes be depicted as not a "real job" in the movies. It can look like an easy thing that anyone can be good at over a few weeks.
“Unless you're a ski instructor, you don't think it's a profession,” said Jobbitt with a laugh.
Although that's not the case.
When teaching the dedicated and knowledgeable pupils, Jobbitt reminds them there is a huge responsibility to share their passion for the sport they love.
“One of my new messages is you can do this sport forever," said Jobbitt. "You can continue to inspire people, even at an older age, to start or even some of the older ski instructors to keep that passion for learning 'cause you can still get better."
