In spite of warmer than normal weather, our ski areas produced good skiing over the vacation and it attracted a good number of skiers.

The final weekend kept the period from being great, but Ski Maine’s Greg Sweetser reported most ski areas were satisfied with the results. This was early in the week and the forecasts calling for the coldest weather of the season was creating optimism at the resorts. The month of December had only limited opportunities to make snow, but this week had temperatures suitable for round-the-clock snowmaking, and as Bill Swain at Sugarloaf pointed out, it was also right for getting the full amount of water through the guns.

He was referring to the need for cold dry weather to turn the maximum amount of water into snow. While today’s guns can make snow at warmer temperatures, it takes a lot of air and results in little snow for the dollars expended. A week of sub zero nights and daytime highs in the teens can produce a lot of dry snow.

Of course, the TV weather folks still don’t understand. I was watching the early morning news on one station, and after the weather the newscaster said, “I was thinking of going skiing next weekend, but maybe I’ll change my plans.”

The weatherman said: “Hey, it’s going to be near twenty during the day, that’s just right for skiing.” Fortunately, skiers know that we don’t ski during the coldest hours of the night.

By now the snowmakers have had almost a week of great snowmaking conditions and we can look forward to good conditions getting better.

For me, the end of the vacation was a time to get in a couple of days on the slopes and to catch up on some reading. My copy of Tom Reynolds’ book arrived and I could take the time to finish it in a few days. My first thought was where was this book in my sales manager days? While the focus is on skiing, the first five chapters would apply in any coaching situation and there is plenty of coaching in managing. I certainly could have used it in my days as a ski patrol director as well. And with my kids as they learned the sport.

The first chapter touches on the history of coaches’ education, thoughts for young coaches, coaching styles and a look to the future. Next he talks about coaching philosophy, rules and principles, time management, athlete recruitment and coaching the exceptional athlete. Chapter three hits on constructive praise, discipline, communication, goal setting and motivation.

In the fourth chapter, coach takes his own advice, “Surround yourself with good people.” “Coaching Profiles” features some of America’s finest ski coaches each answering questions on their philosophy and style. Reading the answers of Warren Witherell, Jim Tracy, Kirk Dwyer, Phil McNichol, Chip Woods and Finn Gunderson would be worth the price of the book. Each of these coaches has carved out his own place in skiing and it’s amazing how close their thoughts are.

From here, coach Reynolds goes on with the foundations for a successful program and continues into the technical aspects of the sport of ski racing.

The final chapters are filled with photos of Bode Miller and other great skiers, along with illustrations of various turns. The focus may be on racing, but every skier could use this knowledge of how the ski works and how the outside ski is always dominant in the turn, even with today’s new technique of keeping both skis weighted.

“Effective Ski Coaching” is a book that will be referred to often and with any luck I’ll get to discuss it personally with coach at Sugarloaf someday this winter. It would certainly benefit anyone in coaching or ski instruction, and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to a CEO.

Dave Irons is a freelance writer who lives in Westbrook.