Hey Ladies, It’s Your Turn
Hey Ladies, It’s Your Turn
Ski Coach Lisa Ballard Returning to Holiday Valley for Women’s Ski Clinic
Grab your gals and your gear, we’re kicking off 2024 like a pro! This January, Holiday Valley welcomes back Lisa Ballard and her ever popular event, Your Turn Women’s Ski Clinic. The clinic is a unique experience to hone in on your skiing skills, and for some, rediscover your love for the sport.
Taking place January 24-25th, this two-day event is a time to expand and educate women on the way they ski. It’s the first event of the year for Lisa Ballard and is the kickoff for the 2024 Your Turn Women’s Ski Clinic season.
A woman of many talents, Lisa found her passion for instruction in the 1990s between her time racing as a pro skier and sports broadcasting. An Adirondack, NY native, skiing came naturally to Lisa, almost like walking. She took to the lifestyle and carved her name in the books, with multiple titles and championship rankings worldwide. Expanding the sport beyond the slopes, she has published articles and books, photographs, and television works to highlight all that skiing has to offer.
It’s this kind of range and passion that’ll be behind the “Your Turn” group instruction, getting the opportunity to learn from one of the best! Looking forward to the event Lisa explains, “Oh I’m excited, I’m really excited about it... I get to go skiing with a bunch of great gals at a really nice place and have fun, and do what I love to do, so I certainly look forward to it. It’s wonderful!” And that’s exactly what it’s about - positivity and productivity, having a good time with good people in a great place.
The Your Turn Ski Clinic is open to women ages 18 and up that have the capability to ski a blue square slope. Working with this base of experience, Lisa is able to group together like-minded women to build their strength and skills. With over 9,000 women having taken the ski clinic, many come back to reunite for all of the friendships and fun that’s been built along the way. And the newcomers? Well, they quickly get right into it and become part of a growing community of women backing women on the slopes.
So, let’s look at the endless benefits that are offered in this year’s Your Turn Ski Clinic… Hosted on January 24-25th starting at 8:00am, tickets to the event include two days of skiing with Lisa Ballad along with some of the highly talented women ski instructors of Holiday Valley. Over the course of the event, you’re also offered video analysis, equipment information, and demo equipment. The video analysis is a great way to familiarize yourself visually with your own moves while getting positive feedback to expand your range. When talking about the equipment information offered, it's worth mentioning that Lisa Ballard has also been involved in ski and ski boot design, making her your go-to woman for all things ski related. She takes that knowledge and helps women find the most beneficial equipment for their bodies, because with the right gear you’ll find yourself more comfortable and capable on any slopeside conditions. Lisa discussed how women deserve this chance to take a moment for themselves saying, “It’s your turn to have a great day on the slopes… this is a way for gals to give themselves a gift!”
And it’s true. It’s a time made exactly to build each other up, take the challenge and the victory, and of course have fun while doing it! What better way to celebrate those snowy victories and get to know each other more than over some of the many meals included at the event, like daily continental breakfast, lunch, and a Wednesday evening dinner. Door prizes will also be given out during the event.
This is the 10th year for the Your Turn Ski Clinic to be held at Holiday Valley and hopes are for a forecast of snow and fun! Having skied around the world, Lisa credits Ellicottville and Holiday Valley as being a place she holds high. “I really look forward to going to Holiday Valley every year,” she said. “I love Holiday Valley! I go to ski resorts all over the country and they’re not all major big mountain resorts. Holiday Valley has an incredible vibe!”
The people and the amenities provided really add to the experience. The newly upgraded Mardi Gras lift, high-capacity snowmaking capabilities, and the dedicated workers are just some of the many reasons each season here is a successful one and with plenty more to come!
Skiing is a sport you can continuously grow with, having the opportunity to redevelop your abilities at any point in life, so why not now? For us women, let’s push for a day out, just like one of the ski clinic’s meanings, it’s “your turn”, so take it! There’s still open availability for the event, along with a full schedule posted on Holiday Valley’s website that includes registration. You can find more information at www.HolidayValley.com. While on the site be sure to look for discounted lodging at The Inn at Holiday Valley to fully enjoy your time. Excluded from event discounts, you can also choose to book the Tamarack Club, which provides condo styled rooms and a newly opened restaurant, Edna’s (previously John Harvard’s). You’re bound to find the perfect fit for yourself or group while taking in all that the Your Turn Women’s Ski Clinic and Holiday Valley have to offer!
For more information on Lisa Ballard, her impressive life and career in professional skiing, instruction, and everything in between check out www.LisaBallardOutdoors.com.