The Yukon Freestyle Ski Association Fundamentalz ski group hit the slopes of Mount Sima in Whitehorse Sunday.

Bob Kostelnik filled in for the regular coach, Chris Arsenault.

“Just the regular Fundamentalz group with Yukon Freestyle ... kind of beginners for freestyle skiing,” said Kostelnik.

“We had some of the pre-comp (pre-competition) freestylers come in and mentor the younger kids.

“It was good. We got all the kids hitting rails – even if it was assisted – sliding across them and getting less afraid of them. It can be pretty intimidating for these kids to get on a big steel pipe and slide along it ... the pre-comp kids were great ... came out and helped them get over their fears and got them sliding and gave me a hand, and it’s good for the intro group to see the pre-comp kids. They can go do some pretty cool stuff off jumps and rails, and to have them out there giving hands-on help is really good for the whole program.”

The younger kids definitely are inspired by the abilities of the pre-comp kids with the ‘wow, I’d like to do that’ reaction being very common.

“Oh, yeah. All the time,” agreed Kostelnik.

Nine kids ages seven to 10 took part. The pre-comp kids are 12-16 years old.

The event was part of a regular program.

“They sign up for the season and there’s dry-land training and trampoline training as well. Once you start doing inverted and off-axis tricks on trampoline, then you can slowly take them on to snow, or airbag to snow. These kids aren’t there yet. It’s more like an intro to freestyle skiing. So jumping, rails, park, pipe, that kind of stuff,” related Kostelnik.

“It’s leaving the ground, learning how to ski-switch (ski backwards), it’s getting on to box rails and rails ... getting comfortable on skis. Not just going down straight and turning, but getting off the ground, getting airborne, spinning, manipulating edges.”

Kostelnik said there’s a camaraderie that exists in the program, with everyone supporting each other.

“I work with my kids as well, but they’ve been through parts of the program, and they always have fun, all the coaches and the pre-comp kids. It’s a really good group, and everyone’s really friendly and supportive. That’s one of the big things.

“Even if someone wipes out, everybody’s there to encourage, and get them back up to try again.”

Yukon Freestyle has been operating since 2006.