Winter Sports Company Avis 

What an incredible mini gap year. No seriously there was something in the air over in Canada. I was there for three months and during my time I only ate dinner alone twice. I did some travel before the season and the people were so nice I would have people asking me out for dinner and it was just a beautiful experience of humankind. However during the season was really the highlight, I was rooming with two other girls and with one more who came for a month. During this time we decorated for christmas including having a very straggly tree, went ice skating on the lake for our days off, and spent countless hours in a charity shop (roys) basically heaven on earth. Nevertheless the actual training was so much fun, skiing with friends all day and learning new ways to teach people and improve on my own skiing. In addition all of the bolt ons were so much fun having a day seeing the grand canadian mountains and unforgettable skiing with the heliski day, finding the pockets of powder with cat skiing and getting trained in avalanche rescue. And after a long day's work(fun), having a lovely beer at the local pubs and or seeing our local ice hockey team win yet again (gooo Rockies) was another highlight. Moreover the winter sports company made the whole experience so easy and so simple. From airport transfers to accommodation was straight forward making all my anxieties and worries about going overseas alone simply diminish and I could focus on having fun and making friends. Towards the end of my season I had this overwhelming sadness that I had to leave. However, hopefully going back for another season.

I went to Panorama for the fast track level one and two Snowboarding instructor course. What Winter sports has set up is brilliant, through their trusted relationships with local businesses in invermere and with the fantastic Pano instructors, you will never not feel supported.

I had so much fun meeting so many incredible people of whom I’ll never forget. Winter sports do so much background work trying to give you the best experience and to help you get the most out of it, they’re truly good people.

I highly recommend embarking on this experience that I’m confident you will never forget and hold dearly. Big up to our Canada rep Cass, super chill, very friendly and super helpful. Rik and Emma are class people and will always help you the best they can, so if you’re looking to get out into some of the most beautiful parts of world and get some qualifications while meeting dope people and having an incredibly fun time, than this is for you!

We were a little late getting our son booked onto the course in Panorama in Jan 26, but the team were great in sorting everything out at the last minute. Guy thoroughly enjoyed the course and said it was a great experience!
I visited briefly and the area seemed fine and the apartment looked ok..

My daughter has just (very reluctantly) come home from 8 week level 2 instructor course in Canada with WSC. Has literally had the time of her life!
Right from the start WSC were honest, practical, helpful and welcoming. Made it all v easy and reassuring and then followed through with great organisation and communication start to finish....not a single blip. Would highly recommend to anyone!

The team are super helpful to get you set up and ready to go. Once in resort the support is amazing and you know your child will be well looked after.

Our daughter is currently on her second season with WSC. We had no hesitation of booking again with Rik, Emma and the team. We luckily stumbled across WSC when doing our research first time round, and the end to end process and support has been excellent, so much so that our youngest will also head out with WSC in a couple of years.

Rik and Emma really care about, and recognise, the extra support through the process that the young adults require. We definitely didn’t feel like just another booking, exactly the opposite. Definitely a 5 stars from us.

I'm rather lazy at writing reviews, but WSC so deserve a shout-out. Emma and Rik, having their own family, see things from a parent's perspective and actually really care about outcomes from start to finish of your time with their company. We've experienced this first-hand. Our son spent last season in Sun Peaks doing the L1&L2 internship. Everything was going swimmingly, from being met at LHR by Emma, chaperoned on the flight by a WSC rep to fun socials and thorough training. Within weeks of arrival, he was L1 qualified and teaching, getting a huge amount out of the experience until unfortunately, he hurt his foot and had to return home. As parents, we panicked - a poorly 19-year-old son! 4,500 miles away! But we needn't have worried - Rik and his in-resort WSC team tirelessly supported and reassured both son and us. Despite the time difference, calls were answered, plans put into action and nerves calmed. We were all so impressed by the personal touch that our son has recently returned for a second season in Canada to continue his L2+ training and he (and we) looked no further than Emma and Rik's programmes.

A slightly belated review - my son did the 11-week Level 1 & 2 course at Sun Peaks in Jan 2023. I couldn't fault WSC and Rik's personal touch when discussing the options, booking, and making sure my son (on a gap year) was looked after.

He loved it and all the instruction etc was as promised - it was a great experience. Perhaps the best recommendation I can make is that my daughter is now on her gap year - and we haven't really looked elsewhere as we trust Rik and WSC to look after her as well.

The experience of a lifetime! I met the most amazing group of people, made some unforgettable memories and made friends for life.

I couldn't recommend the WSC All Mountain Performance course in Revelstoke more - it offered amazing (yet challenging) ski terrain, fresh powder on many occasions throughout the season, like-minded individuals, and invaluable coaching from the Revelstoke instructors. I learnt so much whilst on the course, and felt my ski ability and confidence really improved. It was also a course highlight of mine to go slack-country ski touring, which I had never done prior to this trip but am now hooked.

At first glance Revelstoke gives a small town energy, but has so much to offer on top of the ski slopes. The town has a great selection of bakeries, pubs and restaurants, as well as a bowling alley, gym and leisure centre. All of this is within walking distance from the WSC house, which was super spacious and had a really homely feel. Plus the jacuzzi was a big bonus to help the legs recover after a long day on the hill.

Another course highlight was our very talented chef, Alice, who cooked such delicious and varied cuisine - it really exceeded my expectations. We always made the instructors jealous, when we told them what we had for dinner the night before.

Finally from the get-go, Rik went above and beyond to make sure I chose the right course and location. He really took the time to listen to what I wanted from the experience, and tailored his recommendations to the individual requirements. Also, he reassured me about any initial concerns I had, such as sharing a room and worrying about the age range of the group (both of which I didn't need to worry about in the slightest - my roommate became my closest friend throughout the season, and there was such a mix of people ranging from 18-30).

If you're looking for some time out from work, or are interested in exploring what opportunities there are in the ski industry, then this course is for you.

I did the three-month All-Mountain Performance course in Revelstoke in 2025 and it was without a doubt one of the best experiences of my life! If you’ve been working for a few years and looking for a break or want to explore opportunities in the snow sports industry, this is the perfect course.

The skiing at Revelstoke is so much fun with loads of interesting terrain to explore. With the awesome instructors we had, my skiing improved so much. I also loved getting my first avalanche safety qualification and then being able to go ski touring to explore the backcountry - such a breathtaking experience!

The Winter Sports house is incredible - it fits lots of people while still feeling spacious and is warm, modern and in the perfect location to explore Revelstoke after you’ve finished for the day. In particular, Chef Alice made the most wonderful food for us - imagine a full English roast dinner on a random Tuesday after a day on the mountain.

The people on the course were fantastic and a range of ages of backgrounds. I definitely made friends for life!

Finally, Rik was fantastic from the beginning helping me decide what course was right for me. I immediately got the impression that he and the team really care about every individual and ensuring everyone has a fantastic experience.

I chose to go with Winter Sports Company because Rik and Emma were both fantastic with explaining and preparing the whole experience. We got on a call with Rik and he right away put mine and my parents minds at ease, answering all our questions. I did the Level 2 internship and WSC set me up with plenty of training from great instructors, and made passing the exam a stress-free process! We got set up with the Sun Peaks Snow School and got plenty of work and lessons right away. Our in-resort rep helped us with any issues (of which there were few!) and we got to know all of the WSC Sun Peaks group right away! We snuck in a few extra activities as well, like going to an Ice Hockey game.
Rik and Emma helped me have a great and stress free season, and for the price of the internship you really couldn't ask for more!

Well as long as I waited for the season to come about it has come and gone in a Flash.
Are there cheaper ways of doing a ski season and becoming an Instructor, 100%.
But the convenience, built in social network, and social events were all pretty invaluable.
I came in thinking I was a half decent skier and snowboarder, and was very quickly humbled.
The Amount of training and access to level 3 and 4 instructors was absolutely invaluable, there was one boarder who came in with one week of boarding experience and managed to pass his lvl 1 and 2 as well as get his park cert, bearing in mind there were a few fails in the boarders, pretty impressive.
I myself went and did the sking training and passed both thanks to the training and fellow skiers.
I was also able to pass my lvl 1 snowboarding thanks to working with the boarders and sam our rep even put together a few sessions.
I interned at Fairmont and had a great time there, whilst small had a great community feel and ann marie was absolutely Brilliant with every one, and whilst hours were limited throughout the season she did her best to split hours evenly and fairly.
I also had a lot of opportunity to shadow boarders in preparation for my lvl 1and even got to help out ski patrol throughout the season.
with the hybrid program I was kept fairly busy with training and work up until about march. the last two months of the season there was pretty much nothing to do bar free ski due to work drying up. I had a Car however and hit the road checking out over 7 resorts in and around Canada, however those without a car were left without that much to do.
It was a massive season and I managed well over 100 days on snow and got to go check out over 7 resorts, probably got more sking in than pure blooded canadians have in they're entire lifetime.

probaly my favourite part of the season was the lvl 1 training, as we got to train on the mountain for 3 weeks prior to opening and got the resort to ourselves. as well as living on resort and having meals in the great hall led to a great social experience as we all got to know everyone, although pretty intense trying to get to know 40 people.

Now the ugly, some of the food during the meal plan was a mixed bag, some was good, some I wouldn't touch with a stick, the eggs and mac n cheese esspically. but it was always good crack sharing a meal with 40 people.

The job can be the best thing in the world, incrediably rewarding guiding someone to they're first turns and building confidence in students.
But some days just suck, from carrying crying toddlers to frozen toes. we had a pretty mild winter in the grand scheme of things but trying to maintain a positive attitude whilst training or working at -25 sucks and it can be a pain to put afront up a front all day.
The pay sucks and the hours are super inconsistent so if your getting into this for money, you will be sorrily disappointed.

I came into this corse wanting to just do my AvSAR lvl 1 and my instructors lvl 1 and Rik and Emma where more than happy to accommodate my request, they where super helpful and I had the best time. The corses where super organised, I learnt so much whilst also making some lifelong memories and friends, these guys made it super effortless and I couldn’t recommend them enough. :)

spent my 2024-2025 season with Winter Sports Company doing the 11 week Level 1 and 2 fast track ski course. It was one of the best experiences of my life. Rick, Emma, Rob and everyone involved in the company were extremely welcoming and amazing at organising the course. Rick helped customise the package I got to suit what I wanted to get from my season. I finished my season out there 4 days ago and have already signed up for a return season with WSC at the same resort.

My 19 year old son has just gone with WSC to panorama in Canada for a 8 week level 1 & 2 ski instructor course and is absolutely loving the experience! The quality of teaching, accommodation, and resort are all to a very high standard and the whole experience to date is outstanding.
Rick and Emma have both been so helpful in guiding us with everything we need for the trip and their advice has been invaluable, and all queries and questions are answered in full and promptly.
I would recommend the winter sports company to any of my friends and I am delighted we choose to go with their company
Sue & Harry

I am writing this as a parent of an 18 year old daughter, having waved her off at Heathrow this morning - quite an emotional experience!

However, SHE went off with a big smile and barely a backward glance. I know she'll have an amazing time and return having lived an unforgettable experience. I also know that Rik, Emma and the WSC team will look after her. After 3 months in the planning, and without sounding cheesy, it almost feels like Sophia (and me) have joined another family.

So why did we (I) choose WSC? The truth is I contacted 5 different providers, one being very hard sell that put me off, another didn't respond for over a week, another just didn't give me a warm feeling and that left WSC and one other. I'll be honest the "other" seemed great and both they and WSC gave me positive feedback on each other.

My first phone call with Rik, did most of the decision making, the follow up info and the second call nailed it. Putting your crown jewel into the hands of someone else I guess isn't/wasn't an easy thing, but actually it really was. And 3 months down the line, and having met him today face-to-face I'm sure I've made the right choice.

He and Emma have been so helpful, helping navigate the Canadian immigration system, providing encyclopaedic knowledge, reams of info including helpful videos and frankly just being there. I constantly felt like a high maintenance parent, but they weren't phased, always happy to help, always available for a chat.

Obviously, this review doesn't cover my daughter's experience in Canada (she's currently somewhere over Hudson Bay!), just my experience of WSC as a worried parent and why I chose them. I'm sure my daughter will be writing her own glowing review next year.

So big up WSC, hats off to you Rik and Emma. Thanks for everything.

One of the best experiences in my life! Rik and Emma were absolutely brilliant. I had a pretty serious injury at the start of the season but Rik and Emma were so helpful and made sure I could finish my season and still get both of my instructor qualifications!
Working at Fairmont was a great experience. Annmarie and the team are amazing plus being a smaller resort you ended up doing more than just instructing such as helping mountain ops and ski patrol!

I would without a doubt recommend WSC to anyone who would listen!

Incredible company! The owners are so kind, helpful and supportive throughout the whole process. The WSC Ski Instructor program is amazing and set us up for the best winter season in Canada!

When considering WSC, you might initially wonder if it’s worth the cost. The answer is a resounding yes. Not only is WSC more affordable than many other companies, but it also offers exceptional value by ensuring you receive a comprehensive and enriching experience.

The team at WSC is deeply committed to exceeding your expectations. Their dedication is evident in their clear communication and willingness to go the extra mile to ensure you’re not just surviving, but thriving. Even during a challenging snow season and after I broke my ankle, the entire team made sure I was comfortable and well taken care of. They even leveraged their extensive network to help me find a temporary job during my recovery, should I need it.

If you've visited major resorts in Europe, you might initially think that Panorama Mountain is smaller and less challenging. I had the same impression at first, but once you start exploring, you'll find it can be incredibly enjoyable for the entire season. The mountain offers a wide variety of terrain, top-notch groomers, serene glades, and the Taynton Bowl/Monster Plateau for those seeking extreme adventures. With minimal lift lines and easy navigation, you often feel like you're in the slackcountry or backcountry due to the vast space available.

The views are immaculate, some of the best around, and when it snows, the mountain delivers light, fluffy powder days. However, it's worth noting that when it doesn’t snow, the mountain can become icy rather quickly.

If you love mountain adventures and are keen to significantly improve your skill set or jump-start your career in the industry, WSC has the programs to meet your needs. They provide an exceptional experience that combines skill development, adventure, and professional growth, making it a worthwhile investment.

If you are looking for something that will exceed all your expectatives... you should look for the Ski Patrol Course with Wintersport (WSC) in Revelstoke. Hard to put into words how good everything is: certainly this experience will challenge yourself, but you will not find it better: You will be trained by instructors that are part of one of the most skilled ski patrol crews of the world, you will be riding in one of the most amazing ski resort that you can imagine, you will meet and share with people from all over the world, and at the end... you will belong to a great family... the WSC family. Emma and Rik are gonna do everything in order you can have the best experience and take the most advantage of it. I spent 13 weeks in Revelstoke with WSC and I can truly say that is a life changing experience. Thanks for everything!