Jump out of bed, throw on your uniform, grab a quick breakfast and run to catch the school bus. That may sound a familiar morning routine to many of us but what would it be like to start your school day on the side of a snow capped mountain?
That’s the reality for GB Alpine Ski Racer Ryan ‘The Rocket’ Faber, who for part of the year, swaps the school bus for the ski lift, starting each day on the slopes.
Ryan Faber studying slope side
Better yet, thanks to online schooling, Ryan’s timetable lets him fit his studies around his training and sees him spend just a few hours in live lessons per day, meaning that when he’s not hitting the books, he’s hitting the slopes.
So what does an average school day look like for one of the rising stars of British skiing?
“I spend the winter months in Austria training and competing with Ambition Racing – the ski academy I’ve been with since I was seven. My training schedule is intense, which means that going to a normal school is really difficult. Joining my online school Minerva’s Virtual Academy has been a game changer and it means I can fit all my lessons around my race training.
“My day usually starts at around 6.15am, when it’s time to get up, have some breakfast and grab my kit ready to head out onto the slopes. I leave the house at 7am and I’m usually skiing by 8am. I train for around four hours with my coach, before heading back to the team house around 12noon to grab some lunch.
“After lunch it’s time for school. I’m studying for my iGCSEs with MVA so my afternoons are spent doing school work, attending lessons and doing any reading that I need to do for my classes later in the week.
“My Minerva timetable is different from a normal school as you do a lot of the work in your own time, usually before doing the live lesson with your teacher so we do a lot of the reading beforehand and spend the lessons discussing the topics and going over anything we aren’t sure of.
“As long as I’ve got my laptop with me, I can study from anywhere so that can mean catching up with my reading on my way up the mountain in a ski gondola or watching some of the lesson videos slope-side if I’ve got some spare time while I’m training.
“As well as training, I compete in events across Europe so being able to do my school work when I have time means that I’ve got more flexibility if I need to fit some extra training or gym sessions in.”
And fitness is a huge part of Ryan’s daily routine, he explains: “When I’m done with school at around 5.30pm it’s into the gym for a workout – skiing takes more than just good balance and speed, you need to have a really high level of fitness too so I tend to spend around an hour each night working out. Before heading down for dinner I also do some stretching and exercises recommended by my physio to make sure I’m in the best possible shape.
Ryan Faber
“After dinner, I spend some time prepping all of my ski kit for the next day and analysing my performance using video footage from my morning’s training – this is really important as I can see exactly what’s working and where I might need to improve. Then it’s time to chill with the rest of my teammates before an early night at 9pm, ready to hit the slopes again tomorrow!”
Ryan is one of 100 elite young athletes currently studying with MVA from professional motorsports through to dressage and show-jumping.
Sol Rolls-Tyson, MVA’s Elite Athlete Education Officer, manages the education of what is one of MVA’s fastest growing cohorts and says that the school’s flipped learning model strikes the balance between education and demanding training schedules.
“Balancing education with a gruelling training schedule can be a huge challenge for young sportspeople, but online schooling offers the flexibility that they need to be able to pursue their sporting careers without compromising their education. Ryan’s dedication to his sport is so impressive to see but he’s equally keen to ensure that school doesn’t take a back seat and since joining MVA he’s been a brilliant example of how the balancing act of elite sport and education really can work.”
Ryan’s mum Ami Faber says that online schooling has taken some of the pressure off of Ryan and his incredibly busy training schedule. “Skiing has been Ryan’s number one passion since he first strapped on a pair of skis aged just four years old. As his skiing career has progressed, it’s always been a challenge to find that equilibrium between his training schedule and his schooling – particularly because a lot of his training has to take place in a relatively short space of time between December and April when its peak snow season.
“MVA has been a real game changer for us all, allowing Ryan to train and compete in events around Europe, without missing out on his education. It’s also removed some of that worry as a parent as we know that he’s found a great balance. It’s the best of both worlds!”
Photos courtesy of Ami Faber.