Alpine FIS Ski Racing
Each bone-chilling winter morning you wake up to see snow, wind, and below zero temperatures.
You get dressed in your warmest layers on a seemingly average week day. However, instead of attending class like a typical high school student, you put on your ski boots and start your day at the top of a mountain. This morning is nothing short of normal for a FIS ski racer. The extremely exclusive Discourse of FIS represents the International Ski Federation.
Being a FIS racer is a highly involved Discourse wherein your entire life revolves around subjecting yourself to sub-zero temperatures and stretching your body to its limits.
A FIS ski racer is an individual who competes at a higher level of racing that includes numerous races for days at a time in various locations. My FIS team was so involved we traveled everywhere including: Maine, Austria, Germany, Iceland, Alaska, all over New England and Colorado.
FIS brings a whole other aspect of dedication to skiing.
In order to clarify certain aspects about ski racing, I’ll employ the aid of three artifacts, or objects associated with the Discourse. The first being a video of one of the younger, improving Worldcup FIS racers: Drew Duffy.
Secondly, I will take a look into the rules and regulations of FIS through their website, which will also provide background information on the scoring system of racers. In addition, I’ll elaborate on training camps that occur for those who travel to pursue FIS racing.
FIS racing is a Secondary Dominant Discourse because in order to be a part of it fully, you must incorporate parts of your primary Discourse.
Also, FIS racing does have the potential to bring you money and prestige. The terms being used such as “Discourse” were coined by James Gee who states
“Primary Discourse, is the one we first use to make sense of the world and interact with others” (Gee 5) and Secondary Discourses about which he says “we acquire these fluently to the extent that we are given access to these institutions” (Gee 8).
In addition, a Secondary Dominant Discourse is one that requires a large amount of intellectual and physical exchange between the Primary and Secondary Discourses. The exchange between the two is considered in a paper written by Darcy Fiano. Fiano discusses how
“points of juncture encompass instances of overlap between Discourses” (Fiano 62).
The importance of how the Primary relates to the secondary can be seen with how the first allows a smooth transition into the second. It is crucial that the Primary and Secondary match up in order for some one to be able to transfer knowledge from an initial way of being to a desired one. Gee has made seven building tasks as a way to analyze a Discourse, these are: significance, practice, identities, relationships, politics, connections, sign systems and knowledge. These building tasks are the foundation for what makes up Discourses like the one of ski racing.
FIS is an elite group of racers wherein stars typically become apparent during the late teen years. Drew Duffy is an up-and-coming ski racer who attended GMVS and is currently 19. A video depicts him winning the U.S. National Downhill title at a Worldcup hosted at Sugarloaf last spring. His main role in the Discourse as one of its higher achievers is to hold his own at the upper end of the Worldcup spectrum. The rising FIS star shows an extreme level of intensity in a race video from March 2015 of a race he won.
Through the video, the level of intensity, athleticism and precision that is required to race FIS can be observed.
These aspects would personify the significance building task, because those qualities are highly significant in FIS individuals.
These qualities are so important because of the pace at which the sport is performed, one lapse in judgment, or lack of strength in a certain area can bring the whole race down.
This concept also speaks to the racer, they require a high level of athleticism in combination with mental intensity and precision in order to complete the race to the standard they’re being held to. The entire Discourse of ski-racing relies on the principle that ski-racers are dedicated and precise individuals, this is why those traits are so significant.
The overall mental attitude of a ski racer is different than that of an average person because of the environment they are subjected to both physically and mentally; this is why racers are so intense.
The level of intensity that ski racers posses is based off of the amount of significance each event has, and the amount of precision required to effectively execute it.
There are so many ways in which a race can be brought to halt, or even cancelled.
Each person that works for or races in the race must be invested and precise which is also why connections are also a huge part of racing, where those who are more invested in time are likely to treat each race with care and devote the necessary energy. Connections are so critical because
“each individual’s case would involve a unique history of enculturation into a primary Discourse affecting interactions with Secondary Discourses” (Fiano 80).
This explains that without the previous connections some one had, they may or may not have been able to establish a spot in the way of the Discourse. The social aspect of ski racing is immense, the scoring is based upon the other racers, and the support and funding is based off of parents, friends, family and volunteers. The people involved are so important because “If you have no access to the social practice, you don’t get in the Discourse.” (Gee 7) This is why ski academies can be a gateway to the FIS discourse. Attending a ski academy, as I did, such as Carrabassett Valley Academy(CVA), is a huge connection in itself just due to those you are constantly surrounded by.
The social connections established play numerous roles in how one will be let into the Discourse.
Those who help Duffy before his race, as well as those who came to support him, and those who came to race against him are present throughout the entire event.
In order to be a part of the FIS Discourse, there are many pre-requisites necessary
To know how one can even join the membership of this Discourse, we will take a look at the FIS website with rules and regulations. You must have a FIS racing license and certification. This is the initial “test” as Gee would call it.
Gee’s definition of a test discusses primarily things that are more superficial, this is “because such superficial features are the best test as to whether one was apprenticed in the “right” place, at the “right” time, with the “right” people”(Gee 11).
While FIS racing does examine such superficial concepts, there are also aspects on a macro scale that can identify someone as an imposter, these rules are international and involve world politics. For example, in order for someone to obtain a FIS license, they must have a score of 100 or less in one or more disciplines under their USSA license. The basic principle of scoring is that each racer begins their career with 990 points, with each race they receive a score, and that racers points are the average of their two lowest scores.
This concept has been an area of controversy politically
because some coaches argue that there aren’t as many ripe opportunities for their athletes to score in USSA. Typically, the better a racer does in a race, the lower they will score, FIS and USSA points are separate, but one’s USSA points can never be higher than their FIS. There is also a fee for each race, and a racer must also maintain a USSA license if they would like to obtain a FIS license. Additionally, in order to be allowed to race in the Discourse, you have to have skis of a minimum length of 155 cm for slalom 185 cm for giant slalom, and 195 cm for super giant slalom.
Also, these skis must have a turning radius of 15 or greater, 30 m or greater, and 45 m or greater, respectively (Rules for FIS-UNI competitions — english, fis-ski.com).
The ability of a racer to effectively use these skis is a sign system because they show visually whether or not they should be racing FIS.
As far as safety goes, a racer must wear a speed suit, FIS certified helmet, and during slalom, a face guard as well as shin guards. While they are regulated, the helmets tie into the sign systems because of how they are worn, what brand, and in combination with what other attire. There are numerous pre-requisites that must be met before the superficial aspects can be examined and the sign systems can be acknowledged.
To be of even the lowest standard for FIS, you must have several years of intense race training. This being said, even the highest achieving ski racers still train to better themselves.
Not only is one’s will to progress and move forward a trait, but it’s an identity that all good ski racers must possess.
Those identities are the standard for all point systems and the Olympics, but they’re constantly evolving their techniques as the FIS regulations evolve simultaneously. The identity of a FIS racer is intense and unmistakable, typically, these individuals possess a competitive and unwavering nature. Without his intense desire to continue learning he would never have excelled so far. Rules for FIS are always changing and being altered, so this Discourse does not lend itself to settling in or being comfortable .
The concept of never settling is a value within the ski racing community.
Taking on the idea of constantly looking to improve and never allowing yourself to settle is held in high regard by top performing athletes. One reason it’s so important to value this is because FIS is constantly changing ski length regulations which can give some an advantage, and those who aren’t ready to adapt will be left behind. There is no way to be “comfortable” in the ski racing Discourse, you always have to be two steps ahead.
A typical day in a training camp
To truly show the dedication and effort that is put in by a FIS athlete, a typical day of a training camp will show the identities, and values associated with FIS. It takes a lot of discipline and hard-work to maintain the “different identities they enact” (Fiano 67). The act of waking up at 4:00 am to go for a run before breakfast shows some of the disciplined values and principles the FIS athletes stand by.
They value their athletic performance higher than their sleep, or their food.
The act of valuing something in this Discourse is highly important because without a set-in-stone value system, the racers wouldn’t be able to keep up with the standard of being. There are also many identities involved, ski racers judge each other viciously on how they dress, on and off of the mountain, their equipment (year, color etc.) and most importantly, how well they ski. The identities can also reveal the sign systems including terminology. For example, there will often be one racer in a group who constantly “DNFS”. “DNF” stands for “did not finish”, so those who often fall or ski out of a course are known as someone who DNFS often.
This is an identity associated with the sign systems that are incorporated into FIS racing. Portraying all of the building tasks of ski racing is essential, and “failing to fully display an identity is a tantamount to announcing you don’t have that identity” (Gee 10). Each day a FIS racers works to not only physically and mentally prove themselves, but to visually prove that they belong in this identity.
FIS racers are constantly watching others to ensure that they are in fact worthy of representing the FIS world.
One of the ways in which someone shows their involvement is through their established relationships.
In order to maintain the identity of a FIS racer, one must possess a plethora of knowledge surrounding the Discourse. Racers day-to-day investigate the knowledge of others with questions such as “Did you see Ligety’s run the other day?” or “What din are your super-G’s set to?”. The ability to answer these questions implies that you have a well rounded knowledge base. Often these questions come from our team members whom we ski with team all day and all season, including van rides to the mountain, training, lift rides, and living with them on trips.
The FIS Discourse includes a heavy influence on maintaining relationships between teammates so the team can be almost like a family.
We often have roommates on trips, sometimes up to 7, so the relationships between the team members are very strong.
Each individual establishes their role and both friends and enemies are made. The amount of knowledge that you possess about not only skiing, but about your teammates themselves can bring you closer to the relationships within the group.
The relationship bonds are important not only for traveling, but also for support during hard times, because ski racing is full of ups and downs. Every day being a ski racer requires you to prove yourself and to maintain your established spot in the Discourse through your investment in the building tasks.
The FIS Discourse includes all aspects of what a true Secondary Dominant Discourse does. FIS racing demands the highest standard of the building tasks from its members. The artifacts included such as the race video, FIS regulations and day to day in a training camp prove that this Dominant Discourse is one that isn’t entered or maintained lightly. Each racer is held to a high standard of values as well as dedication to the sport that is exemplified through their intense and unique lifestyle and personalities. To be in the Discourse, one must portray these personas without fail each and every day.
Works Cited
“Document Library: Alpine Skiing — FIS-SKI.” FIS-SKI. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Oct. 2015.
Fiano, Darcy A. “Primary Discourse and Expressive Oral Language in a Kindergarten Student.” Reading
Research Quarterly 49.1 (2013): 61–84. Web.
Gee, James Paul. “Literacy, Discourse, and Linguistics: Introduction.” Journal of Education 171.1. (1989): 5–17. Print.
“Watch 19 Year-old Drew Duffy Win the US National DH Title.” Unofficial Networks. N.p., 31 Mar. 2015. Web. 26 Oct. 2015.
