If I'm a ski instructor and pay all my bills doing it, am I a pro skier?

submitted by RatherSmallPotato from self.whatever

Discuss. Trying to spice up my tinder without lying.

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[–]a_man_a_plan_pancake 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

No, you're an instructor or teacher. You just happen to teach skiing. Professional in sports means that you compete against other pros and that you support yourself doing so. This is also why Olympic athletics are referred to as amateur.

[–]RatherSmallPotato[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

I do compete, but my level is nowhere near high enough to attract money(yet).

Olympic athletics are referred to as amateur

How so? I figured Olympics is the highest level one can achieve.

[–]a_man_a_plan_pancake 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Well if you have a day job -- even though as in your case it's ski instructor -- and also compete in some races then you're not a professional. You have to do nothing but compete to be considered a pro. Think of it as the professional athlete's job is competing, and when he's not competing he's training.

Now clearly there's grey area here. For example if you compete for a living but also happen to have a part time job for a couple afternoons a week to help make ends meet I would consider you a professional athlete. Likewise if you have a full time job during the off season but are still able to find time to train so that you're ready when the season starts again.

Olympic athletes can't be earning a living from their sport, ie. are not professionals. Only in this sense are they amateurs. The term as used here has nothing to do with skill, and clearly so because to compete at an Olympic level you have to be the best of the best. It only means they aren't competing for prize money or have a sponsor (yet).

A pro can become an amateur (presumably to go to the Olympics). And vice versa.

Hockey is an exception where they do use pros on the olympic teams. There may be more sports that allow pros, I don't know.

[–]Spud 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Yes. When you earn your living doing something, you can say "Pro"

I would qualify it, pro ski instructor. Might be good for a pick up line lead in. Spice it.

You could even get vulnerable, "really want to just say pro skier, and I'm almost there..."

[–][deleted]  (2 children)

[deleted]

    [–]ido 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

    I agree, ski instructor sounds like you travel and work at resorts helping people. Professional sportsman usually means your a douche that will be washed up or cripple in 5 years.

    [–]RatherSmallPotato[S] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

    I compete in this kind of skiing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77OVxb2WliA

    But the goal is to get into biathlon because shooting is fun.

    [–]JasonCarswellMental Orgy 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

    Yes.

    I don't understand the controversy.

    I was almost a ski instructor. The commute was too far. I was a lifeguard too. There is a lot of emergency overlap training.

    [–]magnora7 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

    No, but you could say "I ski as a profession" and I think that'd be correct. But you're not a "pro skier" as such, I'd say

    [–]HeyImSancho 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

    If this is for tinder, then who cares what's real, or not; it's a hookup site; it's fantasy. Live the fantasy you want to sell. I mean you're scouting for hookups, remember that so when that one really good piece of ass comes along, you stay focused as to where you found it, and base further decisions with clarity should the need arise.

    [–]beermeem 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

    I think ski instructor should get you where you want to go. If you actually end up in some kind of relationship off tinder, you’ll want a person who is supportive of your aspirations and not some ninny who’s going to pedantasize you over whether you’re pro or not.

    When we don’t have money, sometimes we think money is what scores. But when we do have money, we want to hide that shit away. Gold diggers are no fun. If you wanna score a gold digger short term then just go for it lie out your ass. But using money to impress people doesn’t attract the people I wanna be around, personally.

    [–]Mnemonic 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

    Professional is something else than 'Pro' usually. The first one is as a profession, the latter is being REALLY GOOD at it.