20 Years of Mental Coaching in Snowsports: The Vision of Petr Valis

2024 marks exactly twenty years since Petr Valis – founder of My Ski School and SMT Academy – first introduced the concept of Mental Coaching in skiing and snowsports. What began as a visionary approach to ski instruction has evolved into a global benchmark for luxury ski education and client-centred coaching.

The Father of Mental Coaching in Skiing

Long before “mental coaching” became a buzzword in sport, Petr Valis recognized a deeper truth. The key to performance lies not only in technique, but in mindset. His journey started more than two decades ago, combining his experience as a highest level ski trainer, coach and then manager of the Czech National Alpine Team. Petr Valis had been managing names athletes like Ondrej Bank, Krystof Kryzl, Ester Ledecka or Katerina Paulathova. He later combined his academic background with the highest ski instructor education from Switzerland, Austria, and Czechia. This foundation allowed him to link professional coaching with science-based methods. Petr Valis then continued with further studies in sport psychology and applied mental training. Building on this expertise, he later founded one of the most prestigious academies for mental preparation of top athletes — SMT Academy.

Working with Olympic athletes and world champions, Valis developed methods that bridged the gap between physical preparation and psychological mastery. When he later brought these principles to the ski slopes, the transformation was remarkable — both in how instructors taught and how clients experienced skiing.

From Mental Coaching to My Ski School

Founded in Switzerland, My Ski School quickly became known as one of the most exclusive private ski schools in the world. Operating in Zermatt and other premium resorts, the school works exclusively with some of the world’s most distinguished clients — leading entrepreneurs, public figures, and celebrities. My Ski School is providing tailor-made experiences for clients such as the Hermès and McCartney families.

Behind this success lies more than perfect technique — it’s the mental coaching culture that sets My Ski School apart. Every instructor learns not only how to teach skiing, but how to understand the client’s mindset, motivation, and emotions. This is the essence of client-oriented coaching: building trust, confidence, and connection on every turn.

The Swiss Ski Concierge Concept

Valis’s latest innovation, the Swiss Ski Concierge, takes the ski mental coaching philosophy to an entirely new level. This program combines elite ski instruction with concierge-style service — from on-snow mindset training to off-snow guidance, communication, and emotional intelligence. Only the best instructors in the world are selected and trained within this concept, learning how to deliver not just lessons, but transformative experiences.

As Valis explains: “Luxury is not about what you provide, but how you make people feel. Mental coaching helps instructors understand their clients on a deeper level — and that’s what creates unforgettable moments.”

The 80/20 Principle of Excellence

At the heart of the My Ski School franchise model lies a simple but powerful idea: the 80/20 principle. Eighty percent of the school’s energy is focused on client service and experience. The remaining twenty percent targets continuous professional development and instructor performance. This formula ensures consistent excellence — both on and off the slopes.

Every instructor at My Ski School is encouraged to reflect, communicate, and grow — using the same psychological tools that Valis teaches through SMT Academy. This synergy between education and luxury service is what makes the My Ski School brand unique worldwide.

Core Mental Coaching Methods Used in Snowsports

The following techniques, pioneered and refined by Petr Valis, have become essential in both professional sport and elite ski instruction:

• Goal Setting and Visualization – defining clear objectives for every session and using imagery to rehearse success before it happens.
• Focus Control – maintaining attention in rapidly changing mountain environments, especially under pressure or fatigue.
• Emotional Regulation – transforming fear or frustration into constructive energy, allowing for calm and adaptive decision-making.
• Communication and Feedback – using positive, open dialogue to strengthen trust between instructor and client.
• Confidence Anchoring – creating mental triggers that help clients rediscover stability and flow in challenging conditions.
• Reflective Practice – reviewing every lesson through the lens of mindset, emotion, and growth — not only technique.

These methods, originally developed for professional athletes, now empower ski instructors worldwide to deliver a new level of experience and connection. Through SMT Academy, hundreds of coaches and instructors have already been trained in these principles. This makes Valis’s work one of the most influential educational systems in European alpine skiing sport psychology.

A Vision That Transformed an Industry

What started as an idea in 2004 — to bring mental training into the snow industry — has now redefined the meaning of professional ski instruction. Petr Valis’s unique combination of psychology, coaching, and luxury service has positioned My Ski School as the best-rated private ski school in Zermatt. It now stands as a model for the future of snowsports education worldwide. That is why Petr Valis is considered as the Father and founder of mental coaching techniques and methodology in ski school industry.

His legacy continues through every instructor trained under the Swiss Ski Concierge program. Every client who discovers that the real magic of skiing begins not with the body — but with the mind.

“Mental coaching is not a technique; it’s a way of being with people. That’s what changes skiing — and life.” — Petr Valis

Discover more about Mental Coaching in Sport: SMT Academy – Europe’s leading platform for sport psychology and mental training.