More than forty years ago, I sold a little booklet called Captain Zembo’s Ski and Snowboarding Teaching Guide for Kids out of the trunk of my car for a dollar, never imagining it would spark a lifelong mission.

Since then, I’ve taught thousands of children, helped create the national ski and snowboard curriculum for the Professional Ski Instructors of America, and spent decades with the best kids’ instructors in the country.

Along the way, I discovered something we overlooked in our early teaching models: the true meaning and power of play. This site is my way of filling in that missing piece. Sharing the lessons, stories, and playful spirit that fifty years on the slopes have taught me so parents, instructors, and kids alike can discover the joy of learning to ski.