Learn to ski without ever leaving Houston

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Bill Stamps started skiing in college.

"I was a football player, and I said, 'I can do this.' Everybody said, 'You're going to fall. You're going to fall.' And I said, 'Nah.' But I probably fell 100 times that day," he remembers.

Since then, though, Stamps found a passion for a winter sport that many Houstonians don't get to experience. So he decided to open the Gladiator Ski School two years ago.

"I knew there was a market for skiers here in Texas, and people say, 'Ski? Who's going to ski in Texas?'"

Stamps was right. There's a huge market.

"We have kids all the way from two and up. The kids, they're the fearless ones. They just want to fly down the hill."

For adults, it's a bit more intimidating. Brandon Robinson took his first class Thursday. "I was a little nervous, but I wanted to get the actual technique down," he says.

He realized it takes practice and persistence. "Falling will take you to the next level. You have to fall, get back up, and keep going," says Robinson.

Now, he's ready for his ski vacation. "This was my confidence booster, so once I get out there and ski, I'll feel more confident about actually skiing," Robinson adds.

Ski lessons on the slopes can start at around $200 for a half a day. Stamps charges $75 an hour.