Instructor To Instructor

THE JOURNAL OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN PROFESSIONAL SKI AND SNOWBOARD INSTRUCTOR

FALL 2011

Rocky Mountain BoaRd RepResentatives

Joel Munn, pResident, FRont Range

FRed RuMFoRd, vice pResident, southeRn distRict

Rick hinckley, secRetaRy, southeRn distRict

donnie Mechalke, FRont Range

Joe WeBsteR, WesteRn slope

Jane taRloW, FRont Range

tiFFany tRuitt, WesteRn slope

Rick Rodd, MeMBeR at laRge

RoBin May, southeRn distRict

nels hindeRlie, WesteRn slope

psia/aasi RepResentative

peteR donahue

coMMittee chaiRs:

BaRBaRa szWeBel – adaptive chaiR

Jonathan Ballou – alpine chaiR

dusty dyaR – childRen’s chaiR

patti Banks – noRdic chaiR

Michael “spicky” Blanton – snoWBoaRd chaiR

Jp chevalieR – MeMBeR school chaiR

2 PSIA-RM/AASI FALL 2011

last fall, you might remember that I wrote an article about the incredible generousity of our volunteers and members over the years who have

given countless hours of thier time, money and support to PSIA-Rocky Mountain-AASI. As a non profit organization, we have worked very hard to ensure our financial sta-bility and success by keeping our expenses under control, improving the products we sell and supporting the needs of our member schools. This coupled with generous mem-ber donations has allowed for us to grow our investment savings substantially. I am so pleased that at long-last, we are finally to do what we have always dreamed of being able to do. . . giving back to our amazing mem-bership.

At the August 28th board meeting the PSIA-Rocky Mountain-AASI Board of Directors approved over $15,000 in schol-arships,$10,000 for Adaptive Training and $2,500 in support of a Community Kids Ski Program. While Not-for-profit organi-zations are able to earn a profit, more accu-rately termed a surplus, such earnings must be retained by the organization for its self-preservation, expansion, or specific, dedi-cated plans.

We are happy to report that over the last five seasons we have gained much ground. With our profit we have secured a healthy reserve account so your organization can and will preserve even through challenging eco-nomic times. We invested in an office space to house the organization. We have hired a dedicated, talented and committed staff that has the ability to move us into the future and all it demands to stay viable.

Six years ago when we established our investment account it was not without a plan. The plan was to someday grow the fund so that we could pull the interest annually in support of educational development. Below is the list of scholarships and an adaptive voucher program available to all active mem-bers. You will notice that the opportunities are vast and for all walks of our membership.

SchoLARShIPS: Applications will be accepted Nov 1st through Dec 15th for the below scholarships. Look for details at psia-rm.org or aasi-rm.org.• 10FULLThreedayITC’s• 10Level2onedayprepclinics• 10Level2examdays• 10Level3onedayprepclinics• 10Level3examdays• 5RockyMountainTrainer,FullExams(1each discipline) • 10onedayintroductoryPSIA-AASINewmemberclinics(appliedforbyskischooldirectors)• 10specialorderclinics (applied forbymember school directors) Total cash value: $15,425

• Thereareadditionalexistingscholarshipsavailable online.

NoN PRoFIt AdAPtIve voucheR PRogRAMThe existing voucher program designed to

support the volunteer adaptive instructor has been expanded to accommodate non volun-teers, exam days and varying size schools. Details are provided directly to your Adaptive SchoolManager.Totalcashvalue$10,000

KeeP eM’ oN the SLoPeS: PILot PRogRAMThis program was first discussed in hopes

to dedicate some of our resources to other non profits. In its pilot year, we will support a group of kids in the form of a cash donation to gain them access to the slopes. We are cur-rently reviewing several different organiza-tions to receive this funding. Total cash value

$2,500

coMMIttee PRoPoSALS APPRovedIn addition to the above scholarships and

programs the board approved over $15,000 in committee proposals. These include: devel-opment of an online written exam process, examiner exchange, subsidized training for our potential national team attendees, revi-sion of all snowboard written exams, and much more.

When I was 16, I wanted more then any-thing to join the peace corps, so I could do my part. Although that dream never materi-alized I have an incredible sense of satisfac-tion and pride in being a part of this organi-zation.Althoughwedon’ttechnicallyhavestock holders I believe that the members own this organization. As a member myself, I am confident that as owners/share-holders, you would support the above programming. We have all been in a place where a little help would go a long way to help us obtain our goals and dreams. Keep dreaming and we will do everything we can to support those dreams, this year and in the years to come.

“Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.” A

The RM Giving TreeBy Executive Director Dana Forbes

FALL 2011 PSIA-RM/AASI 3

as your President, I feel I owe all of you clarification on the relationship between our organization PSIA-RM-AASI and National. In his National

Report, Peter Donahue quite accurately describes that there are only “loose affili-ations between our ten separate corporate entities. Peter then further states that; “there is no protocol to establish responsibility and accountability for nationally consistent deci-sionmakinginkeyareasofourbusiness”(es).

Most of you are aware there are 9 divisions within PSIA-AASI. At the same time, it may come as a surprise to many of you that not only are the 9 divisions separate legal enti-ties, but PSIA-AASI National is a separate and individual entity as well. In other words, as Peter quite clearly points out; “there are no formal agreements between the divisions, nor between divisions and the national asso-ciation except those governing the use of our logos, and the non-binding agreement on adhering to national standards.”

By now most of you have received and hopefully filled out a survey sponsored by PSIA-AASI National which is being con-ductedbyJVAConsultingLLC.Halfofyouwere told within the survey communications that PSIA-AASI National was going to imple-mentadues increaseof$11forFY2013.Many of you may be wondering “why a sur-vey now?” In the spirit of clarity and trans-parency, I must be totally up front with all of you. The survey is being conducted because of issues surrounding the decision to implement this dues increase, the way the decision was reached by the National Board, and the consid-erable push-back the National board received from leadership across all divisions in the months following its decision.

The consensus by the majority of the divi-sional presidents was to request the national office conduct a survey of the membership. TheCouncilfelttheentiresubjectofanunex-pected and divisionally unrepresented dues increase called for a better understanding of the perceptions of the membership relative tothevalueofNational’sservices.Theyalso

felt it was time to see how members view the entire subject of divisional/national similari-ties and differences.

As mentioned, National is a separate and individual corporate entity. As such, our representative to the National Board has a legal and binding fiduciary responsibility to voteexclusivelywithNational’sbestinter-est in mind. Our national representative is OURrepresentativeinnameonly.Althoughtheywillrepresenttheirdivision’spositionon issues, in the end they must vote to sup-port the health and welfare of their corpora-tion(National),onwhoseboardtheysit.Toclarify, the National Rep. holds a seat on the RMBoard,yetitisanExOfficio(non-vot-ing) position only, and thus their fiduciary responsibility is ultimately to the National Board.

The unfortunate reality of this is that due to the structure which now exists, the fiduciary responsibility of the “divisional representa-tive” to the National Board may be in oppo-sition to the welfare of the division many of you assume they represent. The need for NationaltoraiseduesinFY2013toinsuretheir financial survival is one of these times. Therefore, although we disagreed whole-heartedlywithNational’sdecisiontoraiseits dues, we chose to view the subject of a dues increase as a “symptom” rather than the “cause” of the problem at hand. Similar situ-ations have occurred in the past due to this

shortcoming in our organizational structure. The actual fact we were faced with was that we could “kick and scream” all we wanted, but in the end we needed to accept reality …wedon’tstructurallyorlegallyhaveavote!”Wheredowegofromhere?Howdowe

make sure these types of situations no lon-gerhappenandsimilarsituationsdon’tgetinthe way of our individual and collective suc-cess and evolution? As Peter mentions in his article, division presidents and national board directors will convene for two days in late January. RM has taken a strong position on the organizational structure that presently exists. Since July, we have voiced repeatedly in the forums where change can be implemented, that the status quo is no longer acceptable - a “re-structure” of the relationship between the 9 divisions and National must be on the agenda of this January meeting.

In collaboration with all other divisional presidents, executive directors, and national leadership, we are suggesting, with great emphasis, the creation of one corporate entity which would be made of and be directly rep-resented by the 9 divisions. It is the member-ship of these 9 divisions along with others who are the stakeholders of this entire organi-zation.Ultimately,andperhapsmostimpor-tantly, the members are the direct share-holders of the national entity we feel must be created and which many of you assumed already exists. A

President’s LetterBy Joel Munn


FallintheRockies.There’snothingquitelike the crunch of aspen leaves under the foot or bike tire. As we all enjoy the last bits of summer hanging on,

Ican’thelpbutstarttotwitchandfidgetinanticipation of the snow that is coming. As I descendedtodaydownEmeraldMountainonmybike,Icouldn’thelpbutthinkaboutthewhite surface I long to slide on as I entered every berm, compression and drop. The crunching and popping of leaves suddenly disapparated me into the “white room” and I wasbackinClosetsandShadowsonablowerday. Yes, as the temperatures drop, many of us have a hard time focusing on normal daily tasks.Plainandsimple,it’stheburdenallofus snow sliding junkies must carry around untiltheliftsstartturningaround.Here’safew exciting developments in the world of AASI/PSIA to get the juices close to the boil-ingpoint.Let’sdothis.

educAtIoN cuRRIcuLuMBynow,you’vereceivednoticeoftheEdu-

cation curriculum shared through Google cal-endar. The link is posted on the RM website under the events page. Additional documents to follow will be shared events by location and date. An additional way to peruse the event calendars is through the event meet-ing registration portal in www.thesnowpros.org. Log in using your national identification number in the username field and the pass-wordfield.Usethesearchfunctiontofindevents by type, sport, location and even divi-sion. A calendar view option is also available through the portal.

While visiting thesnowpros site check out theCommunity. TheCommunity isTHEsocial media link to everything happening in snowsports education and all the current goods of our entire national association. By joiningspecificCommunitygroupsyoucanconnect with other snowsports enthusiasts with similar interests. Join the Rocky Moun-tainCommunitytostayconnectedwithallofyour RM sisters and brothers. Do you have a particular interest backcountry, moonlight,

switch, nordic snowboarding? You can start your own community on just about anything pertaining to your snowsports fetishes.

oN-LINe WRItteN teStWe are extremely excited to announce

Level2andLevel3on-linewrittentestsforsnowboard and alpine beginning November 10th.OurEducationcommitteeshaveteamedupwiththeEasterndivisiontorolloutthisproject.Uponsigningupfortheexamyouwill receive a link to the timed test to take at your leisure in the comfort of your own cyberspace connection. When you complete the test, you will be given your score immedi-ately, and have an opportunity to review your missedquestions.Eventhoughtheanswerswill not be provided, you can seek out the answers and learn from your experience. Ample time will be provided to complete the test but not enough to “look up” answers in yourlibrary.Hitthebooksnowbeforeweall hit the snow. A great place to start is all of our current national publications such as theChildren’sInstructionManual,theAlpineTechnical Manual, the Snowboard Instruc-tor’sGuideandCoreConceptsforSnows-ports Instructors.

chILdReN’S SPecIALIStWe are entering our second season of the

nationalcertificateprogramChildren’sSpe-cialist(CS1&CS2).CS1andCS2werevery

well received across the country last season. The consistency of these credentials speaks volumes to the incredible work achieved by ournationalchildren’staskforce.Becauseof the consistency and quality, the achieve-ment of this certificate is transferrable across all divisions earning nationally credibility and international recognition. Most of our Member schools across the country recognize instructors holding these certificates with pay and priority incentives. As the standards currently read, a level one certification is the prerequisiteforCS1andCS1plusalevel2certificationaretheprerequisitesforCS2.Incertain circumstances, a member may apply togodirectlytoCS2iftheyhavealevel2certification and extraordinary, relevant expe-rienceinchildren’sinstruction. Formoreinformation regarding this option, please con-tact your RM office for the application.

Your education teams in Rocky Moun-tain, other divisions and your national chil-dren’staskforceareconsideringutilizingthechildren’sspecialistcertificatestosat-isfythechildren’sstandardsrequirementsinalldisciplines.Forexample,aCS1willsatisfythechildren’scertificationrequire-mentforLevel2inalpine,Nordic,adaptiveandsnowboard. In similar fashion,CS2handlesthelevel3certificationchildren’srequirement. These requirements are being consideredforthe2012-13seasonwiththegoal of enhancing the overall process while developing more experienced and successful instructors. Anyone who has participated in theCSprogramscanattesttotheextremelyvaluable knowledge and experienced gained whether someone teaches kids full time or not. Howmanyadultsdoyouknowthatact like children all the time and especially while on vacation?

StRAtegIc educAtIoN PLAN (SeP)Currently,oneyearintotheprocess,our

NationalStrategicEducationPlanisunderway and gaining momentum. A brief history inthisprojectgoesbacktothefallof2007when a meeting was held to support our membership by defining roles and functions of the divisions and national to optimize effi-ciency. The overall objectives and benefits to theSEPincludethefollowing:

Improve the integrity and relevance of PSIA-AASI education and certification sys-tem.Clarifynationalanddivisionalroles.Align

“Let’s get it started”By Dave Schuiling, Director of Education


association resources to increase effective-ness and efficiency of education programs.Collectaccuratedataaboutmemberuseof

education materials, courses and testing.Expandmember and stakeholder com-

munications and opportunities for input and feedback about education initiatives.

This October 1stand2nd, a group of edu-cational stakeholders from every division met in Denver to collaborate on our National Level 1 certification standards. In the true spiritoftheSEPwhichpromotesthe“threeC”philosophyofCommunication,Collabo-rationandConsolidation,eachdivisionsenta representative for all discipline sports to enhance our level 1 processes and define common elements for success and integrity of the national standards. Also present at thismeetingwererepresentativesoftheEdu-cationAdvisoryCouncil(EAC).TheEACrepresents all sports disciplines, member school management and the national teams. Throughout our conversations, the main focus was to make sure that our key stake-holders were acknowledged.

NAtIoNAL MeMbeR dIRectoR dIvISIoN gueSt

This group has committed to this cause and realizes the benefits gained from work-ing together, reducing wasted duplica-tion and pooling the collective educational influences across the country. The Level 1 process is the starting point and look for future projects to span all of our educational andcertificationprograms.TheSEPtask-force has been meeting regularly via phone conference calls, sharing documentation throughtheCommunityandplanstomeetface to face again in the spring. Who bene-fitsfromallofthishardwork?Everymem-ber of our fine association.

dIvISIoNAL exchANgeIn a similar spirit of working together,

education staffmembers fromEast,RMand Western divisions began observing each other’s level3certificationprocess. Theexchange focus was “best practices” and how each division utilizes our national standards in the certification process. Although each division’sprocessmaybeslightlydifferent,all parties involved felt very confident that thelevel3certificationstandardwasbeingmaintained with consistency. As this pro-gram develops, more divisions are joining

the exchange enhancing the overall process. In the near future, look for a multi-divisional certification exam event utilizing education staff from all participating divisions.

NAtIoNAL teAMS SeLectIoNEvery four years, ourNational Teams

selection process chooses teams that high-lightthenation’sbestinstructors.Theout-come of this process will be a team that embodies three attributes outlined by the teams taskforce.• InspirationalEducators• LifelongLearners• InspirationalAthletesAnycurrentLevel3PSIA/AASIinstruc-

tor is eligible to try out for the teams and completed application packets are due December9,2011. A2012TeamSelec-tion community page is posted on the PSIA/AASI community page for more informa-tion on the details. Last spring the RM Assessment Trials, “RAT” were held to showcase and train prospective national team members. This event was a huge suc-cess in setting the bar for training leading up to the national selection process. The skiingwasinspirational!Here’salinktosome footage from the event. http://vimeo.com/29245995 A special thanks to your alpine committee chair, Jonathan Ballou for the edit. We will follow up with training opportunities leading up to the main event nextspring.Ifyou’dliketoshowyoursup-port to a potential team member or anyone representing RM at the selection, please contact the office.

ARe you ReAdy?Asmy11yearoldsays,Dad,It’son!Yes,

I’msurelikemanyofyou,Ifeellikean11year old when I start thinking about snow. As they say, the first step toward recovery is admittingyourobsession.I’mnotsurethatthis vice is something I need recovery from. If a person is to have vices then I feel pretty good about this one. I look forward to seeing you all this season out at events. Please be sure to say “what up?” and bend my ear with anythingyou’dliketoseebetterhappeningintheworldofeducationandPSIA-AASI.I’lllet you in on another one of my vices, as a lifelonglearnermyself;I’mtotallycommit-ted to our educational offerings and will con-tinually strive to do best by our association. PeacetotheO.U.T. A

The official publication ofPSIA - Rocky Mountain - AASI

P.O.Box775143SteamboatSprings,CO80477Phone:970.879.8335Fax:970.879.6760

[email protected]@psia-rm.orgDirectorofEducation-dave@[email protected]

website - www.psia-rm.org

General InformationSubmissions of articles, photos or otheritems for publication are invited. PSIA-

Rocky Mountain- AASI members submitting articles of an educational naturewithaminimumof500wordswillbereimbursed$100perpublishedarticle.

Type copy should be double spaced andsent to the editor at the above address.A disk may be submitted along with ahardcopyineitherPCorMACformats.

All the submitted material is subject toediting.Useofallmaterialwillbeatthediscretion of the editorial staff. Articlesare accepted on the condition that theymay be released for publication in allPSIA/AASI National and Divisional

publications.

Instructor to Instructor is publishedfour times per year by the PSIA-RockyMountain - AASI divsion. Permission is

hereby given to PSIA/AASI and all divisionsof PSIA/AASI to copy original

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AASI can purchase a one-year subscriptionof Instructor to Instructor for $15.

Send your name and address along withpayment to the above address.

Note: Materials published in Instructorto Instructor which have

been provided by persons in otherthan an official capacity, or for official

purposes, are the responsibilityof the author, and do not necessarily

represent the opinions or policiesof PSIA-Rocky Mountain - AASI.


You are part of the Community?

Have you checked it out!

thePSIA-AASICommunityisthenewestwayformemberstoconnect with each other, their divisions, and those who share a passion for snowsports and teaching snowsports. It is a place to get to know your fellow instructors, talk about upcoming events, and share ideas with colleagues across the country. You can search for old friends, find new ones, join a new community, or create one of your own.ThePSIA-AASICommunityisanupgradedversionofour

MemberForum.Hereyoucansharedocumentsandstudyguides,start a discussion, voice your opinion, and participate more fully in your association. You will find communities focused on divi-sional areas and instructional disciplines. Within individual com-munities are discussion boards and blogs where we encourage you to interact with other members.Getstartedbycreatingaprofileandseeingallthat’shappening

within PSIA-AASI.http://community.thesnowpros.org/home A

A Non-PSIA Educational Credit Alternative

theU.S.SkiandSnowboardAssociation(USSA)SportEduca-tion department would like to invite all PSIA members to attend theirLevel100coachingclinicsfor2011-2012.TheUSSAclinicschedule is available at: www.ussa.org/magnoliaPublic/ussa/en/formembers/coaches/clinics.html, with registration starting Octo-ber3,2011

As a professional consideration, PSIA Level III instructors are welcometoattendatUSSAmemberpricesbyenteringintheirPSIA division and certification number in the notes section of the USSAregistrationalongwiththecode“psia1012”.TheUSSASportEducationdepartmentworksinconjunction

withtheU.S.SkiTeamcoaches,regionalanddevelopmentstaff,and sport scientists, to develop resources and programming to assistskicoachesfromacrosstheUnitedStatestocontinuelearn-ing and growth in the coaching profession.

IfyouattendaUSSAclinicandwouldliketoreceivePSIA/AASIeducational credits for your attendance, please download the form fromtheRockyMountainwebsitefromtheEd.Materialspageandsubmititwithpaymenttoreceiveupto2days(12hours)credit. A

August 2011 Meeting Board Briefs

A complete copy of any of the minutes may be obtained by contacting the RM office.

1. MinutesfromtheMay,2011andJuneandJuly,2011boardconferencecallswereapproved.2. Dave Schuiling, Director of Educa-tion, reported that the online written test is being developed and will be in place for the 2011/12season.Healsostatedthattheswitchto employees by the education staff is on-track.3. BarbaraSzwebel,AdaptiveCommitteeChairperson,reportedthatworkisstillcon-tinuing with standards at the national level for both Adaptive Alpine and Adaptive Snow-board.4. DustyDyar,Children’sCommitteeChair-person reported the issue regarding whether CS1shouldbeaprerequisiteforCS2hasnotbeen resolved.

5. PattiBanks,NordicCommitteeChairper-son, reported that the biggest project within the Nordic discipline is solidifying the Tele-mark MA process.6. Gates Lloyd, standing in for Jonathan Bal-lou,AlpineCommitteeChairperson,reportedthat there had been great feedback from the Alpine exam modular system, and that the one-day format works well for the member-ship. Gates also said that Alpine intends to shiftitsfocustoexaminingskills.Hesaidthat they will take maneuvers and break them down into skill pools.7. PeterDonahue,NationalRepresenta-tive, acknowledged that the Pro-Tech system is not user friendly, but suggested that such problems are common with new database systems.Hestatedthattheorganizationhadhired Patrick Bragg, a leader in the field who understands the issues involved in making the website useful for different levels of users.8. PeterDonahuereportedthatBenRobertswasleavingnational’sEducationDepartmentandthatEarlSalinewillassumetheleader-ship role in the renamed Professional Devel-

opment Department.9. Both the PSIA-RM budget and the Rocky MountainSkiInstructorsEducationalFoun-dation budget were approved by the board.10.$10,000wasallocatedintheEducationalFoundationbudget to fund thenon-profitschools initiative.11.Theboardapproved$15,425intheEdu-cational Foundation budget to fund newscholarships.12.FredRumford,VicePresidentandChairoftheBudgetandFinanceCommittee,saidtheB&Fcommitteeisreviewingpropos-alsfrom3investmentfirmstodetermineifatransfer of the investment account would be worthwhile at this time.13.Afundraisingcommitteewillbecreatedonce those who have expressed interest have been contacted and coalesced into a group.14.Theby-lawscommitteeoftheboardrec-ommended that an attorney be contacted to revise the by-laws.15. The next board meeting is scheduled on November18,2011inBreckenridge,afterfall training. A


october has arrived with cool nights and glorious autumn days, guiding our thoughts to the approaching win-ter and the pleasures of our calling. It

is the time to reflect on our resolutions past and goals for the future. In that spirit, the divi-sion presidents and national board of direc-tors have made the decision to convene in late January to discuss divisional and nation-algovernance and organizational structure.

This meeting represents the next stage in an ongoing process that began five years ago this fall when the same group gathered to discuss the challenges facing the association. That meeting, setting the stage for the Octo-ber2007strategicplanningsessionthefol-lowing year, brought unprecedented agree-ment between our divisions and national association on the roles and responsibilities of each. The most significant outcome was theadoptionof“TheThreeC’s”resolution:Communicate,Collaborate,andConsolidate,to better serve the needs of our membership and our industry as a whole.Followingthetransitionofallournine

divisions to a common national database, our EducationAdvisoryCouncilrecommendeda Quality Assurance review to consider the presentstateandfuturedirectionofourEdu-cationprogramsandCertificationcredentialsacross divisions. The council recommended theadoptionofaStrategicEducationPlantobetter alignour programs and credentials to better serve our membership.

In working through this process, it became clear that our organizational structure has pre-sented challenges to successful implementa-tion of this and other initiatives that require close cooperation between our divisional staffs, national staff, and volunteer leader-ships across the country.Given the loose affiliations between the national and division-alcorporate entities, there was no protocol to establish responsibility and accountability for nationally consistent implementation in key areas of our business. Divisional commit-tees governing Alpine, Snowboard, Nordic, Children,andAdaptiveprogramsmakedeci-sions largely in isolation from their counter-

parts in other divisions, and their efforts are duplicated instead of consolidated, leading to inconsistencies and even rivalries between divisions.Effortstorealigntheseopportuni-ties could only come from voluntary com-munication and cooperation among divisional and national leadership.

In the last two years, Rocky Mountain Divi-sionAlpinechairJonathanBallouandEdu-cation manager Dave Schuilling have done a tremendous and unprecedented job of reach-ing out to other divisions to share best prac-tices. Additionally, our President, Joel Munn, has worked tirelessly to inspire other division presidents to consider bold steps and realign our governance and organizational structures.

The national association has retained a research consultant to gather additional mem-ber and industry stakeholder feedback to inform the January gathering. This research follows several other studies conducted over the last decade that will be posted for your review on the national website. As I write, the processisunderwaytoreviewRFP’sfrompotential facilitators for the session. When we first convened the Strategic Planning Task Forcein2007,wecouldonlyhopethatthatthe divisions would choose to come together to discuss and address the underlying chal-lenges facing our association. Special thanks are due to Joel Munn for his passion and per-sistence that have been essential to making it happen. The measure of our success will be tangible outcomes that are beneficial to our members and our industry as a whole.

The PSIA-AASI Board of Directors enthu-siastically embraces these developments. It has been sixty years since the first efforts to create consistent national certification policy were spearheaded by PSIA founder Bill Lash at the National Ski Association conven-tion in 1951. Despite tremendous improve-ment, PSIA-AASI has been unable to get past the persistent regionalism that impeded divisional communication and cooperation. Today, we are ready as never before to look critically at the organizational inefficiencies that impede us from offering even greater value to our members. A

President’s Council and National Board of Directors to convene for Strategic Planning

By Peter Donahue

Vail Ski and Snowboard School 50th Reunion!

SundayDecember11,2011wearehavingaVailSki&SnowboardSchoolreunion.

It will consist of skiing/riding during the day&acelebrationafterwards.

This will be a great opportunity to recon-nectwithalumni&currentstaff.

The event is open to anyone who has worked or is currently working for the Vail School and will be followed by the actual 50thcelebrationinDecember2012.

If you have contact info for alumni please forwarditto:[email protected]:“VailSki&SnowboardSchoolAlumni&Current

Staff”We look forward to seeing you in

December. A

Scholarship Recipients

Matthew Naschak, son of member Paul Naschak,wasawardeda$500EducationalFoundationscholarship.Heisattendingthe

AlaskaPacificUniversity.

Hunter Black, son of member Annie Black, wasawardeda$500EducationalFoundationscholarship.Hebeginshisfreshmanyearat

theDartmouthCollege.

Dana Smith,daughterofmemberCindySmith,wasawardeda$500EducationalFoundationscholarship.Shebeginsher

freshman year at the Western Washington University.A

OPEDIX

Member Discount Code


there we were, in the famous and historicTaosSkiValley!Itwasthespringof2011andTonyMacriandmyself had the honor of providing a

couple of certification exams. It had been a lean snow year up until a few days before our arrival but luckily, the mountain was sprinkled with some fresh snow for our adventures. As we started to mingle with the locals and our crews, we noticed, an overall infectious passion for sliding. Sure, certifi-cation was our purpose but the atmosphere of fun was our true reward. Sliding on snow is so simple, yet with our standards it can appear complex, sometimes muddling the fun. I think we all like the fun, just go to Taos if you ever need that reinforced. Taos isagreatmountainwithfun-lovingpeople!

Your AASI-RM committee has been aware of the fact that priority is given to safetyandlearning.Funoftentakesabackseat to it’s cohorts in ourmotto. YourAASI-RM committee has been creating new “developmental” programs to not only address more “fun”, but to also give the membership options for growth. Examprepsandexamsthemselveshave

been the staple of AAS-RM. The problem with those assessment-based programs is that fun and development take a back seat to - delivering to the standard, where the path-way to achieve goals. With regard to those ideas, preps are now called exam previews and are exactly that. It was a disservice to the participants to attempt to preview the exam format/standards and truly develop skills within these events. Participants miss out on the ever critical practice time with feedback, which is what we are always preaching. So it is time to walk the talk and offer true developmental sessions where the practice time is not being compromised by a required amount of certification preview.

In an exam, candidates are assessed on particular skills at different levels. The stan-dards represent those levels because of the fact they best encompass applications in the real world, but not all. The examiner only gets a “pinhole” view of the candidates over-

all skills. Therefore many people train to the exam standards, not the elements that make thestandardsrelevant.Certificationisnotthe “end all, be all”, it is the development and success of the participants that should befrontandcenter.Certificationismerelyavalidation of that growth. In these develop-mental sessions candidates will explore con-cepts that involve the standards as well as applicationsoutsideofthestandards.Under-standing this whole creates relevance to the certification “part”.

It is the goal of AASI-RM to put the fun into“fun”ction!Sokeepaneyeoutforthenew developmental session offerings. If you seesomethingyoulike,sign-up!Oratleastshow your support or this will be a short lived initiative. We are hopeful for this to grow into suchofferingslike“HelidropsinSilverton!”That’sasessionIwouldnotmiss!

Your AASI-RM committee works hard for you!Everypersonvolunteerstimetohelpbenefit our membership. It can be a thank-less job. But that is ok, because that is not what being on the committee is about. These people give their time selflessly for the smiles and experiences that are a result of thier hard work. There has been much growth with AASI-RM.Changecanbetough,especiallyif it is not needed. This is where your com-mitteeshines!Thediversegroupofindividu-als determine whether or not there is a need for change, how to make the change and the benefittothemembership.Everydiscussionends with addressing the benefit to our mem-bership!WiththatsupportIamproudtobeamember of this organization.

Next time you see Tony Macri, thank him!Itishardtoseealltheworkthatgoeson behind the scenes. Tony has been diligent with addressing the needs of our membership with very positive outcomes. Tony has been a great leader of that team for awhile now. I now have the honor of following Tony as AASI-RM committee chairperson. Thankfully there is very little change with this team as Tony is still an integral of the development of AASI-RM. Thanks Tony for all your hard work in thepast,andthefuture! A

AASI-RM, Let’s Ride!By Michael Blanton

INStRuctoR to INStRuctoR NeWSLetteR

The official newsletter of the Rocky Moun-tain Division is published four times per year withanaveragecirculationof6000.Theschedule for submission of articles and adver-tisements is listed below:

ISSue SubMISSIoN deLIveRy

deAdLINeWinter December2 JanuarySpring March2 MarchSummer June2 June

cLASSIFIed Ad RAteS• Classifiedrateformembersis$15forupto200characters,and$2.00foreachadditional50characters.Maximumad length is400characters.• Classifiedratefornon-membersis$30forupto200characters,and$4.00foreachaddi-tional50characters.Maximumadlengthis400characters.

dISPLAy AdveRtISINg RAteS• Adssubmittedmustbecamerareadyorindigital format.• Alladswillbeprintedinblackandwhiteonly.• Noadcancellationswillbeacceptedafterthe submission deadline.

SIze PRIce WIdth x heIght1/12page $60.00 2.5”x2.5”1/8page $90.00 2.5”x3.75” or3.75”x2.5”1/6page $115.00 2.5”x5.0” or5.0”x2.5”¼page $175.00 2.5”x7.5” or7.5”x2.5” or3.75”x5.0”1/3page $220.00 2.5”x10.0” or5.0”x5.0” or7.5”x3.35”½page $330.00 5.0”x7.5” or7.5”x5.0” or3.75”x10.0”2/3page $420.00 5.0”x10.0” or7.5”x6.67”¾page $475.00 7.5”x7.5”Fullpage $600.00 7.5”x10.0”

* Inserts, colors and special arrangements quoted upon request.* All ad prices are quoted per issue.


Many of us in our life time will make a few big decisions and one of them maybe to have children. Formyhusband and I this decision came

later in life, which seems to have become fairly common place. We put careful thought and consideration into having a child and the effects one would have on our lifestyle, jobs and income. Prior to our son, our only real responsibility was our four legged hound dog, who was easy to pawn off on parents and friends for traveland teaching.Eventhough our dedication and attachment to our pet was unwavering, we understood that hav-ing a child was something we were ready and unprepared for.Duringthe40weeksofpregnancy,yes

thisis10months;Ibegantoreceiveunsolic-ited advice from family and friends on child rearing.My93yearoldgrandmotherevenwarnedme toavoid“Hollywood”namesand go more in favor of traditional family names.HerfavoritebeingAntonafterherfather,whichnoneofherFIVEchildrenisnamed? To add to the verbal information barrage came the baby books. Baby books inundate a new mother with more informa-tion about her upcoming delivery, monthly milestones of a child and even daily “things” your child should be doing. Lastly the edu-cational/informational World Wide Web helped compound the feeling that you know nothing about becoming a parent. After our son’sarrivalwe reviewedeverypieceofmaterial, talked to all our friends and fret-ted at the first sign of anything wrong. You would have thought we were studying for a master’sdegreeinaforeignlanguagelikeChinese.

As our son developed and aged, we laughed at our early parental anxieties, threw away the books and quit searching the internet. Since we both have careers in the ski industry with children specifically, we could hardly wait until he was old enough to ski. I thought of all the parents I had seen come through ski school, the hovering mom, the overzealous fathers, the parents that have detachment issues, the constant phone callers and so on.

I knew I would never be “that” type of par-ent. We would be better than the other parents since we “understood” skiing and ski school. We have an additional advantage, he would beparticipatinginachildren’sprogramthatI have the pleasure to help coordinate. I was fairly certain that this would be easy. Fortunately,hetooktoskiinglikeafishto

water.Helovesitandtalkedaboutitallsum-mer.Heisunbelievabletowatchandenjoy-able to ski around the mountain with. We could not be more proud of his three year old accomplishments last season, but my behav-ior is another matter. I now realize I am “that” parent and it is worse because I have author-ity in how the program is run. I now real-ize my affective needs as a parent outweigh anything sensible, cognitive or rational when it comes to my child. I now understand all those parents I so easily giggled at regarding their behavior with their child. I know that I am “that” mother and it is ok and it will not change.

This is how I know: I purchased boots for my son that had

front buckles and soft cuffs so he had the ability to flex his ankle better. I kept him on shorter, center mounted skis until he mastered certain skills and was able to ski easy green runs parallel. I even questioned the extremely experienced ski pro when she suggests we put him in different boots for more ankle support as his soft boots kept unbuckling.Itwasn’tuntilshetoldmehisfeet were too big for his boot that I gave in and let her change the boots. The next time I skied with him I apologized to her as he had figured out how to tip his ski because he had a more supportive boot. Clothingisalwaysahassleatskischools.

Items get lost and found constantly. I explain thisatleast2timesadaytoparentswholostaneckgatororglove.Comeon,howhardis it to label and clip gloves or go buy them a new pair? Well, eat my words again. I had to buy new ski socks twice because at the end of the day they were taken off and misplaced.Haveyouever tiredtolabelaski sock? The cost, with my discount was

still$15forayouthsize8?Thefirsttimewas frustrating but the second time; I began to wonder what was wrong with the staff? Oops…nothing I came to find out. The one pair showed up the next day the other at the end of the season. That is a better return rate than the dryer at my house.

I have always thought ski school kids food was questionable, not really the healthi-est meal and usually consisted of some type of compressed breaded chicken, chips, juice and/ or hot chocolate. I must admit is has gotten healthier than when I learned to ski which was usually a hot dog, coke, chips and candy bar for all ages. Although I still spend a large amount of time telling parents themenu,what’sinthefoodandreceivingsack lunches, I now understand why they are concerned. One day a instructor informed me mysonwouldonlyeachCatsupforlunchandanother time I was told all he ate was snow on the hill while skiing. Needless to say one of my daily pick up/ drop off narratives has become what did he drink or eat today and if he does not drink enough water he will try to eat snow. I felt like a broken record and quickly purchased a second set of gloves since his other pair was usually wet.

Lastly and possibly my biggest indica-tor that I am “that” parent is my desire to search out and findmy child’s class onthe hill under the guise of “checking on classes”. Lucky for me my fellow coordina-tors have all had children and probably did the same thing. Thankfully, the instructors all humored me as I often skied away with my child as he melted down when I tried to leave.Honestly,Iknowbetterbutcouldnothelp myself. Yes, it is amazing how well my child learned to ski.

I will admit that I am “that” parent, the par-ent whose own affective needs override my common sense and logic. I will admit I am “that” parent who would do almost anything for my child. I will admit I am now “that coordinator” who really understands the par-ents and knows you can only understand them once you have walked in their shoes. I will admit I am a parent. A

Instructor Insight to ParentsBy Jamie Maybon


While teaching Adaptive Ski, Snow-board, Sit ski lessons over the past22yearsIhaveseenplentyofadaptive equipment. In the begin-

ning there were few options for people with missing limbs or compromised balance, such as a toboggan like sit ski that could only be steered by dragging hand-held picks in the snoworoutriggers(crutcheswithski-tipsattached to them).

Over the years, inventive souls came up with many different ways to get out there, but I want to tell you about the ski-bike.

I have used it successfully with quite a few students, including Nathan, who came to our program after suffering a Stroke. After extensive re-habilitation Nathan was able to walk again, but was doubt full that he could ski again with his right side still substantially weaker.HecametoWinterParkwantingtotry Snowboarding, since he had heard that it might be easier for him to control one board ratherthan2skis.Neverhavingriddenbeforehis“CVA”

(stroke),wewereprettysuccessfulonthebeginner slope, completing a few runs on the firstmorning.However,Nathancameintolunch pretty worn out from trying to just stay upright, so I suggested taking out the ski-bike. Not only would he be able to use the handlebars to help with steering, sitting down would also allow him to save the strength in his weaker leg for steering purposes. Nathan had no problems applying all his previous skiing knowledge about skidding and finish-

ing turns to ski-biking, and we started head-ing higher up the mountain. Within a few days we made it to the top of the mountain andcamedownthe5milelongblue&greenrun to the base and Nathan was back in the game.

This is only one of my ski-bike success stories. Check out another one onYou-Tube. Look for “Dreams accomplished withNSCD”Part1(January2011)andPart

2(April2011)postedbyanother of my students.

Some more involved students will need more help, such as tethers, attachments of the foot-ski-tips to the bike or additional padding. As a rule, if your student can control his/her legs, even without the strength to stand up, and has enough fine

motor control in at least one hand to steer the bike, this might be the way to go. As a rule the learning curve is pretty steep and even riders with little stamina can make it off the beginner slopes.

People with amputations or suffering from MultipleSclerosis,BrainInjuries,CerebralPalsy and other neurological impairments are great candidates for ski-biking, as are students with anxiety or developmental dis-orders who have a hard time getting their feet to turn when they start moving at more than a walking speed.

Several Adaptive programs now offer Ski-biking as a viable alternative to stand-up or sit-skiing, and if your program does not, check out the clinics at the “Adaptive National Academy” in Breckenridge, early December or in Vail or Keystone later this winter. Your school can also request a travel-ing clinic from the RM office.

Barbara Szwebel is the RM-Adaptive Chair.ShestartedteachingAdaptivelessonsinBeaverCreekin1989.AftermovingtoWinterParkin1994andworkingfulltimefor

theNationalSportsCenterfortheDisabledas instructor and staff trainer, she became an Adaptive Alpine as well as Adaptive Snow-boardExaminerandhelpeddevelopRM’sAdaptive SB certification program. Starting this fall she will be back in Vail as the Adap-tive Product Manager for Vail Resorts.

AShLINzMoM hAS ShARed A vIdeo WIth

you oN youtube:

Another dream accomplished with NSCD

Iusedtolovetoskibutitwas7yearsafter I suffered a brain injury that I was finallyabletoreturn.IattendedNSCDin January and want to share one of my dreams I accomplished. My first goal was to ride the chair lift. With the amazing staff and their dedication to people like me, I did it. I exceeded that first goal quickly. It was a truly amaz-ing week. My family was there and said the smile on my face was priceless. I returnedtoNSCDinAprilandwasableto meet even higher goals. Thank you to all my instructors-especially Tommy who “set me free” for the first time. Going from a mountain man sit ski-to bike skiing freely and having the time of my life-wow. I can hardly wait for the snow to start falling again. Please check outmy2videos--DreamsaccomplishedwithNSCDPart1(January2011)andPart2(April2011).Enjoy!!A

Ski-biking, and other cool ways to ski and ride!By Barbara Szwebel


N-MailBy Jim Sanders

helloNords.Fallisaninterestingtime,isn’t it? It’sa timeofchange.Thedaysgetshorter.It’stoodarncoldinthe morning. The leaves are so beauti-

ful, but where did the flowers and the bril-liant green of summer go? The first snow storms have hit the high country, so the peaks are white, standing tall in a brilliant blue sky and many of us start getting excited about something that is soon to come.

I know what it is. You are wondering when you will get a chance to read another additionofN-mail! It’syour luckyday,because your N-mail is here. Oh yeah, and ski season is almost here too.A bit of recognition is due. Emily

Lovettbecameournewest fullXCNor-dicAdvancedEducatorlastspring!Emilycoaches and teaches out of Steamboat Springs.ShehasbeenanXCApprenticeandLevel1NAEforseveralyearsnow.Ifyouhave skied or worked with her, you should be familiar with her quiet, competent and confidant ways as an instructor, coach, and clinician.Congratulateherwhenyougetachance, and take some time to ski with and gettoknowher.Herincreasinginvolve-ment in the division is a big plus for all of us.

Speaking of people who have a positive effect on their fellow instructors and our organization, are you one of those people? Iknowit’shardtobelieve,butsomeofusontheNordicCommitteearegettingabitolder,(luckily,notme).Therehavebeenmany discussions amongst both Telemark andXCExaminersaboutourdesiretosee“new blood” come up through the ranks and prepare to carry the Nordic torch, so we vet-erans can cash in our huge retirement pack-ages and start enjoying our golden years following the International Loppet circuit in Europe.Okay,I’mexaggerating,(andhal-lucinating) about the retirement packages, but hopefully you get the idea. If you are passionateaboutTelemarkand/orXCski-ing and instructing, and you feel like you would like to contribute more to your fellow instructors, PSIA-RM and Nordic Skiing in general, consider looking over the Nordic RM Trainer information on www.psia-rm.

org and stepping up your involvement. And please never hesitate to talk to the current NAE’stogetabetterideaofwhatwedoandwhat’sinvolved.Looking backon lastwinter’sNordic

events, we saw a drop in Telemark event participation.It’shardtoknowthespecificreasons for this, but certainly the state of the economy and its effect on the ski industry along with cyclical fluctuations in numbers of folks who want to get certified enter into the equation. If you have your own ideas about why Tele event attendance was down or suggestions for changes and better offer-ings in RM Nordic events please e-mail, write,ortalktoanyoftheNAEs.Wewanttohearfromyou.Fornow,theeffectoflastseason’snumbersistherearelessTelemarkevents being offered this season. This means if you plan to pursue certification this win-ter, you will need to plan to pursue certifica-tion. And you might have to travel a bit far-ther than you expected. Sorry about that, but it’saneconomicreality.Asthenumbersoffolks coming to events increase again, more events will be added in the future.

Just as a reminder, if you are a good orga-nizer and you know several people in your area that are of similar experience, abil-ity and interest for a Nordic event, you can organize a “travelling” event to your area. If you are interested, please call Patti Banks or the office for more information.

I would like to talk a bit about Nordic MovementAnalysis (MA).Akey focusfor theRMNordicAdvancedEducatorshas been the development of effective and easy to use MA tools for both Telemark and XC.WehavebeenabletostealandNor-dify many aspects of the current Alpine MA modelforTelemarkwithmuchsuccess.ForXC,wehavebeenusingaNorwegiansys-tem that identifies specific phases in each stride or skate, helping an instructor to better assessaCrossCountryskier’smovements.The result is two very good MA models that help us all in our teaching and consequently are of increased importance at certification events. I mention this because MA has been a weakness for many recent certification can-didates. The message here is practice with these MA tools, especially if you are plan-ning to go to an exam this season. Practice on your guests, practice on skiers that you see when you are out free skiing, practice on videos of skiers with a group of your fel-

low instructors. You will be amazed at how much it helps your teaching, and therefore your performance at certification. You can learn more about Nordic MA in the PSIA-RMNordicHandbook,theNordicTechnicalManual, at RM pre-certification events and/or by contacting one of your local, friendly NAEs.Weareheretohelpyou.

Please remember, the goal is not to have a “PSIA Way” that you have to buy into as the only path to true Nordic enlightenment. You must do MA in a way that works for you and your guests, whatever system you use. But understand that there are MA tools available that work great that you should be comfort-able using when you come to an exam. This is necessary to offer a consistent, fair stan-dard for certification, not to imply that there is only one way to do things.HereissomethingnewforN-mail:afun

quizaboutNational!DoyouknowwhatASEAstandsfor?Untilrecently,Ididn’t.ItstandsfortheAmericanSnowsportsEdu-cation Association, which does business as PSIA/AASI,aColoradobasednon-profitmembership association of which we are allmembers.Here’sanotherstumper:haveyoueverheardoftheEAC?Ididn’tknowthisoneeither.It’stheEducationAdvisoryCouncil,anationaleducationsteeringandadvisory committee for PSIA/AASI com-posed of one representative from each dis-cipline, a Ski School Management represen-tative, the various National Team coaches, andourNationalEducationManagers.Lastquestion: who is the Nordic Representative ontheEAC?Iknowthisone.AsoflastOctober,it’sme.Ididn’tknowwhatIwasgetting into, but it sounded fun and confus-ing, so I applied and got selected. If you have some ideas, suggestions, or even bones about National, I invite you to get in touch withme.Idon’texpecttohaveanswers,butI’llsuretrytofindoutforyou,andIwillrepresent your interests and concerns to the committee and the powers that be to the best of my ability. I plan to offer more informa-tionaboutthisEACstuffasitcomestobe,(translation:futureN-mails).That’senoughfornow.Considerreading

N-mail as part of your endurance training to prepare for ski season. It goes well with numerous long runs, hikes, or rides before the snow truly flies.Until then,[email protected]’! A


teaching mechanics to students involves developing a skillful blend of rotating, tipping, and pressuring the skis. There are many ways to accomplish this in

the context of the snowsports lesson but skill development is the key mechanical goal. Howdoyouknowthatastudenthastruly

learned to apply the skill or concept that you have just introduced? How do you know when student has

reached a level of mastery and is ready to move onto something new…or needs more practice time where a particular skill can be challenged in slightly new ways?

There are a number of excellent methods available to us that help us answer these ques-tions.BloomsTaxonomyofCognitionisagreat resource for assessing understanding and is widely used throughout the PSIA.

Development of physical skill however, does not always correspond with the skill actually being learned. This can happen at a slower or faster pace than cognitive under-standing.

Learning physical skills requires move-ments to be assembled, component-by-com-ponent, using feedback to shape and mas-ter them until they become natural, almost unconscious reactions to the mountain envi-ronment. This is a process that requires repe-tition, trial and error and internal and external feedback.FittsandPosner (1964;Fitts&Posner,

1967)developedatheorythatsuggestslearn-ing movements in a sequential manner. Mas-

tering of a skill can be broken down into three distinct phases. As a student passes through each phase they demonstrate specific behav-iors that the instructor can recognize. AccordingtoFits&Posner’sModelfor

Motor Skill Development the stages are: • Cognitivephase - Identification and devel-opment of the component parts of the skill – involves formation of a mental picture of the skill• Associativephase - Linking the compo-nent parts into a smooth action - involves guided practicing of the skill and utilizing feedback to master the skill• Autonomous phase - Developing the learned skill so that it becomes automatic—involves little or no conscious thought or attention whilst performing the skill - not all performers reach this stage(Fromwww.brianmac.co.uk/tech.htm)

When we first introduce a student to a new movement or concept their main objec-tive is to understand what we are asking, or to form a mental picture of the task. Developing possible strategies for success requires con-siderable mental activity and concentration. During this stage we expect movements to be inconstant, slightly confused and by no means smooth. This is generally because the student is going through a process of trial and error, meeting various degrees of success along the way. This is the essence of the Cognitivestage.

Motor skill developmentBy Jonathan Ballou

The Fitts-Posner Three-Stage Theory of Motor Skills Acquisition*

Stage

Cognition

Association

Autonomy

*AdaptedfromFittsandPosner

Goal

Understandthetask

Comprehendandperform mechanics

Perform the task with speed, efficiency and precision

Activity

Explanation,demonstration

Deliberate, practice, feedback

Automated perfor-mance requiring little cognitive input, focus on refining performance

Performance

Erratic,distinctsteps

More fluid, fewer interruptions

Continuous,fluid,adaptive

Cognitive Phase Characteristics

• Studentneedsdemonstrationsand verbal explanations

• Studentneedstobedirectedtoeffective cues

• Trialanderrortakesplace

• Performancesareinconstant,instructors should expect errors


Imagine a student attempting a wedge for the first time. The wedge has been explained to them, demonstrated to them and they have had key things they should be feeling described to them. As they listen they begin to form a mental picture of what we are teach-ing them. Despite all this invaluable informa-tion their first attempt is usually fairly lack-luster.

The wedge is asymmetrical, off-balance, or the skis shoot out from under them and theyfallontheirrearend.Fromherewegivethem feedback, generally something simple thatwillenhancetheirperformance.Uponreceiving this, the student alters their mental picture and attempts the wedge again, trying a different strategy based on their enhanced mental image, and so this process of trial - error- feedback - trial continues until some form of constant success is achieved.

The cognitive phase is when the instructor generally gives the most intensive feedback. This is necessary because the student has not fully associated positive movements with positive results. During this stage the instruc-tor can expect the most dramatic improve-mentsintheirstudent’sperformance.

Once the student has achieved repeatable success, they have entered the Associative phase. During this phase the student takes this newly learned skill or task and begins to master it through experimentation with subtle changes. Fromourpreviousexample,onceourstu-

dent has can perform a gliding wedge with some degree of success they have created a functional mental image of the task and a tac-tical strategy for executing it.

Now the real fun begins...

Mastery:Fromherethestudentbeginsto refine and master individual components of the new skill. They might be balanced slightly aft; this creates muscle fatigue in the thighs. The student associates this feel-ing with being aft and creates a basic under-standing of this cause and effect relationship. Through this process of association the stu-dentlearnsself0correction..Althoughnotto the extent of the cognitive phase, progress at this stage still uses a considerable amount of mental energy. Opposed to the cognitive stage, this is not due to formulating a men-tal picture but creating relationships between their mental picture and a physical outcome. Due to the fact that movements are more refined, progress is considerably slower than during the cognitive stage. Guided practice, allowing for mistakes and the realization of more efficient choices is key to mastery dur-ing the associative phase. Time spent in this phase cannot be undervalued.

Autonomy: When a student produces the new movement with little thought or effort in a skillful manor they have reached the Autonomous phase. As implied by the name, students demonstrate this phase by producing the desired result almost automatically and on their own. Depending on the skill this stage can be reached very quickly and last for a very long time, or could take weeks or months to achieve and be very fleeting. In the example of the student attempting to mas-ter the gliding wedge, this process may take only minutes and last a lifetime. On the other end of the spectrum, all of us are about to go back on snow, be it very shortly at a front range resort that will be open sometime in October or sometime later than that. We will

get off the lift at the top of, what will most likely be an intermediate or beginner run and look for all those great feelings we had in our lastweekskiinginthe2010/11season.Lowandbehold,theywon’tbethere.Throughpractice those feelings will awaken and in some reasonable amount of time, minutes, hours, weeks. Or, if you are like me, months, they will come back. That is simply the asso-ciative process. We are working to regain autonomy of skill we once had.

Recognizing this will help give us insight into how fleeting our skills are and the pro-cess that our students go through to reach mastery of whatever we are teaching them. UsingthisModelforMotorSkillDevelop-

ment will greatly help us as instructors pace the information in our lessons to help lead our students to mastering the skills of sliding. A*AdaptedfromFittsandPosner

Autonomous Phase Characteristics

• Thestudentisabletoperformtheskillwithminimumconsciousthoughtand

can concentrate on tactical situations

• TheMotorprogrammeisestablishedandstoredinthelongtermmemoryandis

able to be recalled with little prompting

• Self-confidenceisincreasedandthestudentisabletoconsistentlycorrectper-

formance

• Whenfeedbackisgiven,itcanbespecificandhighlighterrorstoensureim-

provement

• Improvementsareslowandifpracticeisnotmaintainedthestudentmayreturn

to the associative phase

Associative Phase Characteristics

• Longerthancognitivephase,stu-

dents sometimes never leave this

stage

• Learnersbeginstorecognizeand

eliminates mistakes

• Performancesbecomemorecon-

sistent

• Motorprogrammesaredeveloped

with subroutines becoming more

coordinated resulting in skill

becoming smoother

• Thelearnerisabletorecognize

and act on relevant cues

• Thelearnerdevelopstheavailabil-

ity to use kinesthetic feedback to

detect some of their errors


after teaching skiing at Keystone and thesurroundingVailResortsfor35seasons I have learned a few things about injury prevention and how to

stay on top of my game. You see, like many of you, I do NOT want to get hurt and I want to ski at the highest level that I can. When I am fit aerobically I can ski my best. When I staystronginthecoremyback&kneesdon’thurt. And when I eat correctly my perfor-mance and stamina are even more enhanced. FormystudentsandformyselfIneedtobe

able to do the best demos possible, especially whenBobBarnesisbehindthevideocamera!No matter what the condition of the snow I needtobeabletoskiitwell.That’sthepres-sure that comes with being a PSIA-RM exam-iner.Butthetruthbeknown,evenifIweren’tanexaminer,I’dwanttoperformmybest.Afterall,wearecalled“SnowPros,”aren’twe? To me, accompanying that title comes the responsibility to be skilled and competent. Our students are paying BIG $$$ to ski with ussoweneedtodeliver!

But regardless of whether you feel that it is your duty to know and do what you are talk-ing about or not, it makes good sense to be in shape.Chancesareifwearephysicallyfitwecanavoidinjuriesandhavemorefun!

I fill my free time in the summers with bik-ing, hiking, Yoga and Pilates. Mt. Biking is my favorite summer activity and it strength-ens my quadriceps, hamstrings, core, heart, lungs, and calf muscles just to mention a few. It is much more weight-bearing than road riding and makes me agile and responsive. It’ssosatisfyingclimbingupourincrediblesingletrackinSummitCountythatthetimegoes by quickly. And after a grueling ascent we enjoy the descent and work on our down-hilling skills, —just like we were on our skis orsnowboards!Don’tgetmewrong,roadridingisablast

and great for us as well. Both can build us iron lungs and bodies and prepare us for long bumprunsandfull,freshpowderdays!

Routine stretching is key for us to be injury freeaswell.Forme,though,thetrickistobe

warmedupBEFOREIstretch.Iusedtostartthe day with Yoga but found myself getting hurtroutinely.---Nomore8:00AMYogaclassesforme!I’velearnedovertheyearsto start activities SLOWLY and work into stretching after the body is WARM. Après ski stretch or yoga classes are best to avoid injury.(Trustmeonthisone!)If youhaven’t tried aPilates,Core, or

PowerBandClassIsuggestyouenrollinasimilartypesoon.(Butbepreparedtosufferemotionally&physically!)Itwashumili-ating when I first started Pilates and I felt like a down right WIMP. It was embarrass-ing because I could not complete half of the exercises.Afteracouplemonthsoftorture@Pilates I steadily improved and now I can do 90%oftheclassesandmybackfeelsbetterthan ever.

Along with Pilates, Yoga has helped me focus on alignment, core and posture. These threeelementsareCRITICALinskiingandsnowboarding. Know that all of the best physical conditioning in the world means nothing if proper alignment, a strong core and good posture are missing. And that attention to alignment and my desire to stay strong is why I wear Opedix alignment-based apparel. The Opedix top keeps my posture upright and the tights keep my knees aligned and less fatigued.

And finally, I would be amiss if I did not mention diet when it comes to peak perfor-mance on the slopes. You can email me personally for my nutrition advice at [email protected]://www.annieblack.vemma.com. I believe nutri-tionisKEYtoultimateperformanceandas“Snow Pros” we need to set the example and raise the bar here as well. So … you want to passCertIII?Startwithyourphysique!

In summary, I suggest that we all find off-seasonactivities&habitsthatcomplement&enhance our winter sports so that when the snowfliesweareprepared.(ItmaynotbebikingorPilatesandthat’sOK.)Andwhenwestartskiingwecannotstopourtraining&disciplines. We must continue, albeit with a less intense routine, of cardio, core strength and flexibility training. We must continue with a supplemental nutrition program like VeMMA to keep us healthy and injury-free. We must continue paying attention to our posture and alignment. AsIapproachmy36thseasonatKeystone/

Vail Resorts I am excited because I am as strong and healthy as when I started teach-ingskiinginColoradoin1976.Joinmeinanotherinjury-freeseason.Let’svowtobeasstrongandfullofenergyinlateMarch&April as when we enter the season in Novem-berorDecember!‘Havefunandlet’sprayforanother super season as skilled and prepared aswecanbe!

AnnieEmichBlack168WildIrishmanRoadKeystone,[email protected]

(Annie is mother of three sons. Jake and Zack are professional snowboarders and Hunter is a collegiate ski racer for Dart-mouth. Annie is co-captain of the MSO Divas Mt. Biking Club and Race Team. She teaches mt. biking in the summer and skiing in the winter and believes there are no better jobs in the universe!) A

“Training in the Summer for the Winter!”By Anne Black


as instructors, we are always working todetectandcorrectastudent’sbody-to-ski relationship in a lesson. We all knowthatit’simportanttolookatthe

bodymovements,(bothupperandlower),aswell as the skis to determine what body move-ments are working well for them and what movements are creating problems to effi-ciently turn, edge, or apply pressure to the ski.

There is great emphasis these days on hav-ing the ability to flex the ankle. It is widely encouraged throughout PSIA-RM clinics and exams that we all attend. The importance of ankle flexion in the boot is so great, that the inability to flex the ankle can cause all the gross upper body movements we see in our student’s,(andevenourown),skiing.Tip-ping the body, rotating the shoulders, or mov-ing up and down rapidly so as to try and get the skis to come around in the turn can result from a stiff ankle in the boot. Beingtoldto“Flextheankle”maysound

very basic, and we are told this all the time. However,itiseasytobecomeinvolvedinalesson with different strategies you may be working on and overlook the fact that the ankle may not be moving as well as it should be.

The problem can narrow down to a variety ofissues,includinghavingSTIFFBOOTSand not striving to stay in an athletic position. We all tell people to flex in the boot while they are on the hill, but when they need to flextheiranklethemost,itdoesn’thappen.

Take a look at Photo A of the skier in the yellow jacket. She is leaning into the turn

withtheweightontheinsideski.Herhipsare behind her feet so we know that it is dif-ficulttohaveanyankleflexion.Hernextturnwill have to come from somewhere other than turning the legs, such as a strong upper body rotation or a massive down-unweighting move. In short, there is little ankle flexion.

Is she in too stiff of a boot? Very likely. A quick fix is if she were to find her balanced position, otherwise known as an athletic stance, she would be able to feel the shins incontactwiththebootcuffs.Fromthisbal-anced position, she could then find more suc-cess in feeling the ankle flex to begin the turn.

After doing some exercises to find ankle flexion, take a look at Photo B of the same skier in the same location in the turn a short while later. You can see that the skis are bent and the hips are better positioned over the feet. Because her ankles are flexed in this position, she can stand strong against her out-side ski and turn or edge the ski as much as she wants. HavealookattheskierinPhotoC:Width

of stance is appropriate, and you can see ankle flexion and an overall balanced posi-tion. This is a high level skier whose boots are very stiff, but they are appropriate to his strength and abilities.

So what can we do to encourage more ankle flexion? Just standing on the hill and unbuck-ling the boots is a great way to see how much range of motion we have. A good indicator is if we can flex the ankle wearing our boots outside on a cold day, then we probably have sufficient movement to bend the plastic.

Howaboutallofourstudents?Canwereally teach them how to carve or even turn their feet if their boots are too stiff? Or go in the bumps for that matter? The need for softer boots,(inflexthatis,notlateralstiffness),arebecoming increasingly more important for all abilities. If their boots are too stiff, it may take a visit to a boot fitter to shave out some of the plastic. They may find a difference in their performance.

Here are some exercises to work on toencourage ankle flexion:• Power ploughs, (commonly known aswedels)• Hopturns,(forthemoreadvancedskier)• Varioustypesofgarlandsandj-turns,(weall know these)• Uphillcarvedarcs,whereyouhaveankleflexion before tipping the feet into the hill• Exaggeratedflexionandextensionmove-ments through a turn.

Just as important is to work on these exer-cisesonterrainthatiswellwithinastudent’scomfortzone.Flat terrainforexercises isgood even for the expert skiers.

So you see how we can really emphasize sticking to thebasics, (andbasic terrain),whenweareoutonthehill.Inaddition,don’tbe afraid to shave the plastic out of the boots. The more we encourage the ability to flex the ankle, especially from the beginning levels of skiing, the more we can get them moving down the hill with confidence to truly enjoy the sport. A

“Too much plastic?”By Simon Marsh

Photo A Photo B Photo C


NOVEMBERDillon- Register by 10/21/11Adaptive Indoor Clinic Nov 5

Intro to Autism 9:00-noonIntro to Teaching Cog/VI 1:00-4:00

Alpine Indoor Clinic Nov 5 - 6Teaching Theory Nov 5401 Tech Found. & Presentation Skills Nov 5 - 6

Breckenridge Invite Only - Register by 10/31/11Adaptive Div Ed Fall Training Nov 13 - 15

Alpine Div Ed Fall Training Nov 13 - 15Children's Div Ed Fall Training Nov 16 Alp Freestyle Div Ed Fall Training Nov 17

Snowboard Div Ed Fall Training Nov 13 - 15

Telemark Div Ed Fall Training Nov 16 - 17Cross Country Div Ed Fall Training Nov 18 - 19

Member School Management Seminar Nov 16 - 17Adaptive MSM and Trainers Nov 16 Alpine RMT & Resort Trainers Nov 16 - 17Snowboard RMT & Resort Trainers Nov 16 - 17

Loveland - Register by 10/31/11Alpine ITC Level 1 Nov 18 - 20

Alp Indoor Overview Nov 18 - 20Alp Teaching/MA Nov 19Alp Skiing Nov 20

Snowboard ITC Level 1 Nov 18 - 20Snb ITC Inst 1 Nov 18 - 20Snb ITC MA 1 Nov 19Snb ITC Ride 1 Nov 20

Frisco Nordic Center - Register by 11/8/11Cross Country Rendezvous Nov 29 - 30

Self-Improvement: Classic Day 1 Nov 29Self-Improvement: Skate Day 1 Nov 29Learn to Cross Country: Classic Nov 29Self-Improvement: Classic Day 2 Nov 30Self-Improvement: Skate Day 2 Nov 30Learn to Cross Country: Skate Nov 30

DECEMBERBreckenridge - Register by 11/10/11Telemark Rendezvous Dec 1 - 2

Learn to Telemark Dec 1 - 2Telemark Skills Improvement Dec 1 - 2

Aspen Mountain - Register by 11/14/11Alpine ITC Level 1 Dec 5 - 7

Alp Indoor Overview Dec 5Alp Teaching/MA Dec 6Alp Skiing Dec 7

Alpine Clinics Dec 6 - 7Teaching Contemporary Skiing Dec 6 - 7Clinic Leading Skills 401 Dec 6 - 7

Children's Clinics Dec 6 - 7Children's Specialist 1 Dec 6 - 7

Keystone - Register by 11/15/11XC Beyond Level 3 Dec 6

Winter Park - Register by 11/15/11Fall Workshop Dec 6 - 7

Breckenridge - Register by 11/16/11Adaptive Snowboard ITC Dec 7 - 9

Vail - Register by 11/17/11Telemark Clinics Dec 8 - 9

Tele Level 1 Prep Clinic Dec 8 - 9Tele Level 2/3 Prep Clinic Dec 8 - 9Tele 401 Workshop Dec 8 - 9

Sipapu - Register by 11/21/11Alpine ITC Level 1 Dec 11 - 13

Alp Indoor Overview Dec 11 Alp Teaching/MA Dec 12Alp Skiing Dec 13

Snowboard ITC Level 1 Dec 11 - 13Snb ITC Inst 1 Dec 11 Snb ITC MA 1 Dec 12Snb ITC Ride 1 Dec 13

Winter Park- Register by 11/22/11Adaptive FSTI Prep Dec 12 -13

Breckenridge - Register by 11/23/11Alpine ITC Level 1 Dec 14 - 16


Alpine ClinicsMovement Analysis 201 Dec 15Movement Analysis 301 Dec 15Movement Analysis 201: On-Snow Dec 16Movement Analysis 301: On-Snow Dec 16

Snowboard ITC Level 1 Dec 14 - 16Snb ITC Inst 1 Dec 14Snb ITC MA 1 Dec 15Snb ITC Ride 1 Dec 16

Snowboard Level 2 Clinics Dec 14 - 16Snb MA 2 Clinic Dec 14 Snb Ride 2 Clinic Dec 15Snb Inst 2 Clinic Dec 16

Children's Specialist 2 Dec 14 - 16

Vail Nordic Center- Register by 11/28/11Cross Country Level 1 Dec 15 - 17

XC Level 1 Prep Clinic Dec 15 - 16XC Level 1 Exam Dec 17

Steamboat - Register by 11/28/11Alpine ITC Level 1 Dec 15 - 17


Snowboard ITC Level 1 Dec 15 - 17Snb ITC Inst 1 Dec 15Snb ITC MA 1 Dec 16Snb ITC Ride 1 Dec 17

ROCKY MOUNTAIN 2011/2012 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS


Enchanted Forest Nordic - Register by 11/28/11Cross Country Dec 17 - 18

XC Level 2/3 Prep Dec 17 - 18

JANUARYCopper Mountain - Register by 12/14/11Alpine ITC Level 1 Jan 4 - 6

Alp Indoor Overview Jan 4Alp Teaching/MA Jan 5Alp Skiing Jan 6

Children's Clinics Jan 4-6Children’s Specialist 2 Jan 4-6Children’s Development Clinic Jan 5-6

Breckenridge - Register by 12/14/11Telemark Trainer Prep Clinic Jan 4 - 5

Crested Butte - Register by 12/19/11Adaptive Functional Skiing Prep Jan 9 - 10

Snowmass - Register by 12/19/11Alpine ITC Level 1 Jan 9 - 11

Alp Indoor Overview Jan 9Alp Teaching/MA Jan 10Alp Skiing Jan 11

Snowboard ITC Level 1 Jan 9 - 11Snb ITC Inst 1 Jan 9Snb ITC MA 1 Jan 10Snb ITC Ride 1 Jan 11

Snowboard Level 2 Clinic Jan 9 - 11Snb MA 2 Clinic Jan 9Snb Ride 2 Clinic Jan 10Snb Inst 2 Clinic Jan 11

Snowboard Level 3 Clinics Jan 9 - 11Snb Inst 3 Clinic Jan 9Snb Ride 3 Clinic Jan 10Snb MA 3 Clinic Jan 11

Adaptive Snowboard ITC Jan 9-11

Vail - Register by 12/21/11Alpine ITC Level 1 Jan 11 - 13

Alp Indoor Overview Jan 11 Alp Teaching/MA Jan 12Alp Skiing Jan 13

Alpine Clinics Jan 12 - 13Technical Foundations Jan 12NASTAR Clinic Jan 12 - 13Performance Bumps Jan 12 - 13Teaching Contemporary Skiing Jan 12 - 13Clinic Leading Skills 401 Jan 12 - 13Precision Skiing 201 Jan 13Precision Skiing 301 Jan 13

Alpine Freestyle Specialist 1 Jan 11 - 13Snowboard ITC Level 1 Jan 11 - 13

Snb ITC Inst 1 Jan 11 Snb ITC MA 1 Jan 12Snb ITC Ride 1 Jan 13

Snowboard Level 2 Clinics Jan 11 - 13Snb MA 2 Clinic Jan 11 Snb Ride 2 Clinic Jan 12Snb Inst 2 Clinic Jan 13

Snowboard Level 3 Clinics Jan 11 - 13Snb Inst 3 Clinic Jan 11 Snb Ride 3 Clinic Jan 12Snb MA 3 Clinic Jan 13

Children's Specialist 1 Jan 12 - 13

Keystone - Register by 12/21/11Alpine ITC Level 1 Jan 11 - 13


Eldora - Register by 12/22/11XC Clinics Jan 12 - 13

XC 2/3 Prep Clinic Jan 12 - 13XC 401 Workshop Jan 12 - 13

Telluride - Register by 12/22/11Learn to Telemark Jan 12

Beaver Creek - Register by 12/22/11Learn to Telemark Jan 12

Aspen - Register by 12/22/11Learn to Telemark Jan 12

Eldora - Register by 12/22/11Learn to Telemark Jan 12

Loveland - Register by 12/22/11Learn to Telemark Jan 12

Vail - Register by 12/23/11Adaptive Ski Biking Jan 13

A-Basin - Register by 1/2/12Alpine ITC Level 1 Jan 20 - 22


Snowboard ITC Level 1 Jan 20 - 22Snb ITC Inst 1 Jan 20 Snb ITC MA 1 Jan 21Snb ITC Ride 1 Jan 22

Breckenridge - Register by 1/2/12Alpine ITC Level 1 Jan 23 - 25


Alpine Clinics Jan 23 - 25Teaching Contemporary Skiins Jan 23 - 24Precision Skiing 401 Jan 24 - 25Precision Skiing 301 Jan 24

Alpine Exam Day - Cert 3 Skiing Jan 25

Buttermilk - Register by 1/2/12Children's Specialist Jan 23 - 25

Children's Specialist 1 Jan 23 - 24Children's Specialist 2 Jan 23 - 25

Alpine Clinics Jan 23 - 25Alpine Freestyle Specialist 1 Jan 23 - 25Alpine Freestyle Specialist 2 Jan 23 - 25

Keystone - Register by 1/4/12Cross Country-Learn to Skate Jan 25



Telluride - Register by 1/4/12Cross Country-Learn to Skate Jan 25

Beaver Creek - Register by 1/4/12Cross Country-Learn to Skate Jan 25

Steamboat - Register by 1/4/12Cross Country-Learn to Skate Jan 25

Copper - Register by 1/4/12Snowboard ITC Level 1 Jan 25 - 27

Snb ITC Inst 1 Jan 25 Snb ITC MA 1 Jan 26Snb ITC Ride 1 Jan 27

Snowboard Level 2 Clinics Jan 25 - 27Snb MA 2 Clinic Jan 25 Snb Ride 2 Clinic Jan 26Snb Inst 2 Clinic Jan 27

Snowboard Level 3 Clinics Jan 25 - 27Snb Inst 3 Clinic Jan 25

Snb Ride 3 Clinic Jan 26Snb MA 3 Clinic Jan 27

Telluride - Register by 1/4/12Telemark Clinics Jan 25 - 27

Telemark ITC Jan 25 - 27Telemark Extreme Mountain Perf. Jan 26 - 27

Winter Park - Register by 1/4/12Alpine ITC Level 1 Jan 25 - 27


Alpine Clinics Jan 26 - 27Technical Foundations Jan 26 Teaching Beginner Bumps Jan 26 - 27Performance Bumps Jan 26 - 27Precision Skiing 201 Jan 27Precision Skiing 301 Jan 27

Adaptive Clinics- Register by 1/5/12 Jan 26 - 27Adaptive Level 3 Teacher's Prep Jan 26 - 27Adaptive Trainer Prep Clinic Jan 26 - 27

Pajarito - Register by 1/5/12Teaching Contemporary Skiing Jan 26 - 27

Crested Butte - Register by 1/9/12Alpine ITC Level 1 Jan 30 - Feb 1

Alp Indoor Overview Jan 30 Alp Teaching/MA Jan 31Alp Skiing Feb 1

Crested Butte - Register by 1/9/12Snowboard ITC Level 1 Jan 30 - Feb 1

Snb ITC Inst 1 Jan 30 Snb ITC MA 1 Jan 31Snb ITC Ride 1 Feb 1

Aspen Highlands - Register by 1/9/12401 Tech Found. & Presentation Skills Jan 30 - 31

FEBRUARYWinter Park - Register by 1/2/12Alpine Level 2 Exam Jan 31 - Feb 2

MA/Technical Exam Jan 31Teaching Exam Feb 1Skiing Exam Feb 2

Snowboard ITC Level 1 Jan 31 - Feb 2Snb ITC Inst 1 Jan 31 Snb ITC MA 1 Feb 1Snb ITC Ride 1 Feb 2

Snowboard Level 2 Clinics Jan 31 - Feb 2Snb MA 2 Clinic Jan 31 Snb Ride 2 Clinic Feb 1Snb Inst 2 Clinic Feb 2

Breckenridge - Register by 1/11/12Adaptive Functional Skiing Prep Feb 1 - 2

Purgatory - Register by 1/12/12Alpine ITC Level 1 Feb 2 - 4

Alp Indoor Overview Feb 2Alp Teaching/MA Feb 3Alp Skiing Feb 4

Alpine Clinics Feb 2 - 4Teaching Theory Feb 2 Managing Splits & the Family Private Feb 3 - 4Precision Skiiing 201 Feb 3Precision Skiiing 301 Feb 3

Alpine Level 2 Skiing Exam Day Feb 4Children's Specialist 1 Feb 3 - 4Snowboard ITC Level 1 Feb 2 - 4

Snb ITC Inst 1 Feb 2Snb ITC MA 1 Feb 3Snb ITC Ride 1 Feb 4

Snowboard Level 2 Clinics Feb 2 - 4Snb MA 2 Clinic Feb 2Snb Inst 2 Clinic Feb 3Snb Ride 2 Clinic Feb 4

Snowboard Ride Improvement 201 Feb 2 - 3

NSCD at Winter Park - Register by 1/13/12Adaptive Equipment and Its Uses Feb 3

Winter Park (Mary Jane) - Register by 1/10/12Adaptive Level 1 & 2 Exams Feb 7 - 10

Functional Skiing Exam Feb 7Cog/VI Exam Feb 8Mono/Bi Exam Feb 93/4 Track Feb 10

Monarch - Register by 1/17/12Snowboard ITC Level 1 Feb 7 - 9

Snb ITC Inst 1 Feb 7 Snb ITC MA 1 Feb 8Snb ITC Ride 1 Feb 9

Keystone - Register by 1/18/12Alpine Clinics Feb 8 - 10

Technical Foundations Feb 8Movement Analysis 201 Feb 9Movement Analysis 301 Feb 9All Mountain Performance Feb 8 - 9Teaching Beginner Bumps Feb 8 - 9Teaching Contemporary Skiing Feb 8 - 9



Keystone - Register by 1/18/12Alpine Exam Modules

Alpine Level 2 Exam Teaching Module Feb 10Alpine Level 3 Exam Teaching Module Feb 10

Children's Specialist 1 Feb 8 - 9Alpine Freestyle Specialist 1 Feb 8 - 10

Keystone - Register by 1/11/12Snowboard Level 2 Exam Feb 8 - 10

Snb MA 2 Exam Feb 8Snb Inst 2 Exam Feb 9Snb Ride 2 Exam Feb 10

Crested Butte - Register by 1/18/12Edwin Terrell Memorial Clinic Feb 8 - 9

A-Basin - Register by 1/18/12Telemark Extreme Mountain Perf. Feb 8 - 9

Sandia Peak - Register by 1/19/12Alpine ITC Level 1 Feb 9 - 11


Beaver Creek - Register by 1/19/12XC Skate & Classic Workshop Feb 9 - 10

Keystone - Register by 1/23/12Tips for Skiing with Special Kids Feb 11

Aspen Highlands - Register by 1/23/12Alpine Rocky Mountain Trainer Exam Feb 13 - 15

Snowmass - Register by 1/17/12Snowboard Level 2 Exam Feb 13 - 15

Snb MA 2 Exam Feb 13Snb Inst 2 Exam Feb 14Snb Ride 2 Exam Feb 15

Snowboard Level 3 Exam Feb 13 - 15Snb Inst 3 Exam Feb 13

Snb Ride 3 Exam Feb 14Snb MA 3 Exam Feb 15

Snowboard Clinics Feb 13 - 15Ride Improvement 301 Feb 13 - 14Ride Improvement 401 Feb 13 - 14Snowboard Trainer Clinic Feb 13 - 15

Snowboard Freestyle Specialist Feb 13 - 15

Beaver Creek - Register by 1/24/12; ASB exam 1/16/12Alpine ITC Level 1 Feb 14 - 16


Alpine Clinics Feb 15 - 16Movement Analysis 201 Feb 15Movement Analysis 301 Feb 15All Mountain Performance Feb 15 - 16Teaching Contemporary Skiing Feb 15 - 16Teaching Beginner Bumps Feb 15 - 16Freestyle Fiesta Feb 15 - 16Precision Skiing 401 Feb 15 - 16Precision Skiing 201 Feb 16Precision Skiing 301 Feb 16

Beaver Creek - Register by 1/24/12; ASB exam 1/16/12Children's Specialist 1 Feb 15 - 16Adaptive Snowboard Exam Feb 14 - 16

Adap Snowboard Cog/VI/HOH Prep Feb 14 - 15Adap Snowboard Level 2 Exam Feb 16

Monarch - Register by 1/24/12Alpine ITC Level 1 Feb 14 - 16


Angel Fire - Register by 1/25/12Snowboard ITC Level 1 Feb 15 - 17

Snb ITC Inst 1 Feb 15Snb ITC MA 1 Feb 16Snb ITC Ride 1 Feb 17

Sunrise - Register by 1/16/12Adaptive Level 1 & 2 Exams Feb 16 - 17

Functional Skiing Exam Feb 16Mono/Bi Exam Feb 17

Gold Run - Register by 2/6/12Cross Country Exams Feb 27 - 28

Cross Country 2/3 Exam Feb 27 - 28Cross Country Trainer Exam Feb 27 - 28

Santa Fe - Register by 2/6/12Alpine Clinics Feb 27 - 28

Teaching Theory Feb 27 Precision Skiing 201 Feb 28

Steamboat - Register by 2/6/12Snowboard ITC Level 1 Feb 27 - 29

Snb ITC Inst 1 Feb 27 Snb ITC MA 1 Feb 28 Snb ITC Ride 1 Feb 29

Vail - Register by 2/6/12Snowboard ITC Level 1 Feb 27 - 29

Snb ITC Inst 1 Feb 27 Snb ITC MA 1 Feb 28 Snb ITC Ride 1 Feb 29

Snowboard Level 2 Clinics Feb 27 - 29Snb MA 2 Clinic Feb 27 Snb Ride 2 Clinic Feb 28Snb Inst 2 Clinic Feb 29

Snowboard Level 3 Clinics Feb 27 - 29Snb Inst 3 Clinic Feb 27 Snb Ride 3 Clinic Feb 28Snb MA 3 Clinic Feb 29

Snowboard Level 2 Exam Feb 27 - 29Snb MA 2 Exam Feb 27 Snb Inst 2 Exam Feb 28 Snb Ride 2 Exam Feb 29

Snowboard Level 3 Exam Feb 27 - 29Snb Inst 3 Exam Feb 27 Snb Ride 3 Exam Feb 28 Snb MA 3 Exam Feb 29

Children’s Specialist 2 Feb 27 - 29



Breckenridge - Register by 2/7/12Alpine ITC Level 1 Feb 28 - Mar 1

Alp Indoor Overview Feb 28 Alp Teaching/MA Feb 29 Alp Skiing Mar 1

Aspen Highlands - Register by 1/31/12Alpine Cert 2 Exam Feb 28 - Mar 1

MA/Technical Exam Feb 28Teaching Exam Feb 29Skiing Exam Mar 1

Alpine Cert 3 Exam Feb 28 - Mar 1MA/Technical Exam Feb 28Teaching Exam Feb 29Ski Exam Mar 1

Taos - Register by 2/8/12Alpine ITC Level 1 Feb 29 - Mar 2

Alp Indoor Overview Feb 29Alp Teaching/MA Mar 1Alp Skiing Mar 2

Steamboat - Register by 2/8/12Children's Specialist 1 Feb 29 - Mar 1Alpine Clinics Feb 29 - Mar 1

All Mountain Performance Feb 29 - Mar 1Teaching Beginner Bumps Feb 29 - Mar 1Teaching Contemporary Skiing Feb 29 - Mar 1

MarchSteamboat - Register by 2/10/12Adaptive Ski Biking Mar 2

Angel Fire - Register by 2/3/12Alpine Level 2 Exam Mar 2 - 4

MA/Technical Exam Mar 2Teaching Exam Mar 3Skiing Exam Mar 4

Copper - Register by 2/13/12Alpine Clinics Mar 5 - 6

Movement Analysis 201 Mar 5 Precision Skiing 201 Mar 6Precision Skiing 301 Mar 6Performance Bumps Mar 5 - 6

Alpine Exam Module- Cert 2 MA/Tech. Mar 6Snowboard Level 2 Clinics Mar 5 - 7

Snb MA 2 Clinic Mar 5 Snb Ride 2 Clinic Mar 6

Snb Inst 2 Clinic Mar 7Snowboard Level 3 Clinics Mar 5 - 7

Snb Ride 3 Clinic Mar 5 Snb Inst 3 Clinic Mar 6Snb MA 3 Clinic Mar 7

Snowboard Freestyle Specialist Mar 5 - 7

Southern District Spring Fling/Telluride - 3/2/12All Mountain Performance Mar 24 - 25Extreme Mountain Performance Mar 24 - 25Performance Bumps Mar 24 - 25Teaching Contemporary Skiing Mar 24 - 25Women's Extreme Mountain Perf. Mar 24 - 25Snowboard Bumps Mar 24 - 25Telemark Extreme Mountain Perf. Mar 24 - 25

Children's Specialist 1 Mar 24 - 25

Santa Fe - Register by 3/5/12Alpine ITC Level 1 Mar 26 - 28

Alp Indoor Overview Mar 26Alp Teaching/MA Mar 27Alp Skiing Mar 28

Snowboard ITC Level 1 Mar 26 - 28 Snb ITC Inst 1 Mar 26Snb ITC MA 1 Mar 27Snb ITC Ride 1 Mar 28

Children's Specialist 1 Mar 26 - 27

Loveland - Register by 3/5/12Alpine Clinics Mar 26 - 27

All Mountain Performance Mar 26 - 27Teaching Contemporary Skiing Mar 26 - 27

Telluride - Register by 2/27/12Snowboard Level 2 Exam Mar 26 - 28

Snb MA 2 Exam Mar 26Snb Inst 2 Exam Mar 27Snb Ride 2 Exam Mar 28

Steamboat - Register by 2/28/12Alpine Cert 2 Exam Mar 27 - 29

MA/Technical Exam Mar 27 Teaching Exam Mar 28 Skiing Exam Mar 29

Alpine Cert 3 Exam Mar 27MA/Technical Exam Mar 27

Children's Specialist 2- Register by 3/6/12 Mar 27 - 29

Copper - Register by 2/29/12Snowboard Level 2 Exam Mar 28 - 30

Snb MA 2 Exam Mar 28 Snb Inst 2 Exam Mar 29Snb Ride 2 Exam Mar 30

Snowboard Level 3 Exam Mar 28 - 30Snb Inst 3 Exam Mar 28 Snb Ride 3 Exam Mar 29Snb MA 3 Exam Mar 30

Snowboard Trainer Selection Mar 28 - 30

Taos - Register by 2/29/12Alpine Cert 3 Exam Mar 30 - Apr 1

MA/Technical Exam Mar 30Teaching Exam Mar 31Skiing Exam Apr 1


Three ways to complete registration:• Online at http://www.thesnowpros.org - login then go to Event-Meeting Registration• Mail in completed application downloaded from http://www.psia-rm.org/events.php• Fax in completed application downloaded from http://www.psia-rm.org/events.php


April/MayCopper Mtn - Register by 3/14/12Snowboard Freestyle Clinic/Exam Apr 3 - 5

Breckenridge - Register by 3/20/12Telemark Exams Apr 10 -12

Tele ITC Level 1 Exam Apr 10 -12Tele Level 2/3 Exam Apr 10 -12Telemark Trainer Exam Apr 10 -11

Breckenridge - Register by 3/14/12Snowboard Freestyle Clinics/Exam Apr 11 - 13

Breckenridge - Register by 3/14/12Adaptive Exams Apr 12 - 15

Functional Skiing Exam Apr 12Cog/VI Exam Apr 133T/4T Exam Apr 14Mono/Bi Exam Apr 15

Adaptive Level 3 Exam Apr 13 - 14Adaptive Trainer Exam Apr 13 - 14

Vail - Register by 3/14/12Alpine Cert 2 Exam Apr 11 - 13

MA/Technical Exam Apr 11Teaching Exam Apr 12Skiing Exam Apr 13

Alpine Cert 3 Exam Apr 11 - 13MA/Technical Exam Apr 11Teaching Exam Apr 12Skiing Exam/Ski Retake Apr 13

Alpine Reactivation Day Apr 13

Vail - Register by 3/23/12Children's Specialist 2 Apr 13 - 15Alpine Freestyle Clinics Apr 13 - 15

Freestyle Specialist 1 Apr 13 - 15Jibber's Paradise Apr 13 - 14Special Freestyle 3 score day Apr 15

Vail Spring Fling - Register by 3/23/12Alpine Clinics Apr 14 - 15

Brilliant Skiing & Riding Apr 14 - 15All Mountain Performance Apr 14 - 15Teaching Contemporary Skiing Apr 14 - 15Women's Extreme Mountain Perf. Apr 14 - 15Women's All Mountain Perf. Apr 14 - 15Teaching Beginner Bumps Apr 14 - 15Performance Bumps Apr 14 - 15Alp Freestyle Fiesta Apr 14 - 15Strength Based Learning Concepts Apr 14 - 1525-year anniversary clinic Apr 14 - 1535-year anniversary clinic Apr 14 - 1545-year anniversary clinic Apr 14 - 15

Snowboard Clinics Apr 14 - 15Ride Improvement 301 Apr 14 - 15Ride Improvement 401 Apr 14 - 15Snb Freestyle Fiesta Apr 14 - 15

Tele Clinics Apr 14 - 15Tele Skills Improvement Apr 14 - 15

A-Basin - Register by 3/27/12Tele Academy Apr 17 - 19

Aspen Highlands - Register by 3/28/12Alpine Clinics Apr 18 - 20

All Mountain Performance Apr 18 - 19Extreme Mountain Performance Apr 18 - 19Teaching Contemporary Skiing Apr 18 - 19

Alpine Freestyle Specialist 1 Apr 18 - 20Children's Specialist 2 Apr 18 - 20

A-Basin - Register by 3/28/12Snowboard ITC Level 1 Apr 18 - 20

Snb ITC Inst 1 Apr 18Snb ITC MA 1 Apr 19Snb ITC Ride 1 Apr 20

Snowboard Level 2 Clinics Apr 18 - 20Snb MA 2 Clinic Apr 18Snb Inst 2 Clinic Apr 19Snb Ride 2 Clinic Apr 20

A-Basin - Register by 4/6/12Late Season Clinics Apr 28 - 29

Alp All Mountain Performance Apr 28 - 29Alp Teaching Contemporary Skiing Apr 28 - 29Telemark Blues and Beyond Apr 28 - 29Telemark Skills Improvement Apr 28 - 29Ride Improvement 301 Apr 28 - 29Ride Improvement 401 Apr 28 - 29

A-Basin - Register by 4/2/12Snowboard Level 2 Exam Apr 30 - May 2

Snb MA 2 Exam Apr 30Snb Inst 2 Exam May 1Snb Ride 2 Exam May 2


GENERAL APPLICATION INFORMATION• Events have a limited number of spaces available.• Events can fill up before the ‘register by’ date.• Fees for on-time registration are less than those for

late registrations.• Late registrations will be accepted after the ‘register by’

date as space allows and a late fee of $10 per eventday applies.

• If an event lacks registrations by the ‘register by’ date,PSIA-Rocky Mountain-AASI reserves the right to can-cel the event. All fees will be returned.

• PSIA-Rocky Mountain-AASI reserves the right to can-cel an event at any time.

• Event confirmations will be e-mailed to registrants.• If submitting application by fax or mail, please ensure

all sections are complete and payment is included.

For latest event details please checkonline at www.psia-rm.org or call the RMoffice at (970) 879-8335. Events may beadded or removed as situations change.


19285Hwy103•IdahoSprings,CO80452•303.325.7347•Fax:303.845.9498•www.echomt.com EchoMountainSkiandRideSchoolisaccept-ingapplicationsforthefollowing2011-2012positions: • Ski&RideSchoolSupervisor• PSIALevel1,2,and3certifiedSkiInstruc-tors• AASILevel1,2,and3certifiedSnowboardInstructors• NewSkiandSnowboardInstructorsVisit www.echomt.com for full job descriptionsPlease send cover letter and Resume to [email protected]

LoveLANd SKI AReA SKI & SNoWboARd SchooL IS SeARchINg FoR SuPeRStARS to joIN ouR FuN LocAL teAM.

Level1,2,and3certified.TheLovelandSki/RideSchoolteacheschildrenages4andolderandadultsofallagestoenjoytheexcite-ment of sliding and riding. We need people with the following char-acteristics: • Positiveandfunattitude• Peoplewhowillencourageourgueststomakeskiingorsnow-boarding a lifelong activity • Desiretosharethesportyoulovewithothers• Opennesstolearnnewanddifferentthings• Abilitytocommunicateinapositive,encouragingmanner• PayDOEBenefitsofEmploymentInclude:• LovelandSkiAreaseasonpass• FreeskiingandridingatotherskiareasinColorado• Employeediscountsonfoodandbeverage,rentals,repairs,sportshop, ski school, and childcare • ComplimentaryemployeeshuttletransportationWe will require a personal interview to pre-sign up for On-mountain hiring clinics for non-certified instructors. We ask for a minimum 14-daycommitmentonweekendsandholidaysandminimum22daysforfamilypassbenefits.AllFullTimeinstructorsneedweekdaycom-mitment. We look forward to hearing from you.Pleasevisitwww.skiloveland.com/employment/Employment.aspxtoapply online [email protected]

the NScd IS cuRReNtLy AccePtINg APPLIcAtIoNS FoR the FoLLoWINg PoSItIoNS FoR the 2011/2012 SeASoN: •AdaptedSkiandSnowboardInstructors•TheNSCDiscurrentlyacceptingapplicationsforadaptedskiandsnowboardinstructorsforthe2011-2012winterseason.ThisseasonalpositionbeginsNovember7,2011andendsApril1-22,2012withanhourlywagerangefrom$11.00to$15.00DOE.Workweeksaregenerally40hoursbutiflimitedlessonsare

booked schedules may be curtailed. Instructors teach skiing and/or snowboarding to individuals with disabilities, assist with the instruction involved in the weekly, special, and sit ski programs andalsosupportotherdepartmentswithintheNSCD.o Qualified applicants must have at least a PSIA or AASI Level I certification at the time of hire, at minimum be an intermediate level skier, and have a background in working with people with special needs, teaching, or the instruction of ski and/or snowboard lessons.• OperationsSupervisor(Fulltime)• InternSupervisor(Fulltime)• RecreationProgramMarketingandSalesSupervisor(Fulltime)• ExecutiveAssistant(Fulltime)• ReservationsandServiceRepresentative(Fulltime-seasonal)• ServiceRepresentativeLead(Fulltime-seasonal)• ServiceRepresentative(Parttime-seasonal)To obtain more information or to apply for a position you may apply in person at Winter Park Resort/NSCDAdministrationofficeorMail/E-mailcoverletterandresumetoStarleneKuhnsPOB1290WinterPark,[email protected]

Job Opportunities


Work, Ski, and Train with the Best in the Industry!

Ski & Snowboard Professionals of Aspen/Snowmass

Kid Specialists ‐ Level I/II/III Ski and Snowboard Professionals

• Full and Part‐Time positions available

• Fluency in English, Spanish and/or Portuguese preferred

Snowboard Program Coordinator, Full‐Time

Pre‐School Program Coordinator, Full‐Time

For detailed job postings and to apply online, please visit

www.aspensnowmass.com/jobs in addition to sending a resume to

[email protected]

Subject: PSIA Certified

Housing packages available for Full‐Time Employees

WINteR PARK ReSoRt’S SKI + RIde SchooL IS NoW hIRINg! Are you a growth oriented professional looking to join a high quality organization? Be a part of the leading edge inWinterParkResort’sSki&RideSchoolwhichwastheinnovatorofGuestCenteredteaching!TheSki&RideSchool at Winter Park Resort is currently accepting appli-cations for: • Full-time,10monthKidsSki&RideSchoolManager• Full-timeandPart-timeUncertifiedandCertifiedLevelI,II,&IIICertifiedAdultandKidsSki&SnowboardInstructorsWinterParkResortislocatedinthebeautifulandstillwildGrandCounty,Colorado,averagessnowtotalsof300”,hostsabaseareaof9000feet,andishometothemogulcapitaloftheU.S.A…MaryJane,extremelyColorado.We’reaboutthemountainlifestyle,thefun,andthepeople…..andyou’llfeelbetterjustbeinghere!Likewealwayssay,wedon’tjustcallitacareeropportunity,wecallitalifestyleopportunity!• Uptotwoweeksofpaidtraininginourrookietrainingcourse(RTC)• Opportunitiestocontinuetogrowandreceivecashallowancestosupportcertification• PayraisesforpassingProfessionalSkiInstructorsofAmerica(PSIA)/AmericanAssocia-tionofSnowboardInstructors(AASI)certificationsI,II,III• Ski/RideatoneoftheTop10rankedresortsbyTransworldSnowboardingMagazineInterested?We’regladyou’reconsideringusasyourfutureemployer.Wearelookingformotivatedandenergeticindividualswhohaveapassionfortheoutdoors!Applyonlinetodayatwww.winterparkresort.com/employmentorcontacttheHumanResourcesRecruitingOfficefor further information. Email:[email protected],Phone:970.726.1536

Keystone Ski & Ride School is hiring for 2011/12 season. WearehiringINSTRUCTORStoteachskiingand

snowboarding to both children and adults of all ages andlevels.FullandPart-TimePositionsavailable•PSIALevel1,2and3CertifiedSkiInstructors

•AASILevel1,2and3CertifiedSnowboardInstructorsWereimburseourreturninginstructors’PSIA/AASIcertificationexamfees.Logonto

www.skijob1.com or email [email protected].

PSIA/AASI Rocky Mountain DivisionP.O. Box 775143

Steamboat Springs, CO 80477970.879.8335 / Fax 970.879.6760

www.psia-rm.org

have you changed youR peRManent addRess? PleasecontactthePSIA-RockyMountain-AASIofficeinSteamboatSprings.970-879-8335or970-879-6760(fax),[email protected]

Jeff Patterson Memorial FundBy Erica Dudley

iwould like to thank the Jeff Patterson MemorialFundproprietorsandthePSIA/AASI for awarding me a scholarship to help me further myself as a snowboard instructor.

A little introduction to me as described best by mystep-father,“she’sabilingualaeronauticalengineer who decided she wanted to model, but then realized what she really wanted to do was become a snowboard instructor, so she moved to DenverandjoinedAmeriCorpsasacommunityliaison.”Don’ttrytofollowthelogicinthatone,butisn’tthatthenewnorm?“They”saythisgen-erationoftwentysomething’swillhaveabout10careerchangesintheirlifetime.The2010-2011winterseasonwasmyfirstintheRockies(I’maMichigander,i.e.I’llshowyoumyhometownonthe palm of my right hand) and as a snowboard instructor, which I did part time along with AmeriCorpswhereIworkedasacommunityengagement specialist with the Denver Public SchoolSystem.PartoftheAmeriCorpsexperi-ence is living at the poverty level, one that all too many Americans are familiar with in the cur-rent economy. Since I had been snowboarding some15yearsandwasontheschool’sacademiccalendar, I figured instructing snowboarding

would be the way to get up into the mountains weekends and holidays, get a season pass and meet like minded people as well as little aspir-ing shredders. Little did I know how much goes intoteachingsnowboarding!Beingtheanalyti-cal engineer/linguist/sponge of knowledge I am, itdidn’ttakelongformetoexhaustmytrainers’patience at Loveland so my supervisor gave me the AASI books and recommended I train for the CertI.IaskedhimhowlonguntilIcouldgettheCertIIIandhelookedatmelikeIwascrazy,butIwasdetermined.AftercompletingtheCertIinJanuary,IsignedupfortheCertIIclinicsofferedinlateApril2011.IhavetosaythattheCertIIclinicswereeven

more fun than the level I. AASI clinicians teach the way they want to see instructors teach; make itfun!Thisbuildsanamazinggroupdynamicofinstructors supporting each other just the way we wantourstudentstohelponeanother.It’smuchharder to learn when everyone feels tense so we loosenedupononeofthemanyepicApril2011powder days by taking a couple runs through Montezuma bowl at A-basin.

The topics covered over the three days are movementanalysis(MA),ridingandteaching.We did outdoor MA on each other and indoor MA watching a video and filling out the answers to questions on a generic MA question sheet just

like the one used for the exam. The clinician also took video of us at the beginning of the day when we were still warming up so we could spot our own bad habits. Working on this MA with eachotherhelpedleadintodaytwo;riding.Hav-ing already identified some of our riding weak-nesses from the video recording, we had a good idea of what we needed to work on for riding. Whileeveryonehastheirownridingstyle,it’simportant that the image relayed to our students is consistent and simple. On our teaching day we relied on each other more than ever for feedback and ideas. Since we were all given different rid-ing tasks with a key board performance focus, we can store those lessons in our “teach bank.” The other instructors will let you know if you are not talking loud enough or if you stopped the group in a bad spot for visibility, etc. Just important as the “what to do” is the “what not to do.”It’seasytoseethisinsomeoneelse’steach,butjustwaitforyourturn!Youreallyneedthispracticebecausewhileyouthinkyou’vegotitalltogether; once you are put on the spot it just may change your perspective. After your own teach isover,youcanworkontheissuesyoudidn’trealize you had so the exam goes smoothly. All in all, I felt that the clinics gave me a clear idea of what to expect for the exam. ASeeyouonthehill!—Erica Dudley

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