First Chair: PSIA-AASI Podcast

PSIA-AASI First Chair podcast Host George Thomas catches up with PSIA-AASI CEO Peggy Hiller and Board Chair Eliza Kuntz! George, Eliza and Peggy chat about National Academy and how the week has been going and what to expect with Team Selection week. George questions Peggy on the member survey that went out and how it is interacting face-to-face with the members at this event. George asks Eliza about gender equity in this industry and how she feels being a woman leader here. Listen in to hear more. Peggy talks about a new launch of the Education Foundation and the high points of this season.

PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with PSIA Alpine Team member Jonathan Ballou from Big Sky, MT. George and Jonothan talk briefly about the podcast and its history. Episode 700 is coming up! Jonathan has been on the National Team for 3 terms and is retiring as a team member this year. Jonathan talks about his time on the team and what's next in his journey throughout this podcast. Learn more about Jonathon and the National Team by heading to thesnowpros.org.

PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas chats with Vanessa Mann, the General Secretary of IASESS (International Association of Science in Snowsports) and the Project Manager for Interski International. The IAESS bridges the gap between theory and practice. IEASS is the pillar organization of Interski International and connects snowsports to education. Vanessa and George talk about what has to happen between now and 2027 when Interski comes back to the US for the first time since 1965. They also chat about what is happening in Big Sky, Montana as National Academy wraps up and Team Selection week begins. Vanessa teaches high school in Germany and also teaches snowsports as well with her affiliation with the university. To learn more about National Team Selection or National Academy, visit thesnowpros.org.

PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with Scott Behrens, a first-time participant of Adaptive Academy. Scott shares moments about his time at academy and how it's living up to what he expected. Scott mentions how he got into adaptive snowsports and what led him into snowsports instruction. George and Scott continue to chat about his journey in instruction and how he earned funds from the Sodergren Fund to get to Adaptive Academy and what he hopes to get from the rest of academy. For more information about Adaptive Academy on thesnowspros.com.

PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with first-time participant of Adaptive Academy Josephine Cormier on her experience so far. Josephine came to Adaptive Academy by way of getting the Nancy Oakes Hall Scholarship this year. Josephine works at Achieve Tahoe, a fully adaptive program out of California. George and Josephine talk about what the experience has been like so far, what the highlights are and what's to come. Tune in for more on Josephine and Achieve Tahoe and all things Adaptive Academy. For more on academy, head to thesnowpros.org.

PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with Alpine Team member Ben Potts. George and Ben talk about the big National Academy and what it's been like so far seeing all of the new and returning members coming to this event. On top of this, Ben is staying in Big Sky for National Team selection that happens the week after National Academy and Rider Rally. George and Ben talk all things Academy and details about what to expect when tryouts start. Ben talks about why he's going for another term on the team. Check out thesnowpros.org to learn more about National Academy and National Team Tryouts.

PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with PSIA Adaptive Team Coach Geoff Krill. Geoff goes into how adaptive skiing and riding is just skiing and riding no matter what you're sliding on. George and Geoff talk about what it was like going from a team member to a coach of the PSIA-AASI National Team and what it means to be going into his third term as the team coach of the PSIA National Adaptive Team. Geoff talks about what he's looking for in new members trying out for the team coming up in late-April. Listen to hear more about Geoff and what to expect with team tryouts.

PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with Dana Forbes who is the Executive Director for the Rocky Mountain Region. Dana wrote an article about a lesson experience that was completely discouraging and made her question whether or not she was a good instructor or not. This feeling is not unique to Dana though. Many instructors have these moments that make them question whether or not they're cut out for this. Dana explains several ways she worked through these feelings and how to overcome those thoughts of doubts. She goes on to tell a few lived experiences that helped her turn discouragement into pride.

PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host catches up with Jessie Unruh, the marketing director for Breckenridge Distillery. Breckenridge Distillery is one of PSIA-AASI's newest Official Suppliers and has worked with the National Team to create a unique and branded bottle of whiskey. Jessie talks about the history of Breckenridge Distillery and the differences in whiskeys across the country. The PSIA-AASI branded bottles were picked blindly by the National Team at a special tasting session in late 2023. Breckenridge Distillery supplements its whiskey with snowmelt straight from the mountains that flow into the Blue River. PSIA-AASI members can get free shipping on all orders. Visit breckenridgedistillery.com to order and use code PSIAFREESHIP to get free shipping. Use the hashtag #ApresAnywhere for a chance to win cool prizes.

PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast catches up with CEO Peggy Hiller. Peggy and George chat about Interki 2027 and the USA winning the bid to host the international event. Interski is an international group formed by instructors represented by more than 30 countries around the world. The different countries come together once every four years to share their expertise and learnings of their own snowsports education ways. Peggy talks about what went into sending a bid to the Interski Presidium and how much went into winning the bid. Lots more information to come about interski but to see more about Interski 2023 visit: https://thesnowpros.org/events/interski/

PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with Matt Boyd, a recently announced Alpine Development Coach of the 2024-28 National Team. George and Thomas chat about all things snow pros and what it's like being a coach for the best-of-the-best snowsports instructors from around the country. Matt talks about Interski and how important it is to be a player on the world stage. He goes on to chat about the incoming 2024-28 National Team and how much work goes into to being on the team and becoming a productive unit.

PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with PSIA Alpine Team member Ben Potts. As winter winds down in the northern hemisphere, the southern hemisphere is bracing for a successful winter season. Ben travels to New Zealand for their Rookie Academy where instructor training is conducted. This isn't for locals only, this event brings in members of national teams, like PSIA-AASI's, to teach and connect with others like them. PSIA-AASI is looking to offer Level I and II training as well as other certification opportunities. You can go to www.RookieAcademy.com. Ben worked for Trebel Cone Ski School in New Zealand and randomly met current PSIA-AASI National Team member Jon Ballou and built a connection from there on out. Here about what Rookie Academy is like and share this pod with your friends!

PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with Mermer Blakeslee! Mermer shares how she got into snowsports instruction. Mermer is still instructing at Wyndham Mountain in the Eastern Region as she has been for the last 4 decades. Mermer was a key player at Women's Summit 2024 in Solitude, UT this year and speaks about her experience there. A previous keynote Mermer gave was on stretching yourself to the point of failure and learning from that. This is what she addressed at Women's Summit 2024. Listen to this pod for examples on what she delivered. Mermer has her Alpine Level 3 and Children's Specialist 2 certifications.

PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with Katie Brinton. Katie is the Senior Editor for Ski Area Management (SAM) Magazine, . Katie talks about her journey into snowsports instruction and how it's not too dissimilar from other stories she's heard. She left a career as a "professional" and got a job for a winter as a ski instructor. She eventually went on to earn her Level 1 certification from Okemo Resort in Southern Vermont that season. "It was eye-opening and refreshing." Katie met people who instructed in New Zealand and Japan and was able to work a season in the southern hemisphere. Katie now has her Alpine Level III, Children's Specialist I, Freestyle I certifications and is an Alpine Examiner for the Eastern Region of PSIA-AASI. Additionally, Katie is on the training staff at Okemo and serves as Vice Chair of the Eastern REgion's Board of Directors. Katie was named one of SAM magazines 10 under 30 at which began the connection with her and the magazine. On top of all of this, Katie just had her first child with her husband who is also an examiner with the Eastern Region. Katie was a guest at this year's Women Virtual Summit where she sat on a panel discussing diverse career pathways in the snowsports industry. She mentions that all career pathways in the snowsports industry are unique and there are no 'fixed' directions that you should go. Be on the lookout for a recording of Katie's panel discussion in April 2024.

PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with instructors from Mt. Hood Meadows in Oregon on the process of Ed Staff training and tryouts. George catches up with Jeremy Riss, Jen Lockwood, Tyler Barnes and Katie Foyt. Mt. Hood Meadows had 5 members of their team chosen to join the Northwest Region Education Staff. Hear from Katie on why she chose Mt. Hood Meadows as her home resort to teach at. Tyler chats about his 18 years at the Mt. Hood Meadows snowsports school and how he's sharing the culture and knowledge to the rest of the staff. Jeremy started his skiing career when he was a teenager and worked his way up through the snowsports school and now is the COO of Mt. Hood Meadows. Jeremy talks about the perpetual stoke of the industry. If the instructors are happy, the guests are happy and people will return to experience the great culture of an area. George questions the group on the training culture at Mt. Hood Meadows and why it's such a valued area to work at. Jen talks about how they've had to get creative with their training and adjust to changing conditions on snow. Katie talks about the focus on building skills in the teaching and people skills followed by the technical skills of the Learning Connection Model. The crew talks about the importance of focusing on inviting people into the community at Mt. Hood Meadows and how the culture of the snowsports school is changing the course of snowsports instruction.

PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with Ying Liu who attended this year's Women's Summit in Solitude, Utah. Ying chats about how she learned better ways to teach and how to communicate more effectively. The feedback that Ying has gotten from students after utilizing what she learned from the Women's Summit has been great so far. Angela Lemmons was the Keynote speaker the first night and talked about daring to be extra and the importance of pushing forward and surrounding yourself with like-minded people. The on-snow portion of the event covered drills like progressions, connecting your body to your skis or board and steering with your knees. Ying talks about the mentorship session that happened the second night and how it was so valuable to see the stats around women's mentorship in snowsports. Ann Schorling hosted a Q+A around gender equity in snowsports instruction in which a great talk happened about the importance of female instructors. Ying talks about how seeing females in 'traditional male' roles on the mountain is exciting to see and helps a lot with the barrier of seeing someone like you in a role that you didn't think was a traditional fit.

PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas checks in with Ying Liu who is at the 2024 Women's Summit. Ying talks about her highlights from the Women's Summit and mentions how she has been working with Mermer Blakesly on steering with the inside ski and how Mermer was able to guide her through that progression. The Women's Summit this year is at Solitude, UT and is made up of over 130 women from all over the country. Some of the workshops were geared towards 'daring to be extra' and the 'importance of mentorship and career progression.' Ying helped lead a mentorship session which showcased that everyone brings something unique to the table that others can benefit from. There was a great panel discussion with the CEOs of PSIA-AASI, NSAA, NSP and Solitude who are all female leaders. Learn more about the Women's Summit, the Women's Virtual Summit and stay tuned for more! Women's Summit info: thesnowpros.org/events/womens-summit/

PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with Melodie Buell again and in this pod, they continue the chat about providing effective feedback to your students. George kicks off the pod with his own experiences with getting feedback from bosses and coworkers. Melodie goes on to explain how building a relationship with whomever you're working with or collaborating with is essential to building trust within the relationship. Melodie talks about how providing feedback on things your student did right is equally as important as critiquing something they did wrong. Error-focused feedback can be phenomenal if you have a good relationship with the student but if you're growing and connection with your student, being vulnerable and providing feedback on the good things, automatically creates a better connection. George questions Melodie on what instructors can do to improve the way feedback is given which Melodie answers by saying that you should have an understanding of how the teaching and people skills play a role. Utilizing and comprehending the Learning Connection Model (LCM) and focusing on bettering yourself is a sure way to improve the quality of the experience in a lesson.

PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with PSIA-AASI's Education Development Manager Angelo Ross. Angelo is a well-accredited instructor for PSIA-AASI. Angelo spent much of his winter traveling around to regional examiner trainings with a message of alignment focused on movement analysis where examiner skills were practiced. Angelo talks about his experience at the examiner trainings and how the fundamentals of PSIA-AASI's education materials came into play. George and Angelo chat about what next year's trainings look like and how they'll take the experience from this year's travels and morph it into something bigger and better for the next round of trainings. Angelo mentions the gratitude and excitement that came from each training was the most impactful moment.

PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with National Team member Brian Donovan and chats about handling and working with high-need students. We've all had students who have never been on snow or who don't understand the sport, or have issues with gear from the get-go. Brian and George talk about working with these students and how to address the attention needed. Brian talks about ways that people skills come into play with this. Use two-way communication and try to understand what hurdle they're facing in their personal experience at that moment. George talks about overcoming the anxieties students may feel during lessons and how to help them through those thoughts and feelings. Brian goes on to talk about how these students present an opportunity to become private lessons or students who learn to love the sport even more and become lifelong enthusiasts or even better, future instructors.

PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with National Team member Tony Macri and a few successful FS candidates from the National Freestyle Academy event at Woodward-Park City. George talks with Diego about his experience at the full 5-day event and how his experience was. Joel got his Alpine FS I and talked about the experience with the instructors and the facility. Joel goes on to say that the examiners were so attentive and helpful throughout the entire process. Connor got his FS II and talked about how the small group he was in was very encouraging. Keeley discusses the mutual support among candidates, the importance of creating inclusive exam environments, and the value of bringing experiences from national events to our region. On top of this, Keeley has a great crew back home from Mt. Hood Meadows that stepped in to support her through the process. George questions all guests on the personal impact of the event and what it meant to them and then asks if they recommend National Freestyle

PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with National Team members Ben Potts and Tony Macri who are at the National Freestyle Academy in Utah at the Woodward-Park City facility. George, Ben and Tony talk about how this is a national event that travels from region to region. Examiners come from nearby regions to help put this event on and assess the students who were in attendance. Every level assessment in Freestyle is offered at this event including Freestyle I, II, and III for alpine and snowboard. George shares that he got his FS I back in 2009 and Tony shares how things have changed with the FS I assessment since then. Tony and Ben talk about the camaraderie at Freestyle Academy and the support that comes from the people there.

PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with National Team members Tony Macri and Ben Potts. Tony and Ben are at the PSIA-AASI National Freestyle Academy at Woodward - Park City in Utah. Ben and Tony talk about Freestyle Academy and what it is. Ben talks about comparing Freestyle Academy to National Academy and how they're similar in the way that is brings tradition to the discipline. Tony talks about the worth of joining Freestyle Academy and works through the schedule of the week going from training days to prep days to exam days. Ben goes on to describe what the day-to-day looks like and what people can expect if they attend. Ben and Tony talk about the Woodward facility and how it's so great for this event. Ben shares that February 24 of 2025, the National Freestyle Academy will be the Woodward in Killington, Vermont! This event is open to everyone from beginners to advanced freestylers. Learn more: https://thesnowpros.org/events/freestyle-academy/

PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with PSIA-AASI Adaptive Coach Geoff Krill. George and Geoff chat about psychological splits among groups in a lesson. Geoff explains the difference in mentality among some students when taking a lesson. Some are there to learn and get better and others are sometimes just there to experience the thrill of sliding on snow. He goes on to talk about overcoming a negative mentality some students may have coming into the lesson. George details an experience where his mentality going into a lesson was negative due to weather conditions but his attitude and the way he approached the students made the lesson much nicer and enjoyable. Geoff mentions that instructors should focus on the motivation of the students and finding out exactly why a student is there and what they're hoping to leave the lesson knowing.

PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with PSIA-AASI National Team member Brenna Kelleher on managing class splits when giving lessons. Brenna describes what a class split is and how to overcome working with students in a lesson who want to do different things and have different abilities. Brenna goes on to talk about lap coaching and how it provides a good mid-way point to handling group lessons with different ability levels. Lap coaching works for group lessons but also private group lessons with families. Splits aren't just ability-based. They can be age-based, too. Brenna talks about managing lessons with groups of varying abilities and ages and how to pair people together in lessons as accountability partners who encourage and push each other. George questions Brenna on how to handle groups that are progressing so well that the entire group moves to higher terrain and all of a sudden, the group splits with ability levels.

PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with Kevin Jordan, Mark Aiken, and Ryan Ravinsky on the new Children's Alpine Field guide. Kevin is a PSIA Alpine Team member based in Aspen, CO. Mark is a pro based in Stowe, VT, and an Eastern Examiner. Ryan is based in Jackson Hole, WY, and is on the Alpine Education Staff and an examiner in his region. George chats with this group about how the Children's Alpine Field Guide came to be. This Alpine Field Guide is a great resource for new instructors or an idea book for more seasoned instructors. The new guide is broken up into different ability levels with step-by-step instructions on how to instruct children on the slopes with QR codes to attached how-to videos. This guide, although directed with children in mind, applies to all age groups and skill levels. Get your copy today: https://shop.thesnowpros.org/teaching-children-snowsports-alpine-field-guide/

PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with Northwest examiner Melodie Buell, the Education and Training manager for Oregon Adaptive Sports and a Lead Trainer for Mt. Bachelor Ski and Ride School. George and Melodie chat about Effective Feedback and the importance of delivering it in a way that students can enjoy. Geroge kicks off the pod with some personal experiences of poor feedback and how reactions were. Melodie then goes into the people and teaching skills fundamentals including; adapting to the needs of the learner, managing emotional and physical risk, and understanding and managing our own reactions. The main point is that the instructor should be the one to morph into the student rather than the student adapting to the way the instructor gives feedback. Melodie then dives into the ways and how to provide feedback. Initially, you'll want to build trust. Be timely. Be thoughtful. Be respectful.

PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up again with Kyle Wilson, the snowsports school director at Nordic Mountain in Wisconsin. Nordic Mountain is a family-oriented place with 300 vertical feet. Nordic Mountain applied and received the Small Snowsports School Scholarship during the 2022/23 season. Upon learning that Nordic did not receive the scholarship this season, the lead instructors offered funds to provide a level 1 certification course to 13 instructors in January 2024. Kyle mentions that the community that came from receiving the Small Snowsports School Scholarship made this year extra special since lead instructors at Nordic found the value in providing this experience to others. Of the 13 new instructors at Nordic, 6 of them were adults and 7 of them were teenagers. Kyle has a lot of plans for the rest of the season as well including getting more events completed and more instructors trained.

PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with Ying Liu, a PSIA-AASI certified instructor and member of the PSIA-AASI Women's Advisory Group, aka, The Women's Council for Equity and Inclusion. Ying was a 'late-bloomer' in the ski instruction world and found herself part of the Women's Summit in 2023. Ying mentioned that the idea of mentorship was a hot topic at the 2023 Women's Summit. The idea of having someone to instill courage and support is a major factor in creating opportunities for women in snowsports. Ying wrote a feature article in the winter issue of 32 Degrees on Finding Community and Mentor Magic at Women's Summit. Ying goes on to say that the Women's Summit was more focused on community rather than competition. The Women's Summit this year is coming up at the end of February from Feb. 25-28 in Solitude, UT. For more info and to register, go here: https://thesnowpros.org/events/womens-summit/

First Chair Podcast host Goerge Thomas catches up with Randi Sidman-Moore from OnTheSnow - a web and app-based platform that offers weather reports and lifestyle content. Randi has been skiing since she was young thanks to her athletic father. Randi ski raced through college and is now a ski instructor at Deer Valley Resort. Randi is also a photographer. Learn more about Randi and OnTheSnow by heading to onthesnow.com.

PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with PSIA-AASI National Team member Chris Rogers. George is beginning a "boots on the snow" type series that covers a range of topics including class management. All classes aren't related equally and sometimes there are 'trouble students'. Chris speaks on how to overcome some of these situations and how the Learning Connection Model comes into play. Chris talks about some fundamentals in the snowboard handbook and emphasizes the importance of the SCARF model. George questions Chris on how to avoid spending too much time with certain students and losing the interest of other students and how to avoid this.

PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas chats with Curtis Herbert, the creative mind behind the Slopes App. Curtis chats how how Slopes started and what the goal is for the future. PSIA-AASI and Slopes are collaborating on a fun member-facing challenge. This challenge is tracking your vertical stats for the month of January 2024. If you ski or ride 100K vertical feet while using the slopes app, you get a free annual subscription to the slopes app. There will be micro-challenges as well through the month so make sure you're using the slopes app at all times while your out on the mountain! The slopes app tracks your speed, the number of runs you've done, your vertical, and much more. The Slopes App is essentially a skiing and snowboarding journal. Goerge and Curtis talk about the challenge and the benefits of tracking your day on the hill. Have fun! Learn more about the slopes app by heading to GetSlopes.com or by searching for "slopes app" in your app store.

PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas brings you through the story of Dr. Suess' How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Happy Holidays from PSIA-AASI.

First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with Melodie Buell from Oregon Adaptive Sports in Oregon. George and Melodie chat about why Melodie has such a passion for adaptive skiing and riding. Melodie goes on to explain how she found purpose through adaptive snowsports and what resources are available to PSIA-AASI members and how to find them. They talk about how to overcome nerves of failure and why that's an important element of learning.

First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with Dr. Pete Allison - a professor at Penn State University. PSIA-AASI and PSU have been collaborating since 2016 on standardizing and unifying the assessment process for exams across the country. Starting January 2024, you will be able to earn up to 9 college credits through PSU's World Campus by completing the Professional Snowsports Education Certificate. George questions Dr. Allison on what comes from these courses and what is covered. Dr. Allison mentions that this is a completely online education option that can be done anywhere. The courses are catered to the outdoor and leisure industry, comes with a PSIA-AASI Level I certification, and a course on leadership development. All three courses are meant to onboard, train, and outboard snowsports instructors. There are plans in the works to create more courses towards Level II and Level III certifications. For people who are already Level I certified, they can sign up for one of these courses to supplement their education. Dr. Allison talks about the process of working online to earn your credits than going on snow to earn your level I at a ski area near you. You can earn your Level I in whichever discipline you like. Learn more:

First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with the PSIA-AASI National Team Head Coach, Jeb Boyd. George and Jeb talk about the consistent examing skillsets that have been talked about this year. Regional Trainings have been ongoing across the country which provided a consistent content message across the United States. Jeb talks about how the Regions are aligning to create a premier member experience for the PSIA-AASI membership. George questions Jeb on what examiner skills are and Jeb explains that it's just training examining teams on working with the assessment forms, performance guides and national standards that are available. Jeb talks about how the National Teams planned on how to deliver this message.

First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with Duncan Pawson with G3. G3 is “Genuine Guide Gear” which focuses mostly on backcountry gear based in Western Canada but available worldwide. G3 offers several different "families" of ski options, as well as skins, splitboards, poles, probes and shovels. Duncan is one of the engineers on staff at G3 and helps design the perfect skis. George and Duncan talk about the mechanics of skis and splitboards including lots of information on the camber - which allows for good edge hold on the slopes. They go into detail on the tip shape and the importance of the side cut of the ski. As the engineer on staff, Duncan provides a wealth of knowledge on the design and shape of the skis provided at G3. Learn more about G3: https://us.genuineguidegear.com/

First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with Peggy Hiller, CEO of PSIA-AASI. On this episode, George and Peggy talk about the member survey that was conducted. Part 3 of the survey is how PSIA-AASI can take critiques and make changes. Peggy talks about how PSIA-AASI is striving to accomplish education excellence. We've made strides to do this by creating a unified examination process across the country. Peggy goes on to talk about how the Premier Member Experience is top of mind. PSIA-AASI strives to hold ourselves to the highest threshold. The Premier Member Experience comes at all points of an instructors journey from joining, to working, to teaching and every interaction that member has with PSIA-AASI. George questions Peggy about her role as CEO and how she plans to proceed in the future by listening to members and providing a pathway to encourage the Premier Member Experience to be felt by every member of PSIA-AASI.

First Chair Podcast host George Thomas talks with Don Begley who attended the Rocky Mountain Region Season Kickoff event in Breckenridge, CO. George and Don talk about the importance of a good critique and why being an instructor is so beneficial to your life. Don chats about how he left cross country skiing because the recent warming climate has made it nearly impossible to cross country ski in New Mexico. They continue on while talking about all of the benefits that come from attending this event. Find events like this near you: https://thesnowpros.org/events/

First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with Dave Speer. Dave talks about why coming back to the instruction industry and attending this event is the perfect way to learn about all the new advances in the work of snowsports instruction. Dave acquired his Level III in 2003 and eventually took some time off to focus on other things. He retired and wanted to come back to the sport that he loved so much. The Season Kickoff event is a great way to enjoy time on snow with others. Dave will be teaching at Sun Valley with Stephen Helfenbein - a PSIA-AASI National Team member. Dave talks about his hopes and goals for this season and how he plans to acquire them. Find events near you: https://thesnowpros.org/events/.

First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with Paul Roberts. Paul is an instructor at Peak 8 in Breckenridge. Originally a ski instructor in Canada, Paul moved to Colorado 30 years ago. The Season Kickoff event for the Rocky Mountain Region happened in November 2023 and provides instructors a chance to catch up with others in the industry, learn the latest trends and get them on snow in the early season. George and Paul chat about all the benefits that come from attending events like this in your region. You can find events near you by checking out our event calendar. https://thesnowpros.org/events/ They talk about the camaraderie of skiing with others like you and how lift rides spark the best conversations.

First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with Carol Stecker at the Rocky Mountain season kickoff event. Carol has been a Keystone instructor for a long time and joined the season kickoff event to earn more CEUs and engage with other local instructors. George and Carole chatted about the event and how it has progressed this year. Carole talks about what she learned during the event and how she came for one reason and how this event ended up being much more than expected. Carole mentioned that she was genuinely happy that she could keep up with everyone and that she could still perform motion analysis and pick up on other skiers' abilities. They conclude with some goals for the season and the remainder of the season kickoff event.

First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with Rob Crawford at the T-Bar on Breckenridge mountain. George and Rob talk about leading clinics and covering important information that's needed for the upcoming season. Rob is new to the Aspen Snowsports School staff and is thrilled to learn from some of the best in the industry. Rob is part of the Rocky Mountain Education Staff and talks about the upcoming season and what he expects and hopes for this season. The Rocky Mountain region has opened up the season kickoff event to the general members for the first time this year and now, they get to explore and expand upon this event and what to expect. PSIA-AASI members have joined this event to learn and earn CEUs. Rob talks about how he has made the group he's leading more fun and engaging. George and Rob chat about goals for the season and how to utilize the Learning Connection Model in everyday life.

First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with the Angel Fire crew from New Mexico. The team from Angel Fire joined in on the Member School Management (MSM) event in Colorado to have fun, talk about the upcoming season and make some turns together. They talk about what they're learning at MSM and how they plan to take what they've learned back to their hill, including people skills. Hear from this crew to learn about the value of MSM and continuing your education.

First Chair Podcast host George Thomas. You'll hear from Board President Robin May at the season kickoff event in the Rocky Mountain Region. The season is starting across the country and our regions are ready for an adventurous season ahead. The point of this season kickoff event is a social and networking event but it also is a sign of the season getting underway. Robin discusses what the event is all about and why it's important to congregate with members from around the Rocky Mountain region. Robin and George talk about the premier member experience and the association alignment. Listen to this quick pod to get insight on some of our regional leaders thought.

PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas chats with National Team member Brian Smith who is also a member of the Eastern Region Education staff. Brian chats about the overlap of being on the National Team while being a part of the educational processes with PSIA-AASI. George notes that Brian is a unique team member because of this. Brian talks about finding ways to draw younger members in and what can attract them to join a career in snowsports. Brian mentions that competition athletes who discontinue racing are perfect candidates for future educators. This conversation was a big topic at Team Training. How can we keep pushing the needle forward? Here about this an more.

PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with Alpine Team member Josh Fogg at Team Training in Keystone, CO. George and Josh talk about the lack of snow this year and what it looks like at Josh's home mountain of Aspen Snowmass. George asks Josh about the plan for working with his new staff as the Training Director at Aspen. Josh talks about his time on the National Team and how he's progressed through the years. Josh is planning on trying out for a third term on the team so he can continue to contribute his ideas and thoughts to the organization. George and Josh talk about the future and what he's proud of looking back on the last few years.

First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with Alpine Team member Ryan Christofferson. George and Rayn catch up at Team Training which took place in late October at Keystone Lodge in Colorado. Ryan chats about his time on the team and what he's looking forward to in the future. He chats about his freestyle specialty and what it means to him and how to prepare for your Freestyle Specialist certificate. Ryan has been on the National Team for 12 years and reflects on what has happened since he joined. Learn more about Freestyle Academy in Solitude, UT at the end of January. https://thesnowpros.org/events/event-calendar/?cal-month=1&cal-year=2024&divisions=5/#psia-calendar #snowpros

PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with Henrik Lampert from Factions Skis to chat all things new this year. The new skis this year are the very colorful Dancer series. An all-mountain ski that will surely make you slide nicer on snow. PSIA-AASI members get a very special rate off of these skis. Check out the pro offers at https://members.thesnowpros.org/products/pro-offers. You can also head to factions.com/psia.

First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with Mike Ma who is a PSIA Adaptive Team member. Mike talks about his week at Team Training and what the adaptive team is looking forward to this season. Adaptive guides and educational resources that are new for this season are ready for you! Mike also talks about his time on the team and how he can serve the membership after this term ends. Mike's focus for the upcoming season will be focused on professional development and helping the Eastern Region with more events.