First Chair: PSIA-AASI Podcast

First Chair catches up with Jeb Boyd, head coach for the PSIA-AASI National Team about Team Selection that happens this April 2021. This event will help PSIA-AASI to select the nation’s best instructors to represent the organization at its highest education level. Team members are responsible for promoting, supporting, and assisting with the development of PSIA-AASI education materials, programs, and activities at all levels. They set the standard for U.S. snowsports instruction and embody the ski and snowboard experience. Meet the current PSIA-AASI National Team: https://www.thesnowpros.org/who-we-are/teams/

First Chair catches up with Tim Kenney, education and events manager for the PSIA-AASI Rocky Mountain division about what it’s been like to create and host education and events this season. Tune in to get the scoop about what type of training is available to you from across the country. Use this calendar to find an event or webinar near you: https://www.thesnowpros.org/events/event-calendar/

PSIA-AASI National Team Head Coach, Jeb Boyd, and PSIA-AASI Director of Education, Dave Schuiling chat about why you should register now for Adaptive Academy, Cross Country Academy, National Academy, Rider Rally, and Telemark Academy, scheduled for Breckenridge, Colorado, the week of April 12. Hurry! Registration rates increase $100 after February 12. Register now: https://www.thesnowpros.org/events/national-academy/

First Chair catches up with Francis Do about what it’s been like this season to lead assessments and instructors chat and share their stories after this post-Level I assessment. Francis chats about how well-prepared everyone has been this season because there’s so much information that’s now online.

First Chair catches up with Stacey Gerrish about what it’s like to teach a split lesson and what you can do to help teach both skiers and snowboarders. Get some tips on what you can do to help manage a split lesson. Listen in to get some tips and ideas for your own lessons and for your snowsports school.

First Chair catches up with Katie Chong, who talks about how she got started as an instructor. In middle school, she joined the ski team for a year and then, towards the end of the season, she joined Whitetail’s Junior Instructor Program, which inspired her to get her Level I certification when she turned 16 last year. She went through her certification program with her Dad too. Learn more about Katie: https://www.qgdigitalpublishing.com/publication/?m=55353&i=688850&p=24

First Chair catches up with Stacey Gerrish about what it’s like to help a family on a vacation learn to ski or ride together during a family private lesson. Listen in to get some tips and ideas for your own lessons and for your snowsports school. Learn how you can help to educate your students, who may not always know what they don’t know.

First Chair catches up with Nubs Nob Winter Sports School Director Brad Miller, who hails from the PSIA-AASI Central division. Brad chat about his role as director at Nubs Nob, located in Harbor Springs, Michigan Listen in about what it’s been like to be back on snow. Brooks also talks about his first season at Nubs Nob and what it’s been like to stay open during the season this winter.

First Chair catches up with Nate Gardner, who chats about how you can train during this season and what you can do to achieve your goals if it’s a low snow season in your area. Learn how you can make the most of your terrain and your training time. Nate also shares a tip for trying one-footed skiing with no poles!

PSIA-AASI Rocky Mountain division education staff member, Phillip Anderson, and Eldora’s Director of Ski and Ride School, Jeff (JB) Brier, explain what it’s been like to get ready for early season exams and how you can prepare and get ready for your exam. Because there is a short window to train on snow, be sure to learn what's expected of you before you arrive on snow. Phillip and Jeff explain why it’s important to focus on one fundamental, and why it’s also important for you to understand why the other fundamentals also apply. Learn more: www.thesnowpros.org/certification/national-certification-standards/

Christeen Walch and Francesca Pavillard-Cain talk about the Women of Winter speaker series on February 20 that highlights BIPOC women carving their own paths in the mountains and in life. Learn more about scholarships that this event will provide for a PSIA Level I Alpine Course and Exam. https://www.womenofwinter.net/events.html

First Chair catches up with PSIA-AASI Board of Director member, Brooks Lillehei, who hails from the PSIA-AASI Central division. Brooks chat about his role as training director at Buck Hill, located in Burnsville, Minnesota. Listen in about what it’s been like to be back on snow. Brooks also talks about his journey to become an instructor and what he looks for in the individuals that he hires to join their team.

First Chair catches up with Nathan Y. Jarvis, a PSIA-AASI member and internationally recognized illustrator, about what it was like to illustrate the new PSIA-AASI Kids’ Activity and Coloring Book. This is a new tool to help parents, instructors, and snowsports school educate the next generation of skiers and riders. Learn more: http://tiny.cc/activitybook

The stoke is back! First Chair catches up with PSIA-AASI Intermountain member, Andrew Johnston, about what it’s like to be back on snow and what it was like to run a Level I at Brighton, Utah. Listen in to get some ideas for class handling during this season, such as making sure to increase the volume of your voice and encouraging candidates to speak louder too.

First Chair catches up with PSIA Cross Country Coach, Emily Lovett, and PSIA Cross Country team members, David Lawrence and Greg Rhodes, about some of the clinics that were planned for the November Cross Country Academy 2020 event. While the event ended up being cancelled and postponed for now, you can still learn from David, Emily and Greg about their clinic topics they were going to present. Listen in to get some great tips you can practice on snow this season.

First Chair catches up with Leslie Baker Brown from Blizzard-Tecnica about the Women-to-Women (W2W) Project, a new global initiative that they’re working on to design authentic women’s products that will take passionate skiers, regardless of ability, to new levels of confidence, excitement and freedom. Leslie also chats about a new W2W Education Scholarship program that supports support women as they further their education and expertise in snowsports. Learn more and apply to the W2W Education Scholarship (deadline is 12/31): https://www.blizzard-tecnica.com/us/en/w2w-education-scholarship-program

First Chair reports live from PSIA-AASI Rocky Mountain’s Member School Management meeting held last month at Loveland Ski Area located near the town of Georgetown, Colorado. Listen in to get an educational update from Steve Edberg’s assessment standards session and get some ideas for class handling during this season.

Tracy Buchanan, a ski patroller and a Level III PSIA-certified instructor, shares an update about ways you can provide a great guest experience during this winter season. Also, be sure to review PSIA-AASI’s COVID-19 Snowsports Education Resources, which were created to foster conversations and amplify mindfulness around executing practical and successful lessons. https://www.thesnowpros.org/education/covid-19-updates/

First Chair catches up with Hannah Abuzaineh, who serves as The North Face’s Senior Manager, Social Impact and The Explore Fund. Learn about PSIA-AASI’s Official Supplier’s global commitment to work towards increasing outdoor access for all. Since 2010, The Explore Fund has created access and driven equity in the outdoors by funding hundreds of nonprofit organizations around two themes: Enabling Exploration and Loving Wild Places. Learn how you can play a part in helping to bringing the mountains to the city: https://www.thenorthface.com/about-us/outdoor-exploration/about-the-explore-fund.html

First Chair reports live from PSIA-AASI Rocky Mountain’s Member School Management meeting held earlier this week at Loveland Ski Area located near the town of Georgetown, Colorado. Listen in to get an educational update from Joe Quarantillo’s slopeside children’s clinic.

First Chair catches up with PSIA Telemark Team member, Grant Bishop, and AASI Snowboard Team member, Brennan Metzler, about uphill travel tips on skis and a splitboard. If you’re thinking about adding an uphill component to your season this winter, take a listen for some things you need to know . Also, REI Co-op teamed up with PSIA-AASI and Grant and Brennan to create videos and content on this very topic. Watch videos at: http://tiny.cc/uphill

First Chair catches up with Francesca Pavillard-Cain and Bruce Edgerly from Backcountry Access. Francesca chats about how you can make beginners feel like a pro and she talks about her freeriding and backcountry experience and how she applies those skills to her teaching at The Yellowstone Club.

First Chair catches up with PSIA-AASI members Jeff Brier and Jonathan Hershberger about what really happens after you receive your certification. Learn why, as a certified instructor, you serve as a role model for others on your instructor team. Certification helps you advance your circle of knowledge and helps you become more become more aware of all that you don’t know. Also, as you advance in your certification level, you’re uniquely positioned to help and support not just advanced lessons, but beginner lessons as well. Learn more about PSIA-AASI’s certification process: https://www.thesnowpros.org/certification/

PSIA-AASI National Team members Matt Boyd, Geoff Krill, and Eric Rolls chat about how you can teach cross-discipline lessons this season with your family or your private lessons. Learn how you can create a great experience by enhancing your people skills and collecting information from your group about what they’d like to get out of the lesson before you begin your lesson. This podcast helps you get the tips you need so you can help everyone have a great experience in a multi-discipline lesson.

PSIA Alpine Team member Ann Schorling chats about a new “How to Ski Powder” e-learning course she created with pro skier Wendy Fisher and SKI magazine. She shares how the course will take you through the tactics and techniques you’ll need to master soft snow, including drills you can do on groomers to improve your turning, balance, speed management and overall confidence. Also, PSIA-AASI members receive member-specific pricing on this course. Learn more: http://tiny.cc/nd71tz

First Chair catches up with PSIA Adaptive Coach, Geoff Krill, about what it may look like to provide adaptive lessons during this 2020-21 ski and ride season. Geoff chats about some of the variables to consider for your students, you, and your team this season. To help your school prepare for reopening this season, view PSIA-AASI COVID-19 resources: https://www.thesnowpros.org/education/covid-19-updates/

First Chair catches up with PSIA Alpine Team member, Eric Lipton, about what ski and snowboard instructors might expect this season when resorts and ski and ride schools reopen. To help your school prepare for reopening this season, view PSIA-AASI COVID-19 resources: https://www.thesnowpros.org/education/covid-19-updates/

First Chair catches up with David Gagnon, the executive director of the Professional Mountain Bike Instructors Association (PMBIA), who has entered a new partnership with PSIA-AASI. David chats about a new PMBIA Level 1 course dedicated specifically to PSIA-AASI members. This course – open to PSIA-AASI members only – will be held at Virginia’s Bryce Resort on Friday, Oct. 30 through Sunday, Nov. 1. It is limited to 6 participants, each of whom can earn 12 CEUs. Learn more: https://pmbia.org/courses/private-level-1-bryce-resort-oct-30-nov-1-2020/

First Chair catches up with extreme skiing pioneer, Dan Egan. Dan starred in 12 Warren Miller movies, including the “cornice break” segment in “Extreme Winter” that became the most viewed ski segment of all-time. Dan also chats about instruction and how his lessons from early on helped him today on how he builds a great client connection with his students by always delivering on his promise “we’re going to have a great day.”

First Chair will spotlight education leaders working to create new National Standards, education resources, and communication strategies that will benefit all members. In this first highlight, meet PSIA-AASI Northwest Technical Team Head Coach Rick Lyons.

First Chair catches up with The North Face’s Global VP of Mountain Sports, Scott Mellin, about The North Face’s new monthly podcast series with PSIA-AASI that will update listeners about new product innovations, their new Official Supplier partnership with PSIA-AASI that will provide members with the industry’s most innovative performance apparel and gear, and the surprising silver lining impact that COVID-19 has had on their company.

PSIA-AASI members, Aleks and Brian Smith (who are also parents), share their strategies for success for family group private lessons. Receive some ideas on how you can help parents become partners in the learning environment during your lesson. Helping to educate a family is an art and a science and Aleks and Brian give you some suggestions for skill development success for all.

First Chair catches up with SNO-GO colleagues, Rob Aseltine and Shaun Cattanach, about SNO-GO, which looks like a snow bike and is leading a new era of technology for winter sports. Rob and Shaun talk about how SNO-GO’s mechanics work and why it’s the perfect device for ripping groomers, parks, and pow. Take this free SNO-GO webinar on Wednesday, Sept. 30 from 5 – 6 p.m. MDT to get the scoop on how this fun alternative to skiing or riding is helping our industry reach newer and more experienced snowsports enthusiasts. Register for the free webinar: https://members.thesnowpros.org/events/search?eventId=353

First Chair catches up with PSIA-AASI CEO Nick Herrin about how the ski and snowboard industry is working together about reopening this winter. Nick also talks about how instructors can offer educational programming in a low-risk environment this season and “Navigating the 2020-21 Snowsports Season”, a new resource created with input from PSIA-AASI’s education leaders and snowsports managers. This document aims to amplify mindfulness for how instructors can engage with and teach our guests during the COVID-19 era by following local, state, and federal protocols and using PSIA-AASI’s Learning Connection model. Learn more: www.thesnowpros.org/education/covid-19-updates

Trauma has been identified as an epidemic in our society. Studies indicate that a significant portion of the population have experienced harmful or life-threatening events which have impacted their everyday functioning or well-being. Certified Trauma Professional Christine Cowart talks about the PSIA-AASI webinar that she’ll lead on this topic on Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2020 at 6 p.m. EDT. And why this webinar is an especially timely educational resource for ski and snowboard instructors teaching in the time of COVID-19. Register now and earn 1 CEU: https://members.thesnowpros.org/events/search?eventId=341

PSIA-AASI Eastern Division member, Brian Donovan, chats about how instructors can work to build their client base for ski and snowboard lessons this season. For example, it might seem counter intuitive to narrow your focus when you want to broaden your client base, but finding your instructor niche is often the key to expanding your clients!

In this 3-part podcast series, PSIA Alpine Team member, Brian Smith, chats about how to manage a family group lesson. Take a listen to get some ideas for this upcoming season for your group lessons. For example, learn what to do when your best-laid plans for managing your family group lesson plan goes awry. Listen to Part 1 of the series: http://tiny.cc/gmrrsz

First Chair catches up with Paul Howard, who serves as the President, Technical Director for the Professional Mountain Bike Instructors Association (PMBIA). PSIA-AASI recently partnered with PMBIA to bring year-round educational opportunities to ski, snowboard, and mountain bike instructors. This partnership means ski and snowboard instructors can pursue education and training opportunities in the off-season so they can teach others to mountain bike, and mountain bike instructors can pursue education and training opportunities that will help them work as ski and snowboard instructors.

PSIA Alpine Team member, Brian Smith, chats about how to manage a family group lesson. Take a listen to get some ideas for this upcoming season for your group lessons. For example, consider group size and accommodating all family members to set up your students for success.

First Chair catches up with pro skier, Julian Carr, who has been featured in seven Warren Miller films, developing a reputation not only for capturing the biggest airs, but for all around skiing. Listen to how his background in gymnastics and his fascination for deep powder, has helped him to hone his craft.

First Chair catches up with PSIA Cross Country Coach Emily Lovett about how learning to cross country ski this winter will be a perfect half-day family and friend activity for this upcoming winter season. Listen to her recommendations on how instructors can approach teaching groups that may include students with different skill levels. To learn more about cross country skiing, check out your local Nordic centers and this “Beginner’s Guide to Cross Country Skiing”. http://tiny.cc/XClessons

First Chair catches up with Tanya Milelli about how instructors can stay positive this season while facing a return to something new for this winter season. Listen for some suggestions on how to look at the bigger picture, while applying some different and complex thinking to help roll out the red carpet for a return to winter. This season will be a great opportunity for you to really hone your people skills, so that together, we can strengthen our community, understand and embrace one another, and rebuild and reopen.

First Chair catches up with Kevin Jordan and PSIA Alpine Team member Jonathan Ballou, to learn about the history of Snowmass Bike Park and the Snowmass Bike School. They also share some insight about how the school is providing mountain bike lessons this summer to teach students foundational skills. You’ll also get some insight about how Snowmass has worked with local and state guidelines to make it a safe summer operational season.

First Chair catches up with pro skier Julian Carr and Nabil Rahman, vice president for Spot, which is a company that has reimagined the insurance ecosystem for the outdoor industry and its enthusiasts. PSIA-AASI recently partnered with Spot to offer all members injury insurance specifically designed for ski and snowboard instructors. For an affordable, one-time payment of $50, you can purchase Spot for the 2020-2021 season and get up to $20,000 for your medical bills each time you’re injured while skiing or snowboarding. Learn more: http://tiny.cc/spotinsurance [Photo Credit: Hanna Whirty]

First Chair catches up with PSIA-AASI National Team Alpine Assistant and Development Coach Matt Boyd and Snowboard Assistant and Development Coach Tony Macri about PSIA-AASI’s education staff and team coaches announcement on their decision for a positive path forward for the PSIA-AASI National Team Selection that will continue to build on the current team’s successes and also provide valuable benefits for members.

First Chair catches up with PSIA Alpine Team Coach Michael Rogan, PSIA Alpine Team member Dave Lyon, and PSIA-AASI Northwest member Melody Buell about their participation in Dave Lyon's race camps at Timberline Ski Area, Mt. Hood in Oregon this summer. Get the scoop on how the camps are operating during this unusual time.

First Chair catches up with PSIA-AASI National Team Head Coach, Jeb Boyd, and PSIA-AASI Director of Education, Dave Schuiling, about the Learning Connection model and talks about how two of the three tenets, teaching and people skills, are the same across all disciplines. The Learning Connection emphasizes that great lessons rely on the instructor’s ability to offer a blend of people skills, teaching skills, and technical skills. Whether students are new to skiing and riding or experts seeking greater mastery of their chosen sport, this approach creates informative, fun, and personalized experiences that keep students engaged in the learning process for life.

First Chair catches up with Dave Horne, a Level III alpine instructor, who hails from the Rocky Mountain Division. Dave shares his story about why he decided to pursue his passion to work in the snowsports industry and teach skiing and work at Vail Mountain. He also talks about what it’s like working in the snowsports industry as a Black ski instructor and shares ideas about how the industry can work to diversify its instructor core.

First Chair catches up with PSIA-AASI National Team Head Coach, Jeb Boyd, and PSIA-AASI Director of Education, Dave Schuiling, about PSIA-AASI's certification standards and the work that’s being done with PSIA-AASI’s education leaders, including the Education Leadership Council and the National Team, to update PSIA-AASI these standards. Learn about the journey PSIA-AASI’s education leaders have taken since the 2016 National Leadership Summit to work towards increasing consolidation, consistency and cooperation for PSIA-AASI’s education and certification programs. Learn how the updated certification standards will result in a clearer, more consistent path to success for you and all of PSIA-AASI’s members.

First Chair catches up with Zoe Mavis of Big Sky, Montana, and Pete Allison, from Penn State University about how to make a living as a full-time ski or snowboard instructor. Zoe and Pete share tips on how you can achieve success. Also, learn how you can advance from becoming a good to a great instructor through education and boosting your people skills.