NEW and free as a digital version to PSIA-AASI members, the new Fitness for Skiing and Snowboarding guide includes a great lineup of exercises that will help you improve your individual fitness so you can build greater endurance and strength – which means longer and healthier seasons! This guide is perfect for professional instructors who seek a solid, snowsports-specific workout regimen. It is now available through the Snow Pro Library app. Later this season, a print version will be available for purchase.
Click below to hear Doug Kechijian and Chris Fellows talk about the manual and how it was made. Their part starts at the 30-minute mark, after our Division and National updates.
Chris Fellows is the founder of The North American Ski Training & Climbing School (NASTC).
The NASTC was founded in 1994 as a unique performance ski school offering multi-day, full immersion and adventure ski training clinics for intermediate through expert skiers taught by members of the PSIA National Demonstration Team and AMGA certified guides. Based in Lake Tahoe, CA, NASTC offers all-mountain free-skiing clinics all over the world. NASTC’s methodology towards ski improvement is based on a holistic approach that addresses fitness, equipment, skiing technique and tactics. The total immersion teaching approach is not a quick fix or band-aid approach. It is a multi-layered process that not only results in better skiing but positively affects the body, mind, and spirit. At NASTC you truly improve your skiing – a full level! And you get to do this at the best resorts and mountain ranges in the world, led by the top instructors in the world, in a group with adventure enthusiasts like yourself who also leave their professional world behind to enjoy these focused clinics.
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The great thing about passion is that it’s infectious. Knowing your “why” will help you stay committed to your dream and help others get on board, too.
I became a PSIA member in 2009 so I could gain the confidence of my students and respect within the industry as a certified teacher – Laurie Johnson
I actually joined PSIA in 1984 as my ski school director was an examiner and wanted the ski school members to join – Ellen Johnson
It is a place to belong as an instructor – Steve Ikeda
I was convinced that I would better myself if I joined and pursue certification by Bob Everson at Tahoe Ski Bowl. – Tom Waters
There was a group, led by Randy Bell at the time, with people who were discussing skiing on Tuesday evenings in Reno. I joined them to see what this was like. I liked it. – Nathalie Le Galloudec
Because Libbie has been such a strong proponent of PSIA and their education events, it was a no brainer for me to join. – Richard Sheldon
To attend events out of my ski area with clinicians and to broaden my capabilities. – Jim Rogers
Being with guests who wish to learn something we all cherish and drive to be great at. – Ronnie Schoff
I was inspired by trainers at the ski area – Glen Smith
I joined with the help of Ernie Gray, Babbete Haueisen and Gorg Deutsche. I was in awe of the many examiners and very talented instructors including Mike Porter on staff at that time. Needless to say, I wanted to be a member of this, (club), organization. – Lamar Parker
I joined PSIA to become a better teacher and a better skier and to really understand what great skiing is. – Suzie Benge
My certification journey and participation in continuing education over the past 23 years leaves me a loyal supporter of our organization. – Susan Meckel
Skiing was and is my ‘retreat’ from daily stresses and responsibilities, and a way to recapture those carefree ‘giggly’ teenage years I never had due to time, cultural, and societal factors over which I had no control. – Hiro Oishi
Discovered that I enjoyed teaching even more than I enjoyed being on snow. – Bob Kelley
Supporting one’s professional group is critical to one’s success. – Sue Spain
I’ve always loved getting people into skiing and helping them to progress. – Mark Johnson
10 years later I still enjoy teaching at SkyTavern because of the friendly atmosphere and the sense of family there – Ken Kelley
“He who has a why can endure any how.” — Frederick Nietzsche
Are you or someone you know a female ski/snowboard instructor looking for an opportunity to progress your professional goals? Do you need additional funding to attend events or exams? Click below to find out more about the Nancy Oakes Hall Women’s Scholarship!
Applicant must be a female member of PSIA-AASI with their Level I certification, in any discipline. Applications due November 8th, 2019.
“Thanks to the educational commitment and vision of former PSIA Alpine Demonstration Team member Nancy Oakes Hall, female members of PSIA-AASI who wish to follow in her bootsteps in the snowsports industry will have some extra support thanks to the newly created Nancy Oakes Hall Women’s Scholarship program.Founded by Oakes Hall and developed in conjunction with PSIA-AASI, the scholarship program empowers distinguished women in snowsports education by providing opportunities to engage with peers and advance their professional development.”
“PSIA-AASI is fortunate to receive Nancy’s contribution, which will help support women by expanding their education and leadership opportunities in the snowsports industry,” said Nicholas Herrin, PSIA-AASI CEO. “One of our goals as an organization is to be a community of educators that positively influences others. I see the Nancy Oakes Hall Women’s Scholarship as an opportunity to grow our community and help shape our future leaders.”
Calling members! We want YOUR pictures and experiences. Message or e-mail us your pictures from the 2018-19 season for a chance to be featured in the next print newsletter! If you want a quick quote or story of a fun experience or moment, please send us those too! please e-mail all content to editor@psia-w.org.
See last year’s collage here:
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Thank you everyone who voted in our Board of Directors election. Your opinion matters, and the election results are in! Please welcome our new and returning members of the board!
New to the Board
Jaime Marso-Tanner
PSIA Level 2, June Mountain Ski School Director
I’d like to be one of those individuals that not only works to maintain the high standards and quality performance that has always been associated with PSIA-AASI but I’d also like to work to improve the organization from within. From my association with PSIA-AASI I have learned that no matter how skilled you are, there is always room for improvement; this philosophy also holds true for organizations.
Who I am
I am a wife and mother. I run the June Mountain Ski and Snowboard School. I’m very proud to have recently received my Level 3 Alpine Ski. I taught geology and oceanography for 9 years. I am a member of Mammoth Lakes CERT. I’m a certified EMT and volunteer my services.
Volunteering is part of who I am. I’m happiest when I can share my knowledge, skills, and passion for skiing with others. It’s a personal goal of mine to bring the joy of skiing to others while also instilling respect and love for the environment.
What I can do for PSIA-AASI:
I’ve worked on the linkage membership committee board for 2 years. I’m interested in educational collaboration on the national level and consistency between all divisions. I want to present some fresh ideas and ways to help PSIA-AASI grow and evolve into an even more impressive organization. Once I am involved, I commit myself fully.
And most importantly, I know how to listen.
Returning:
Greg Lyons
PSIA Level 3, Children’s Specialist 2, Cross Country Level 2, Telemark Level 2, Current PSIA-AASI Western Division Board of Directors – President
As a full-time instructor for 31 years at Heavenly, I strive to create a safe, enjoyable lesson that includes making sure the guest feels valued, confident, internally motivated, passionate for their snowsport and wanting to return for future lessons. As I work to improve at this, I have been honored to earn “the Most Requested Instructor at Heavenly” three times.
I have a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business from Oregon State University
It has been an honor to be President of PSIA-AASI-W for the last three years. I believe my years of experience, working with the board, its committees, the PSIA-AASI-W staff, and the membership make me uniquely qualified to continue to serve on your PSIA-AASI-W Board of Directors.
I’d like to continue our efforts to provide educational opportunities that our membership wants to participate in: on snow clinics, in-door clinics, online training, and other programs—all with the goal of allowing you, our members, to succeed as professional instructors.
I believe PSIA/AASI-W needs to develop long term strategies and policies that provide an exceptional experience to our members today as well as the framework for an exceptional experience for our members and organization in the future.
I will advocate for PSIA/AASI-W to provide exceptional training to its present and future leaders. Our Board of Directors, office staff, Member School Directors, Education Staff, and Resort Trainers need to be provided exceptional training.
Lea Logal
AASI Level 3, Freestyle Level 2, Children’s Specialist 2, PSIA Level 1, AASI Ed Staff, Bear Mountain Resort Training Manager, Current PSIA-AASI Board of Directors – Publicity Chair
Hello Western Division Membership. I have spent three years serving on the Western Division Board of Directors as the Publicity Chair. In that time I have worked for the membership to help provide the best experience in both educational and certification events possible. I would love to continue my service with the Board and continue to help grow the Western Division.
Having been a proud member of the Western Division since I started in this industry in 2004; I have worked hard to become an examiner and part of the AASI Western Division Snowboard leadership. It is important for me to see this division continue to innovate and inspire in the snowsports industry.
Currently, I am working for Big Bear Mountain Resort as the Ski and Ride School Training Manager. It has been incredible to move down to Southern California and be able to positively impact and influence a whole new base of dedicated and passionate snowsports professionals.
Growing the value of membership in the west through our premier events, promoting interaction and connection between our members, while listening and taking action on our member’s constructive feedback will keep the Western Division leading the way.
Blaine Lomen
PSIA Level 3, AASI Level 2, Children’s Specialist 1, Alpine Ed Staff Team Emeritus, Current Western Division Board of Directors – Ed Foundation Chair
I have been an instructor, trainer, supervisor, assistant director and most recently a director of a ski and snowboard school, giving me a broad range of knowledge and experience in our industry. Within our division, I have been an examiner and on the Board in many different positions bringing past experience and understanding of our culture and membership.
As a Board member for the last three years, I have been the representative to our Education Foundation Board also where I’m the Vice President. If you have followed the Foundation, you have witnessed the growth and great strides in communicating with the membership.
I am also on the Finance Committees of both Boards. Though pouring over the finances of the organizations is neither fun or “sexy” it is important to keep tabs on where we are month to month and how your money is being spent/allocated.
I understand the big picture as well as the finer details of our path and mission. I think the strengths of both the Education Foundation and PSIA-W Boards is the fact that we are very focused on how we can serve the membership better and more efficiently and I am dedicated to seeing that continue.
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New at the 2019 PSIA-W Convention is an Education Foundation Legends Clinic to benefit our Foundation. The three-hour clinic has a $25 premium on it which is a direct donation to our PSIA/AASI-W Education Foundation. In addition, the Western Division will donate another $25 to make a total donation of $50 on your behalf.
The Legends Clinic will be hosted by experienced clinicians John Armstrong, Jack Copeland and Blaine Lomen. We will do a sun-related tour of Mammoth Mountain and discuss recent technique developments and how they relate to the Good Old Days! Big emphasis on cruising, grins and giggles. Available Friday and Saturday morning at Convention – see you there, and thank you for helping our Foundation. Last year, $6,000 was awarded to 20 members to help them with their educational and certification goals.”
Blaine Lomen
Jack Copeland
These two clinics are limited to 24 participants per morning.
If you have already signed up for Convention and want to join one or both of the clinics, contact the office at 530-587-7642 or info@psia-w.org to be added to the list.
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This is your chance to own a ski and snowboard school!
Make $75-100,000 working 6 months a year teaching skiing & snowboarding near the beach in Encinitas, California.
Since 1977, for over 40 years since I was 23 years old, my SnowSports Simulator business has allowed me to purchase (and in 7 years will pay off) a nearly million dollar home three minutes from Moonlght Beach in Encinitas CA, raise and support a family, ski most of April and then travel the world for 2 to 3 months most summers, invest in real estate and stock markets and accumulate a sizable retirement account, and from October thru March help people from all over the world learn, improve, and get in shape for snow sports that I love.
I’m looking for someone that sees this opportunity to take my business over. You could double the income stated above if you have half the energy and enthusiasm I did in my early years I ran the school. You’re buying a 40+ year established business and a great lifestyle of working for 6 months and traveling or working elsewhere for six months of the year.
At 60 something years old, the time is near for me to pass the torch. I am not in a rush as I still love what I do, but I’d like to do it with/for someone else while I still can to help them learn the ropes.
I will work with and train the new owner to be able to be successful at continuing the legacy I established over 40 years ago and want to see continue for at least the next 40 years…
Price for turnkey established business is $400k. Serious inquiries only please. For the qualified right person I might be willing to accept a sizable down payment and carry the balance of the loan with terms TBD.
www.adventureski.com
Contact kent@adventureski.com if this is something you are interested in!
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A year ago, Kurt McMahon from Australia wouldn’t imagine he’d be where he is now. After graduating from high school, Kurt embarked on a more conventional route and enrolled at a university. Kurt loved studying and university life, but he had a burning desire to explore and see the world. A year into a physiotherapy degree, Kurt decided that if he was going to go traveling, it needed to happen now. So, after completing his first year of study, he packed his bags and jumped on a plane destined for the USA.
Kurt chose to become a ski instructor at Northstar Ski Resort located at the beautiful Lake Tahoe in the USA. After visiting the nearby Squaw Valley as a young kid on a family ski holiday, Kurt always dreamed over returning to Lake Tahoe one day and becoming a snowboard instructor.
Kurt arrived at Northstar and began training almost immediately. Training under some of the best instructors in the world, there was no room for ego and Kurt took in all the advice he could from his trainers. Coming from a background of snowboarding only once a year and straight into three weeks of full-on training, Kurt’s riding improved immensely.
“The biggest thing for me was dropping any ego I had at the door and taking on any advice from these guys as they were the ones who have been doing it for more than 20 years!“
Kurt quickly settled into his new life at Northstar, but it wasn’t all smooth sailing. Being 18 and away from home for the first time, one of the biggest challenges Kurt faced was finding accommodation for the season. “Finding the right house that can suit your needs and is in the right location is maybe [one of the biggest challenges] that we’ve faced in our lives to date.”
Kurt quickly figured out that the best way to overcome this was to find a bunch of people he got along with and patiently wait for the right place to come along. And his advice for anyone else in a similar boat? “Find a bunch of people you get on with and take time trying to find your accommodation and make sure you have plenty of options in case one doesn’t work out.”
The best part of Kurt’s EA course was the people he met along the way. During the six months, he made friends from all over the world, including Germany, England, and New Zealand. His favorite place to hang out off the slopes was at a pizza joint called Rubicon’s where he learned the American tradition of adding ranch dressing to pizza. “My mates and I loved coming here after a big day at work, and it was a highlight at the end of the working week! Being an Aussie, I have never really grown up with ranch on my pizza, but I don’t think I will be able to let it go once I return home.”
When training had finished, Kurt began work immediately as an instructor and quickly fell in love with his new role. “There’s a reason it’s widely known as one of the best jobs on the planet. You’re sharing your passion for the sport with others, and at the end of the day, they go home stoked and so do you because you get to do it all again tomorrow! There’s nothing quite like it.”
After completing his EA instructor course, and working his first winter season, Kurt decided he wasn’t ready to return to Australia just yet. At the end of his season at Northstar, Kurt travelled down the East Coast of the USA with a friend he met on his EA course. He then headed back to the West Coast and is now living and working in Los Angeles, California.
While Kurt plans on joining the yachting industry next year, he’s excited to do another winter season instructing too. “It was honestly something that I will remember all my life. I would encourage anybody else to get out there and give it a crack. You’ll meet people from all over the world, and you get to do what you love every day.”
Kurt’s advice for anyone considering a ski or snowboard instructor internship or a gap year abroad? “Keep traveling, don’t waste away your late teens and 20s sitting at an office. Keep doing what makes you happy!”
This content was originally published in September 2018 at https://easkiandsnowboard.com/resources/latest-news/instructor-story-kurt-mcmahon/
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What a month! Tahoe resorts received up to 300 inches (That’s about 25 feet) of snow in February alone, according to the Opensnow report . Not bad for the shortest month of the year.
Photo courtesy of Sierra at Tahoe, February 2019
Many resorts have broken records for biggest February in recorded history. The average February snowfall for Tahoe is 72 inches (6 feet). This year was close to triple that. Some resorts have even broken the record for the biggest snowfall month, beating out the unforgettable January 2017.
Sitting at close to 200% of our average snowfall for this time of year, we’re in for an epic spring. (if it ever stops snowing!) What a great time to earn your education credits, take an exam, or get an accreditation.
Here are some of the events to look out for in March 2019:
This is a one-day education event at Mammoth. You can earn continuing education credits, work on your own skiing/riding, or prepare for an upcoming exam.
This is a great opportunity to hone your skills at Spring Session the day before your test. Exams will be offered for Alpine and Snowboard level 1, ski/ride level 2 and 3, and level 2 and 3 teach.
This accreditation is for members of all ages looking to learn the best techniques for teaching senior skiers and snowboarders. Successful Cantidates will receive a senior specialist pin.
And remember, its never too early to start planning for Spring Convention coming April 26th -30th , at Mammoth Mountain. Look out for more information in our Spring 2019 Edge newsletter coming mid- March. You’ll find a schedule, guest clinician highlights, party information, and more!
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Thank you everyone for running for or voting in our members of our Board of Directors election. There are 3 who were re-elected, and one new member, Terry Peters. You can find out more about each member here.
Re-Elected:
Artie Castro
My name is Artie Castro, and I have had the pleasure of serving on the Board of Directors for the past 5 years first serving as the Member School Chair and now as the Snowboard Vice President. I have also had the opportunity to serve on the Education Foundation Board during this time as well. I am asking for your vote so that I can continue to serve you the members who play an integral part to the success of PSIA/AASI Western Division. I have had the opportunity to be a member of this fine organization for 28 years and have seen how PSIA/AASI helps our members with so many opportunities within the Snowsports Education Community and would like to continue this tradition. As an Alpine Level 3, Children’s Specialist Level 2, Freestyle Specialist Level 2, Snowboard Level 3, and a member of the AASI Western Division Ed Staff, I have benefited greatly by my affiliation with PSIA/AASI and want to continue to help others do the same as a Board Member of this amazing organization. Thank you for your consideration and thank you for the opportunity that you have given me to serve you these past 5 years.
Email Artie @ artiecastro@gmail.com
Rachel Bauer
People are my passion. I love working with and facilitating people in new and old projects, streamlining our efforts and collaborating ideas and decisions. I feel I would be an asset to the Board of Directors and our membership because
I keep my promises to others. This is easy to do when we (as a Board) focus on small, incremental goals. So far in my ex-perience with working with this group and our membership, there have been many opportunities to feel the satisfaction of a job well done. This focused intent has proven to be beneficial to my success and maintains my high level of reliability.
I hope to continue to work with the Board and the Western Division membership so to cultivate maximum productivity within myself
Leigh Pierini
I have been fortunate enough to be a member of this Board since this Spring, 2017. I currently hold the Member School Chair position. With this role, I am also the Western representative on the National Snowsports Director’s Task Force.
In the short time, I have served on the Board, we have made great strides in delivering- ing on the Director’s wish list. It would be an honor to continue to serve the membership and the Directors by having a chair on this Board of Directors.
And a warm welcome to new Board member Terry Peters.
Terry Peters
Hello, my name is Terry Peters. I work full time at Northstar California as a trainer and as an instructor.
I have been on Ed Staff since 2003, and I wish to be a voice for our members and instructors. For those of you who don’t know me, I am known as the Energizer Bunny. I have been putting a lot of thought into what I can do to make our division and industry more successful, appealing, and beneficial to our current membership and future membership. I would like to take this energy and passion I have and see the PSIA grow so that there are accessible and definable benefits to the membership beyond certification. Life in Resort Towns can be hard; I want to find other ways to make having a life in these amazing areas easier.
Since I am a line instructor, I listen to and most definitely empathize with the challenges and needs of the instructors I work with. I want to bring your voice to the board.
I have tried to be as successful as possible with my experiences in the ski industry. Starting in Canada I worked to get my CSIA Level 3, my Freestyle Cert and my Level 2 Race Coach. Adding my to my development I obtained my PSIA Alpine Level 3, Freestyle Level 3, Children’s Specialist Level 2 and Snowboard Level 1. Still looking for ways to develop my knowledge I worked in Australia for 10 years. Working in different countries has allowed me to become open-minded and see many different points of views and needs.
Their roles will begin April 26th at noon.
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