First Chair: PSIA-AASI Podcast

In this episode, PSIA-AASI National Team member Scott Anfang chats with Eleanor “Elle” Tresidder in the middle of the ski day at The Remarks (aka The Remarkables Ski Area) in New Zealand. Elle is a snowboard instructor at Coronet Peaks and Sierra at Tahoe with a background in sports exercise science, coaching, and education. Learn about her transition into snowsports instruction, her opinions on i...

On this very fun episode of First Chair, Olympian skier and writer Libby Ludlow and illustrator and instructor Nathan Jarvis (Alpine Level II and Children’s Specialist 2) chat about their new children’s book, A-B-Skis. Find out how they met and how they came to collaborate on the project. Find out more about A-B-Skis and purchase at https://www.abskis.com/ Learn more about Nathan Jarvis in his Mem...

On this episode of First Chair, host George Thomas checks in with Tony Bullings (aka Tony-Man) from the I & I Caribbean Cafe in Nederland, Colorado. Tony is originally from Jamaica and has lived and worked in Nederland for 17 years. He is an avid skier, but more than that, he is an expert at creating an experience for the customer. Find out how Tony's experiences in the kitchen relate to life on t...

Working as a snowsports instructor provides the opportunity to meet the most amazing people, and PSIA-AASI National Team Member Scott Anfang is using his time in New Zealand to connect with instructors from all over the world. In this episode of First Chair, our host George Thomas hands the reins over to Scott as he talks with Andy (Shiliang) Su. Andy has a very interesting story. He is a native o...

On today’s episode of First Chair, host George Thomas shares a few words with PSIA Alpine team members Jonathan Ballou, Matt Boyd, and Brenna Kelleher to discuss the importance of simplicity in ski instruction. Topics include how instructors can better read body language, why you don’t want to overwhelm beginner skiers, and how to best utilize your time during short lessons. Follow PSIA-AASI: • ht...

On this episode of First Chair, George Thomas chats with the crew at Eric Lipton Ski Camps at Ski Portillo Chile. The cast includes Eric Lipton, Julia Johnson, Chris Ohman, Emily Absalom, Wade Kotula, Christine Gibbons, Dean Gibbons, and Kaylin Richardson. Tune in to find out why expert skiers (even two-time Olympians) and instructors can benefit from a summer on the snow, what all experts and beg...

Want to get more involved with PSIA-AASI? Listen in as Dana Forbes, the CEO of PSIA-AASI Rocky Mountain, talks about how PSIA-AASI members can get more engaged with the organization. She discusses the different volunteer opportunities open to members and how you can get started. Dana also talks about the often-under-utilized scholarship opportunities which provide $60,000 in funding annually to al...

Get fit, ski hard, and have fun in our latest episode of First Chair. This week, we catch up with Jennifer Lockwood after a 5 a.m. workout to learn how she prepares for the ski season through cross-training and other fitness routines. Jennifer is a certified personal trainer and Level III alpine instructor who shares some valuable advice on areas to focus on, how to stretch correctly, and how to s...

Mike Hafer is both a PSIA-AASI National Team veteran and a National Team hopeful with 26 years of ski industry experience. In this episode of First Chair, learn about Mike’s long history with the National Team, why he decided to opt-out of tryouts in 2016, and why he’s trying out again in 2020. Also listen in to gain some valuable insights into the tryout process, how to stay motivated after getti...

On this episode of the First Chair podcast, George Thomas is joined by Eastern Team member and National Team hopeful Ben BeBenedictis. Ben is a Stowe local who is currently in Portillo, Chile where he is living the dream and teaching for six weeks with National Team members Michael Rogan and Robin Barnes. Learn about the benefits of spending the summer on snow, the ski skills he’s working on impro...

This week on First Chair, George Thomas chats with Vail local and National Team hopeful Lyndsey Stevens to find out what Lyndsey is doing in the offseason to prepare for tryouts. Lyndsey discusses the importance of reading technical manuals, benefits of working on articles for 32 Degrees, and difficulties of selecting a topic for her tryout presentation. Lyndsey also talks about why passion is so...

On today’s episode of First Chair, we’re joined by Frank Cartwright, alpine examiner for the Eastern Division and head coach of the Hunter Mountain Skiing & Freestyle Team. Frank has tried out for the National Team twice and he’s hoping that the third time’s a charm as he tests the waters again in 2020. Listen in as Frank and George Thomas discuss how National Team tryouts have changed over the ye...

Every four years PSIA-AASI selects thirty qualified individuals to represent the organization as members of the National Team. PSIA-AASI Director of Education Dave Schuiling and National Team Manager Jeb Boyd sit down with First Chair to discuss the rigorous selection process for the PSIA-AASI National Team. Topics include nominations, tryouts, necessary skill sets, and how to get involved. To lea...

On this episode, Ron Kipp, the ski team education and development manager at Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, chats with First Chair about summer alpine training on the icy indoor slopes of Germany. Learn about the difficulties of coaching on solid ice, the benefits of indoor training facilities, and more. Follow PSIA-AASI: • https://www.thesnowpros.org/ • https://www.facebook.com/TheSnowPros/ • https...

On this episode, repeat guest Scott Anfang introduces us to Oscar, a snowboard instructor, currently teaching year-round and reporting live from The Remarkables resort in New Zealand. Learn about his journey from Michigan, to Sierra Tahoe, to New Zealand, to Aspen, and how he’s been able to make a career of teaching snowboarding all year.

PSIA Alpine Team member, Jonathan Ballou, shares an overview about the International Ski Instructors Association (ISIA), and how an ISIA Stamp and Passbook might be of interest to a certified Level III member planning a trip to enjoy the slopes in Australia, New Zealand, Europe, Canada or South America. Also, he talks about the ISIA Card, which is the highest level of international snowsports cert...

The American Association of Snowboard Instructors’ Snowboard Team Coach, Scott Anfang, shares what it’s like to serve as the training manager for the snowsports school at The Remarkables, a ski resort just 45 minutes from central Queenstown, New Zealand.

This summer, First Chair connects with PSIA-AASI members who are going to be invited to and participate in the 2020 PSIA-AASI National Team selection process in Breckenridge, Colorado, next April 2020. Meet Max Brennan, from the PSIA-AASI Intermountain division. www.thesnowpros.org/teamselection

First Chair catches up with Jennifer Lockwood, who shares what’s happening in the PSIA-AASI Northwest division for their summer training series. Listen in for tips on how you can keep your edge this summer to prepare for a great winter.

This summer, First Chair connects with PSIA-AASI members who are going to be invited to and participate in the 2020 PSIA-AASI National Team selection process in Breckenridge, Colorado, next April 2020. Meet Tyler Sullivan, from the PSIA-AASI Rocky Mountain division. www.thesnowpros.org/teamselection

This summer, First Chair connects with PSIA-AASI members who are going to be invited to and participate in the 2020 PSIA-AASI National Team selection process in Breckenridge, Colorado, next April 2020. Meet Greg Fatigate, from the PSIA-AASI Eastern division. www.thesnowpros.org/teamselection

First Chair chats with PSIA Alpine Team member Matt Boyd about controlling chaos when skiing on different or steeper terrain. Learn why paying attention to what's happening when you ski in between the edges is important, when your skis are flat or just starting to edge. Thanks to KEEN for sponsoring this podcast. PSIA-AASI members receive special Pro Offer pricing on KEEN’s gear. Visit thesnowpros...

First Chair chats with PSIA Alpine Team member Stephen Helfenbein for part 1 in this series on why it’s important to always improve. Learn how you can build up your training during this summer so that your muscles will be ready for the winter. KEEN sponsored this podcast. PSIA-AASI members receive special Pro Offer pricing on KEEN’s gear. Visit thesnowpros.org/shop and log in.

First Chair chats with PSIA Alpine Team member Brenna Kelleher about why getting out of your comfort zone and experiencing something new and challenging on and off the slopes can help you have fun and become a better skier. Thanks to KEEN for sponsoring this podcast. PSIA-AASI members receive special Pro Offer pricing on KEEN’s gear. Visit thesnowpros.org/shop and log in.

This summer, First Chair connects with PSIA-AASI members who are going to be invited to and participate in the 2020 PSIA-AASI National Team selection process in Breckenridge, Colorado, next April 2020. First up, meet Katie White, from the PSIA-AASI Northern Rocky Mountain division. www.thesnowpros.org/teamselection