All I Really Need to Know I Learned from Snowboarding

Matt, Chris, and Brian are joined today by Steve Franklin, a snowboard instructor, AASI East Snowboard Examiner, and Prototype Technician at Burton Snowboards’ facility Craig’s in Burlington, Vermont. Steve’s unique background gives him an incredible perspective on both teaching and building snowboards.  This week’s hot take: What’s your dream board? The snowboard podcast All I Really Need to Know...

A common question we hear as snowboard examiners is why snowboard certification uses activities in the terrain park as part of the assessment. Chris, Matt, and Brian continue their discussion around why freestyle elements in the snowboard certification are part of the culture of snowboarding and vital to snowboard instructor certification as well as share some ideas on how to train for the freesty...

A common question we hear as snowboard examiners is why snowboard certification uses activities in the terrain park as part of the assessment. Chris, Matt, and Brian share some of the common themes of these questions, and their takes on why freestyle elements in the snowboard certification are part of the culture of snowboarding and vital to snowboard instructor certification. This week’s hot take...

It’s the middle of the season and this episode is all about managing energy, taking care of yourself, and getting through the mid-season lows. Fresh off AASI National Team mid-season training, Chris, Matt, and Brian share some of the ways they’ve experienced the slump and managed energy mid-season. This week’s hot take: How would ski resorts be different if they were invented by snowboarders? The...

The big 5-0, episode 50 is our third episode aiming to demystify a few commonly misunderstood terms. This episode is a bit about the 50-50 and a lot about how our upper and lower body parts can move together or independently from each other through separation. Topics include rotation, counter rotation, and rotation of the upper body over the lower body or lower body under the upper body! This week...

Following the Level 1 Top Tips episode, this episode dives into Matt, Brian, and Chris’ thoughts on preparing for Level 2 certification. They chat through skills for Teaching, Movement Analysis and Technical Understanding, and Riding Performance assessment modules, with suggestions on training for each zone. This week’s hot take: How can you promote fun in the halfpipe to a new rider? The snowboar...

Matt, Brian, and Chris have mentioned Penn State's Professional Snowsports Education Program Certificate previously, this episode is all about it! Dr. Pete Allison joins us in this episode to share how he got involved with PSIA-AASI, the roots of the credentialing project, and how that’s resulted in a certificate program for ski and snowboard instructors. This week’s hot take: What are the most im...

The second episode of the new year is Top Tips for Level 1 Certification! Join Chris, Matt, and Brian, as they share their thoughts on the best things you can do to prepare and be successful at your Level 1 cert. Whether you’re getting ready for your Level 1, a trainer helping others prepare, or just a friend in the locker room that knows a buddy who’s about to go to the Level 1, there’s something...

Episode 46 - We're done Waiting, Let's talk about Weighting We’re back from the holiday break with a fresh episode on up- and down-unweighting. Ever wonder what is actually going on with pressure management on your snowboard when you move vertically to change edges? This is the episode for you! This week’s hot take: Performance vs durability in gear construction! The snowboard podcast All I Really...

Inspired by Spotify’s “Wrapped” stats about the show, Chris, Brian, and Matt reflect on the 19 episodes they’ve recorded since rebooting the podcast and discuss what they’ve learned in the process of recording the pod. Tune in to hear their thoughts on highlights and challenges of recording a snowboarding podcast! This week’s hot take: Favorite moment from the show! The snowboard podcast All I Rea...

In this week’s episode, Brian, Chris, and Matt dive into what’s in their pockets when working as instructors and examiners. Numerous threads are followed, including locker contents, and whether snow and coffee lead to dehydration.  This week’s hot take: what’s the biggest failed innovation in snowboarding? The snowboard podcast All I Really Need to Know I Learned from Snowboarding is a weekly podc...

The SCARF model is a psychological theory that explains how five social dynamics can trigger a threat or reward response in our brains. These elements are Status, Certainty, Autonomy, Relatedness, and Fairness.  The SCARF model was developed by Dr. David Rock in 2008 in his paper, "SCARF: A Brain-Based Model for Collaborating With and Influencing Others". The model is based on neuroscience researc...

New hire training, ITC, instructor training course, whatever your ski and snowboard school calls it, we all have them! With training season upon us, Chris, Matt, and Brian share their thoughts on hiring and training new instructors!  The snowboard podcast All I Really Need to Know I Learned from Snowboarding is a weekly podcast with AASI Snowboard National Team Members Chris Rogers, Matt Larson, a...

This spring is the 25th anniversary of Rider Rally, and we’re celebrating by bringing Rally to Copper Mountain in Colorado. This week, tune in as we welcome AASI National Team alumni Eric Sheckleton to the show. Eric is the President of Interski and has been involved in shaping much of the last 30 yeas of PSIA-AASI. He also helped create the first Rider Rally 25 years ago!  The snowboard podcast A...

Files, Diamond Stones, and Waxing, oh my! In episode 40, Matt, Chris, and Brian dive into the wide world of snowboard care and tuning! Hear about their learnings and takeaways for maintaining gear.  This week’s hot take: Pros and Cons of Family Private Lessons! The snowboard podcast All I Really Need to Know I Learned from Snowboarding is a weekly podcast with AASI Snowboard National Team Members...

Can we give you some feedback? You definitely need to hear this episode on developing your people skills through tools for delivering and receiving feedback! We’ve highlighted elements of this topic in previous episodes on learning from failure, but this one gets into the nitty gritty of giving and receiving feedback. Tune in to hear some of their ideas on how to grow your people skills and change...

There are many different ways to find success in the instruction industry. In a continuation from last week, this episode takes a deeper look at other pathways within the ski and snowboard industry. Tune in to hear more about how Matt’s dual careers as a nurse and snowboard instructor benefited both. Chris and Brian share pieces of their journey through management roles and back to teaching.  This...

There are many different ways to find success in the instruction industry. In this week’s episode we look at the paths of teacher, trainer, and examiner. What is the difference between teaching and training? How does that change as an examiner? Tune in to hear more about Matt, Chris, and Brian’s journey and how they found their place in the industry!  This week’s hot take: Does progression come fr...

In this episode, we connect with PSIA-AASI Snowboard Teammate Lyndsey Stevens on the topic of growth through failure. Lyndsey is a second-term national team member and shares some of the successes and failures she experienced along the way! The snowboard podcast All I Really Need to Know I Learned from Snowboarding is a weekly podcast with AASI Snowboard National Team Members Chris Rogers, Matt La...

In this episode, we follow up on Episode 33, answering a bunch of listener questions from that episode on commonly misunderstood terminology specific to the snowboard instruction vernacular. Flexing vs Extending Edge Change, Retraction, Up-Unweighting and Down-Unweighting, and Rad are all covered in this episode! This week’s hot take: What’s the deal with asymmetrical sidecut? The snowboard podcas...

In this episode, we delve into the heart of snowboard instruction, it’s not just teaching them how to snowboard, but how to be snowboarders. Join us as we discuss the significance of inviting others into our culture and lifestyle while teaching the skills needed to snowboard. What’s the difference between things that we do versus things that we are? Whether you’re a long time instructor or new to...

This week we’re joined by new PSIA-AASI Snowboard Team Member, Jesse Yedwab! Jesse is a Snowboard and Freestyle Examiner in the RM Region, and an experienced freestyle coach. We took this opportunity to dive into the sometimes confusing world of freestyle trick names, including the differences and similarities between frontside and backside for calling spins vs rails, as well as the difference bet...

Sometimes exams don't go the way we hope. In this episode, Matt, Chris, and Brian share their personal experiences and takeaways from failing exams as well as discuss mindsets and training plans while prepping for a re-sit. This episode features our first giveaway, courtesy of WSI Sports. Check the instagram to find out how you can enter for a chance to win a $100 gift card! Also in this episode,...

With nighttime temps approaching 32 degrees and resorts hiring staff for the 24-25 season, we thought it was an appropriate time to do an episode on how exactly one goes about becoming a snowboard or ski instructor. Join Chris, Matt, and Brian, as they reflect on their journey from snowboarder to snowboard educator. Along the way, they'll share their top tips for how to move to a mountain, get a j...

It's another listener suggested episode... with a twist! In 2020 Cori Lambert was an AASI Level 3 working towards becoming a trainer. She emailed the show with some questions just as the podcast went on hiatus. Fast forward 4 years, and Cori has not only become a trainer at Aspen Snowmass, she's now a Rocky Mountain examiner, and in the spring of 2024 was selected to the PSIA-AASI Snowboard Nation...