First Chair: PSIA-AASI Podcast

First Chair catches up with Andrew Weibrecht, a World Cup alpine ski racer and two-time Olympic medalist from the United States, about the Ligety Weibrecht Ski Camps taking place this summer at Mt. Hood, Oregon. Learn how the camp's organizers have adapted to today’s new normal and will incorporate some remote indoor learning opportunities to support their on-snow summer camps. Andrew shares how h...

Eric Rolls serves as the new AASI Snowboard Coach for the PSIA-AASI National Team and he shares his story about his role as a long-term veteran of the snowboard team. Learn more about Eric, who brings an open mind to the table with his leadership background in snowsports from his years of experience as Training Manager for Park City in Utah. He also talks about how he’s been integral in the develo...

PSIA Alpine Team member, Jonathan Ballou, talks about the situational application of PSIA’s Alpine Skiing Fundamentals, which serve as the technical foundation for “what” is taught with regard to pressure control, edge control, and rotational control – all of which promote skiing in balance. Learn why and how PSIA uses the Alpine Skiing Fundamentals as the foundation of technical content in ski le...

First Chair catches up with Chris Hargrave at Oregon’s Timberline Lodge about how the resort reopened on for limited skiing and riding. Timberline Lodge shut down for more than two-months due to the coronavirus pandemic, and Chris shares what the resort did and is continuing to do in order to reopen and stay open.

First Chair catches up with PSIA Alpine Team member Ryan Christofferson about new online learning opportunities that are available to all PSIA-AASI members. Check out how Western has set up and structured their digital learning opportunities and how you can hop in and continue your online learning this month on courses such as Alpine, Snowboard, and Telemark Remote Movement Analysis. Visit: https:...

First Chair catches up with Erin Farrell, Katie Feucht, Deanna Swanson and Blake White about new online learning opportunities that are available to all PSIA-AASI members. Erin, Deanna and Blake share their experience about what it’s been like to participate in this Remote Movement Analysis 101 – Observation and Evaluation session and how it’s helping them continue their online learning. Visit: ww...

AASI Snowboard Team member, Chris Rogers, talks about the practical teaching applications of Snowboarding Fundamentals – which can be described as the combined movements of the body (flexion/extension and rotation) and Board Performances (pressure, tilt, pivot, and twist) that relate to the actions of the board and its interaction with the riding surface. Learn how movements of the body interact w...

First Chair catches up with Gates Lloyd, director of the snowsports school at Colorado’s Arapahoe Basin about how the resort reopened on Wednesday, May 27 for limited skiing and riding for the rest of this spring season. A-Basin shut down for more than two-months due to the coronavirus pandemic, and Gates shares what the resort did and is doing in order to reopen this month.

First Chair catches up with Pete Allison, Jill Chumbley, Rick Lyons and Dave Schuiling about how PSIA-AASI is drawing ever closer to strategic alignment and how all PSIA-AASI divisions have adopted a 6-point scale to measure assessment criteria. This means that instructors training for certification, resort trainers, education staff, and divisional examiners will all be working out of the same ass...

First Chair catches up with PSIA Alpine Team member Ann Schorling about her work on the People Skills Fundamentals, one of the main tenants of PSIA-AASI’s Learning Connection framework. People Skills encourage an empathetic approach to students and their needs, and it promotes a relationship based on trust and respect. Ann chats about how incorporating people skills into your lessons can help you...

PSIA-AASI and Volkswagen share a common passion for spending time outdoors in the winter and a focus on a sustainable future. Will Gock shares how VW provides all PSIA-AASI members and its eight divisions with access to the mountains and the outdoors in all types of weather with their vehicles that have 4Motion All-Wheel Drive. You and your household members are eligible to receive a special Partn...

PSIA-AASI’s Educational Excellence Award program recognizes those exceptional few members who authored PSIA-AASI educational materials over the years and have added significantly to, and possibly even changed, the educational direction of PSIA-AASI. The Awards and Recognition Committee recently named Lane Clegg as the recipient of this award. Lane talks about the what it means to him to receive th...

First Chair catches up with PSIA Alpine Teach Coach Michael Rogan about the PSIA Alpine Team training event that was held at Snowbasin earlier this season. Hear from Michael and Paul Guimond from Atomic on why it was important for the PSIA Alpine team to demo Super G skis and compare that experience to their skiing experience on slalom skis.

First Chair catches up with PSIA Cross Country Team Coach Emily Lovett. With only one term under her belt, Lovett has established her expertise, and she is now a leader within the cross country community. She understands not only the sport, but also the business side of cross country skiing. Her familiarity with encouraging participation will be a valuable asset as PSIA-AASI continues to provide m...

PSIA-AASI’s Distinguished Service Award program recognizes those who’ve made important contributions that have added to PSIA-AASI’s success by providing educational programming support and demonstrating positive leadership skills. The Awards and Recognition Committee recently named Dee Byrne as the recipient of this award. Dee talks about what it means to her to receive this award and how her stud...

First Chair catches up with PSIA Alpine Team member Jennifer Simpson Weier, who moonlights in her off-season as an emergency room nurse. Jennifer shares her experience about ending her ski season early at Aspen and making the transition to working as a frontline ER provider in Minnesota. PSIA-AASI sends a special shout out to Jennifer and all the frontline healthcare workers today on #nursesday an...

First Chair catches up with Katie Feucht about new online learning opportunities that are available to all PSIA-AASI members. Check out how Northwest has set up and structured their digital learning opportunities and how you can hop in and continue your online learning this month on courses such as Alpine, Snowboard, and Telemark Remote Movement Analysis. Visit: www.psia-nw.org/events View more PS...

First Chair catches up with Muffy Ritz, former U.S. Ski Team member and top-notch athlete, about her first-hand experience with COVID-19. She talks about her experience when she first became sick on March 17, to her worst day on Day 15 which included her experiencing an earthquake, to where she is now, at Day 39 for what she’s feeling now during her recovery process. Take a listen to her experienc...

PSIA-AASI’s Educational Excellence Award program recognizes those exceptional few members who authored PSIA-AASI educational materials over the years and have added significantly to, and possibly even changed, the educational direction of PSIA-AASI. The Awards and Recognition Committee recently named Kim Seevers as the recipient of this award. Kim talks about the what it means to her to receive th...

Connecting via Zoom, First Chair catches up with Henrik Lampert and Daniel Dancer from PSIA-AASI Official Supplier Faction Skis. The team chats about how COVID-19 has impacted their manufacturing, and how they're working to manage expectations for next season. Get the inside scoop on their supply chain and what that means for ski instructors interested in flat-tail skis. Check out special members-...

A strange end to our season cancelled in-person education events. However, all PSIA-AASI Divisions did a quick 180 to use technology platforms to provide all PSIA-AASI members with new courses and events so the entire instructor community could continue to learn online during these unusual times. PSIA-AASI Central Division members and leaders Joel Kruger and Ron Shepard and AASI National Snowboard...

Meet Erin Connors and Ciarra Delisle from Windham Mountain. Erin helped introduce Ciarra to Windham Mountain’s Junior Instructor Program and Ciarra shares her experience about why it’s fun to work as an instructor. Learn how you can use PSIA-AASI’s Junior Instructor Program to jump start your training program for next season. www.thesnowpros.org/junior-instructor

PSIA-AASI’s Lifetime Achievement Award program recognizes exceptional members who have designed and implemented programs, projects and procedures affecting the association on a national level. PSIA-AASI’s Awards and Recognition Committee recently named Stephen Over and Mark Dorsey as the recipient of this award. Stephen and Mark talk about the meaning of the award to them and all the instructors w...

Over the years, several myths about snowboarding have taken root, including that kids need to learn to ski before they ride, that snowboard gear is too big for younger children, and that the first day on the slopes is too hard. Chloe Elliot, Burton’s B2C global resorts coordinator, busts those myths and talks about how Burton is committed to getting families out riding together and that means maki...

PSIA-AASI National Team members Matt Boyd, Heidi Ettlinger, Brenna Kelleher and Chris Rogers share their story about their last resort run of this season. Get the scoop too on what’s happening across the country related to how you can keep up with your digital learning while you stay at home these days. http://tiny.cc/stayhomelearn