THE JOURNAL OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN PROFESSIONAL SKI AND SNOWBOARD INSTRUCTOR
SPRING 2012
Rocky Mountain Board Representatives Joel Munn, President, Front Range Fred Rumford, Vice President, Southern District Rick Hinckley, Secretary, Southern District Donnie Mechalke, Front Range Joe Webster, Western Slope Jane Tarlow, Front Range Tiffany Truitt, Western Slope Robert Lemley, Member at Large Rick Rodd, Member at Large Robin May, Southern District Jason Hartmann, Western Slope PSIA/AASI Representative Peter Donahue COMMITTEE CHAIRS: Barbara Szwebel – Adaptive Chair Jonathan Ballou – Alpine Chair Dusty Dyar – Children’s Chair Patti Banks – Nordic Chair Michael Blanton – Snowboard Chair Jack Sciacca – Member School Chair
Survey says‌ By Dana Forbes, Executive Director
A
month ago I put together a very short and simple survey regarding membership billing timeframe, online systems, and future event trends. It was sent out via broadcast e-mail to all Rocky Mountain members. Although I would have preferred to hear back from more of you, we did get 754 responses. What was most impressive however were the many comments you all took time to write. The comments ranged from supportive to less then however this is what we want. We don’t just want to know the good things we want to know the bad. Without it we would never get better. I have included the results from the survey below.
2. We are considering utilizing an online event registration system similar to the one we had in place three years ago. For those of you familiar with the difference in the current and former systems, please tell us which you would prefer.
5. Please rate www.thesnowpros.org for ease of navigation
ANSWER OPTIONS
ANSWER OPTIONS
RESPONSE %
# RESPONSES
Current System
12.2%
85
Former System
21.3%
148
Not Applicable
66.5%
463
ANSWER OPTIONS
RESPONSE %
# RESPONSES
Yes
83.6%
612
No
16.4%
120
Very Easy
RESPONSE %
# RESPONSES
7.9%
57
Easy
49.7%
361
Somewhat Difficult
34.3%
249
8.1%
59
Difficult
3. If Rocky Mountain utilizes an updated online registration, how would you plan to register for events in 2012-13?
6. Please rate www.psia-rm.org for ease of navigation
ANSWER OPTIONS
ANSWER OPTIONS
RESPONSE %
# RESPONSES
90.5%
658
# RESPONSES
Section One: Online Tools
1. Please rate the current on-line event registration for efficiency regarding the time it takes to sign up for an event
Send in via US mail
5.2%
38
Easy
53.9%
389
Fax in event application
4.3%
31
Somewhat Difficult
29.8%
215
6.5%
47
ANSWER OPTIONS
RESPONSE %
# RESPONSES
Very Efficient
17.3%
129
Somewhat Efficient
37.7%
281
Inefficient Have not used online event registration
2
9%
67
24.6%
183
Very Easy
RESPONSE %
Online via the website
Difficult
4. In an effort to reduce paper and expenses we are considering printing one Fall Newsletter and supplementing all other communications with monthly electronic newsletters and utilization of the website. Are you in support of this initiative?
9.8%
71
Comments: It came as no surprise that the responses to this section varied. We are and will continue to move towards utilizing electronic means to communicate, we just know we need to get better at it. We do not plan to change systems this upcoming year in hopes PSIA-RM/AASI SPRING 2012
we can work with National to improve on the existing one. We do however plan on rebuilding our website to support this initiative. It is yet to be determined if we will reduce the number of Newsletters we print however we will increase the ways in which we communicate information to you so as to reach all sectors of our membership. Section Two: Dues Billing
Answer Options
1
2
3
4
The printed schedule in 42.9% 28.0% 13.6% 15.5% the early fall or fall issues of the Instructor to Instructor newsletter The online schedule on the 44.2% 28.6% 16.9% 10.3% Rocky Mountain Division website at www.psia-rm.org The PSIA-RM-AASI 14.8% 18.7% 31.7% 34.7% schedule poster in our snowsports school locker room
7. If you had your choice would you like your Rocky Mountain membership cycle to run:
Suggestions from my school 14.9% 15.5% 25.5% 44.1% director, trainer or fellow instructors
ANSWER OPTIONS
10. When do you prefer to attend a Rocky Mountain event? (rank in order where 1 is your first preference)
RESPONSE % # RESPONSES
July 1-Jun 30 (as is) billed in May, due by June 30th
36%
247
Sept 1-Aug 31, billed in July, due by Aug 31st
9.6%
66
October 1-Sept 30, billed in Aug, due by Sept 30th
11.8%
81
Nov 1-Oct 31, billed in Sept, due by Oct 31st
42.6%
1
2
3
Before January 1
37%
27.2% 35.7%
January-February
50.2%
34.8% 15%
March through early May
26.5%
30.4% 43.1%
292
Comments: It is unacceptable to me as your ED that only 36% of the membership is satisfied with the current billing cycle. This was impossible to change for the upcoming season since it affects both National and Rocky Mountain since our dues are coupled together and billed through the same system; however Rocky Mountain has delayed their late fee until September 1st in hopes to support the 64% of the membership who would prefer it in the Fall. We will do our best to address this for the 2013-14 billing cycle. Section three: Products and Events
8. If Rocky Mountain offered online courses for continuing education credit, how likely would you be to participate? ANSWER OPTIONS
ANSWER OPTIONS
RESPONSE %
# RESPONSES
Definitely Likely
28.2%
205
Likely
41.9%
304
Somewhat unlikely
24.1%
175
Definitely unlikely
5.8%
42
9. What are your primary sources for seeking information on Rocky Mountain events (rank from 1 to 4 where 1 is your first score):
11. Please rate Rocky Mountain’s on line education material resources ANSWER OPTIONS Excellent Good Poor Don’t Know
RESPONSE %
# RESPONSES
8.5%
62
48%
352
5.2%
38
16.9%
124
Comments: The membership seems in favor of offering online courses. It will be a project that we will look further in to this summer in hopes to maybe even have an offering for next season. We are however working hard to have all disciplines written exams available online. With our (Rocky Mountain) website revamp we will be using the website as a source of information verses a place to register for events and membership. This will not only eliminate the confusion on where to go for what, it will give us the opportunity to clean up all online education materials. For those of you, who don’t utilize the FREE online educational materials, get on it! You are missing out! Although it was a short and simple survey the responses from you will shape our future as an organization. Please if you didn’t take the time to complete this survey, do so in the future so the greater voice is represented. We do what we do, for you…our member. A
The official publication of PSIA - Rocky Mountain - AASI P. O. Box 775143 Steamboat Springs, CO 80477 Phone: 970.879.8335 Fax: 970.879.6760 Executive director - dana@psia-rm.org Director of Operations - carolyn@psia-rm.org Director of Education - dave@psia-rm.org Events Coordinator - ks@psia-rm.org website - www.psia-rm.org General Information Submissions of articles, photos or other items for publication are invited. PSIARocky Mountain- AASI members submitting articles of an educational nature with a minimum of 500 words will be reimbursed $100 per published article. Type copy should be double spaced and sent to the editor at the above address. A disk may be submitted along with a hard copy in either PC or MAC formats. All the submitted material is subject to editing. Use of all material will be at the discretion of the editorial staff. Articles are accepted on the condition that they may be released for publication in all PSIA/AASI National and Divisional publications. Instructor to Instructor is published four times per year by the PSIA-Rocky Mountain - AASI divsion. Permission is hereby given to PSIA/AASI and all divisions of PSIA/AASI to copy original materials from the newsletter providing credit is given to PSIA - Rocky Mountain - AASI and the author, and the material is not altered. Articles that contain specific copyright notices may not be reprinted without written permission from the author. Subscriptions: Persons who are not members of PSIA - Rocky Mountain AASI can purchase a one-year subscription of Instructor to Instructor for $15. Send your name and address along with payment to the above address. Note: Materials published in Instructor to Instructor which have been provided by persons in other than an official capacity, or for official purposes, are the responsibility of the author, and do not necessarily represent the opinions or policies of PSIA-Rocky Mountain - AASI.
SPRING 2012 PSIA-RM/AASI 3
Seasonal Fandango By Dave Schuiling, Director of Education
W
ell that was interesting” Bill Murray, Stripes. That statement pretty much sums up our season. Yeah, it wasn’t bad, but it was so far from the really good we enjoyed last season. But as I’ve said before, adversity makes us stronger, in a masochistic kind of way. But hey, it’s still sliding right? Even if right now we all feel like we’re sliding on a super big gulp, Coca Cola slushy right now, I can’t help but look back on this incredibly interesting season and smile about all of the wonderful highlights along the way. Please allow me to revel in a brief walk down memory lane as I reflect on another great season. Just like our powder days are spontaneous and sporadic (especially this season), so are the glimpses of brilliance, so please stay with me on this journey that outlines a few highlights of the 2011-12 season.
The Rate of Exchange
We began a process of sharing best practices with our regional division sisters and brothers last season by observing each other’s Level 3 exam processes. This collaborative effort began with the divisions of East, Rocky Mountain and West attending staff trainings as well as alpine L3 three exam processes. The experience was so overwhelmingly positive that we extended the exchange program into this season at our RM Fall Training event in Breckenridge. By opening up communications and invitations to everyone, we hosted 12 Educators from 6 Divisions and three separate disciplines. Our tour this season added Intermountain as we visited Jackson Hole for their L3 Exams. As a logical next step, our exchange with East resulted in Education staff working in each other’s divisions during exams that they have already observed. The true spirit of exchange has been realized! A highlight of working the Eastern exams at Hunter Mountain was witnessing Glen Plake complete his L3 certification! Upon the conclusion of results, we had some free time in the Hunter slush to slide it “old school” with Glen, ripping bumps, busting twisters, spread eagles, royal Christies, slow dog noodles and ballet skiing. The regional efforts to collaborate have inspired an educational standards 4
college in conjunction with next season’s National Team Training. Educators from the entire country will descend upon and all over the open terrain of Copper Mountain to continue discussions on best practices and standards review. As we work to align our processes, our membership will ultimately benefit from the efforts.
The Children are the Future
Children’s Specialist products continue to blow up (in a good way) as we had another very productive season with these phenomenal events. Many instructors and resort supervisors are realizing the added benefits of gaining versatility through expanding their teaching repertoire into the children’s arena. Remember also, that defining is a child is not simply by age alone. How many times
have we seen grown adults, who are sometimes managers of major companies, act like their own children while on vacation? Therefore, the CAP model comes in handy all of the time while teaching on snow. Current trends have also defined a growing number of families who want to learn together and teaching the family private has become an added skill utilized by successful and therefore very popular instructors. The current alpine National standards contain language about the ability to develop varying populations including children. However, accurately assessing this depth of teaching knowledge is often difficult during the level 2 and level 3 discipline exams due to a lack of time. Since the children’s specialist products provide detailed assessment of children’s development knowledge, a logical next step is to integrate CS certificates into the overall exam process. Beginning next season, 2012/13, CS2 will be a required prerequisite to attain the Level 3 alpine certification. In the future, we will also integrate the CS1 into the Level 2 alpine process. The current Children’s Specialist standards dictate that the CS1 is a prerequisite to CS2. However if you are Level 2 certified or higher with chilPSIA-RM/AASI SPRING 2012
dren’s teaching experience, you may qualify for a CS1 exemption. The application can be found in the education materials on the PSIA-RM-AASI website. Both of the current Children’s Specialist certificates will expand your knowledge and versatility in teaching guests of all ages. The more experienced we become as instructors to nurture the learning partnership, the more our guests will be asking for more time with us!
force of key specialists from snowboard and freeskiing. Our National teams selection have joined alpine freestyle and snowboard together at Copper Mountain due to the increased need of experience in this genre, representing PSIA/ AASI Nationally and therefore internationally. The Alpine Team is prepared to have up to three freestyle specialists on the new team for 2012 – 2016. More information is provided below! Keep reading.
clinic leading skill, in door presentations and behavioral interviews. The new process will allow candidates to show their entire package of exceptional experience in the snowsports industry. The outcome of this process will be a team that embodies three attributes outlined by the Teams Taskforce in 2010: INSPIRATIONAL EDUCATORS LIFELONG LEARNERS INSPIRIATIONAL ATHLETES Simply, going through this process is a huge commitment and the experience gained is tremendous. Hats off to all of the applicants! Anchor the feeling!
2012-2016 National Teams
Let Freedom Rein
In a similar fashion, the Freestyle Specialist products have also been very popular. Who doesn’t want to get their jib on? Freestyle has been around long before terrain parks as indicated earlier in this article from exploits of skiing with the sliding Mohican, Mr. Plake. Therefore, freestyle in this day and age still doesn’t have to be driven by a designated resort park. Of course, parks do add to the theme park mentality of most modern freestyle aficionados. Due to the surge in popularity born from the action sports market, ala X-games and the recent announcement of skiing Slopestyle and Half Pipe being added to winter Olympic Games, freestyle is evolving and the sky dome is wide open. National freestyle standards are being developed with a task
By the time you actually read this, the new teams will be chosen. I’m proud to say that I’ve witnessed some wonderful talent come together for training and collaboration in preparation of the selection process. PSIARM-AASI supported the training by hosting events that began last April at A-basin with the 3 day RM Assessment Team Trials (RATT). Six on snow and evening training sessions continued into this season to help prepare our RM as well as special guest candidates for the National selection. The application and selection process changed to more represent a job application process. Hopeful candidates submitted resumes, references, writing pieces and a video interview answering three specific questions. 1. Tell us about yourself. 2. Describe an experience that defines your personal approach to teaching snowsports. 3. Tell us why you should be on the team. After careful review of all applications, invitations were sent out to applicants for the on-snow (2nd round) portions of the selections in Copper Mountain and Snowbird. People invited to the on snow events will have four days to present themselves as viable members of the National Teams through on snow performance, teaching/
In my last Instructor to Instructor article, I mentioned that the chase is always better than the catch. Hopefully many of you took advantage of the marginal snow to get out there and chase down a few of your goals and dreams. Teaching Snowsports is rewarding to no end and one of the attributes that defines most of our membership in body, mind and spirit is listed above with the attribute of “lifelong learners.” As you all reflect on the season that was 2011/12, take a moment and think of the best run or even day you had on snow. Where were you? What were you wearing? In great detail, think back to all of the external and internal feedback flooding your senses of sight, sound, touch, smell, taste and balance. Now take this sensation/experience and anchor it to a physical cue that you can relate to down the road. Examples of physical cues could be a clap of the hands, a deep exhale, stomp of the foot, knuckle bump or high five. Mine has always been a quick smack of my right butt cheek with MY right hand. No one else can perform YOUR personal cue! This smack immediately triggers the emotions and sensations of my memorable moment that I’ve anchored to this physical cue. If you spend a little time with this exercise you can be anywhere this summer and conjure up an exhilarating winter memory with snap of your fingers or clench of your fist. Research has been performed on the power of such physical cues to even evoke exceptional performances in the moment. We’ll save this topic for another article. In the mean time, enjoy your mud seasons and have a great “off season” For those of you on the endless winter tour, I’m already jealous. Anchor your winter experiences to get you through and the snow will soon be flying again. Slide on everyone! A
SPRING 2012 PSIA-RM/AASI 5
The following members are being honored at the Vail Spring Fling party. Congratulations to all and thanks for being such great members over the years! 45-Year Members:
35-Year Members:
25-year Members:
Peter G. Bowen Robert M. Campbell, Jr. Muriel J. Frei Robert J. Gagne Ronald A. James Michael J. Kelley Michael L. Lorton Rudolph Marco Mapelli William Sloatman David A. Westin
Kristine Anderson James Elliott Banks John M. Beens Jeffrey E. Black Craig F. Cambria William Casserly Timothy T. Clark John Richard Craig Heather Lee DeVos Norman P. Dumas Clifford Edwards Charlie Farnan Larry W. Freet Emily Graves Dennis R. Hopkins Jeanne Marie Hyland George M. LaFramboise Betsy B. Lincicome Mark Austin Miller Graeme John Morris Dirk S. Muller Bill O'Connell Christine L. Orr Edward Petrosius James Redmond John Seymour Nancy B. Westfeldt Gregory J. Wiggins
David York Anderson Ben P. Arndt Stephen L. Beairsto Joanie Brewster Jeanne Hammond Buck R Jameson Burns Christopher Cady Donald Daigle Charles DeFelice Elizabeth M. DiJulio David L. Edwards Mark Fish Brian K. Flanagan Robert F. Garvin Victor Gerdin Daniel D. Gilbert Julian A. Gregory Jane E. Hamlin Chris A Heidebrecht Patrick Heise Angela Hornbrook Patrick J. Hunter Lizabeth Jamison Roy N. Koch William Lawson Pamela Leisle Neil R. McCleary Paul Naschak
Randall Nelstead Hajime Omori Dana Otopalik Kevin Owen Charles L. Page, Jr. Carolyn Pope Richard J. Rauch Jocelyn Ritti Lance Romick Jacek B. Rosa Heinz Rosch Pamela K. Rosenthal Robin Scarlett Barry Seitz G. Todd Smith William J. Stuhr, III Scott Dewalt Taylor George P. Telepas Maria B. Tucholke Donna VanHoy Jeff Veden Paige Walker Scott Michael Webster Barry J. Wheeler Marty Wilcox Susan Elizabeth Wong Dave Yost Vinio Zanier James L. Ziegler
Congratulations to the Successful Candidates for the Board of Directors!
Jason Hartmann Western Slope
6
Donnie Mechalke Front Range
Rick Hinckley Southern District
Bob Lemley Member at Large
PSIA-RM/AASI SPRING 2012
“Creating NBA All Stars” By Dusty Dyar
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hile teaching children to ski, it is often challenging to produce idealistic movement patterns. “NBA All Stars” is one activity which helps children make accomplish more realistic movements. The benefit is it allows them to primarily use their large muscle groups while helping them balance on the outside ski through a turn. First, evaluate whether the children will affectively connect with the idea of playing basketball. The activity could also to be modified to incorporate a different sport, or move to something else, like animals. Luckily, by 7 years old, most children understand basketball and have dribbled a ball at some point in their lives so the connection will be easy for them. Next, consider the cognitive stage of the children. Set up concrete (actual physical items vs. conceptual) activities for younger children. Even older children and teens still benefit from concrete activities when trying new concepts like inside and outside. Carefully set up each activity: the activity in this example is dribbling a basketball around the outside of each turn. First, do a boot game where the class is in a line side by side and at arm’s length. Then give each student the opportunity to weave in and out of
the line while walking in their boots. As they weave in and out of the line, have the students dribble an imaginary basketball around each of the people in line. Each person in line is a defender trying to take the ball away from the dribbler. To keep the ball away from each defender, have the student dribble the basketball with the hand that is away from the defender (a.k.a.- your outside hand). Have them switch hands to dribble around the next
defender in line. Reinforce the idea of inside and outside of turns with this activity. Finally, take it skiing! To include everyone, set up poles or cones to represent the defenders instead of skiing around each other. Add the idea that the ball transfers hands as the skis change edges, and dribble the ball outside the skis. With success, remove poles or cones and transfer these concepts to free skiing, letting hand position replace dribbling. While skiing, look for the children to create angles laterally in their bodies with their center of mass aligning over their outside foot. Add accuracy to the movements by modifying how the ball is dribbled around the turn. Dribble forward to try to get the child to move forward. To help children move into the next turn, have them dribble diagonally forward and away from their boots in the finish phase of the turn. Dribble with both hands through the transition so the shoulders are parallel to the slope. Finally, progressively move to solely dribbling with the “new” outside hand. This will lead to inclination at the start of the turn and then progressively creating angles through the shaping into the finish of the turn. Focus on the big muscle groups (torso and upper legs) working down the body to achieve more refined lateral movements. A
DUES REMINDER • 2012/2013 dues statements will be mailed in late April or early May, 2012. • Active and Inactive member dues total is $111 for 2012/13 dues • Rocky Mountain portion is $50 and PSIA/AASI National portion is $61. • Alumni member dues total is $50 - Rocky Mountain portion is $25 and PSIA/AASI National portion is $25. Please contact the RM office for eligibility details. • NEW - Senior membership - Rocky Mountain portion is $40 and PSIA/AASI National portion is $51. Member is 75 years of age or older and has a minimum of10 years continuous membership. • Dues may be paid on-line at http://www.thesnowpros.org. You
may also mail a check to PO Box 775143, Steamboat Springs, CO 80477 or call (970) 879-8335 with credit card information to pay dues. • Please remember that dues must be in the office by June 30, 2012 to avoid the late fee. Any payments received after 6/30/12 without the late fee will be mailed back for the additional late fee. • If you have had or will be having a change of address, please check your account at http://www.thesnowpros.org to assure that a valid mailing address is on file. • Please update your e-mail address as the first and last reminders for dues payments will be sent by e-mail. The first e-mail will be sent when the dues invoices are prepared and ready for payment. A paper statement will be mailed after the first reminder. A
SPRING 2012 PSIA-RM/AASI 7
Alpine L3 Skiing Exam changes for 2012/13 By Jonathan Ballou
T
his time last season, I wrote and article for the Instructor to Instructor magazine, suggesting potential changes to the PSIA-RM Level III skiing exam process. Dave Schuiling confirmed some of the 2012/13 changes in fall issue, including the addition of CS2 as one of the modules required for Level III certification. This article will outline upcoming changes, the philosophy behind them, and how they may potentially affect some of the membership currently in the Level III process. Philosophy
The National Level III standards are based on application of the Skills Concept in terrain and tactical situations that are relevant to demonstrating and visually communicating in the Advanced Skier Zone. In other words: the application of skills, at a demonstration level, for a level 8 or 9 student. This is currently assessed through the skillful demonstration of 9 individual tasks. The purpose of each task is to demonstrate a different blend of skills and tactical applications. Each task is assessed separately, and each stands alone on the scorecard. While this method has developed greater proficiency and clarity in the exam process, and has greatly aided in the consistency within the division, it has also lead many of us to become “task focused” rather then “skill focused”. The job of the Full-Cert, or Level III instructor is to be versatile. We use statements like “anytime, anywhere” and “the countries top level of certification”. These descriptions demand creativity, flexibility, and focus of skillfulness rather than perfection of a task. To verify versatility and adaptability those traits need to be understood, valued, and present in the training and assessment process. 2012/13 Process
While skills based training and assessment is the end goal, tasks will still be present. This is necessary to ensure consistency and to set parameters for successful training and evaluation. The tasks on the skiing exam will be divided into three categories. A pair of exam8
iners will assess each category during a block of time. • Isolated Skills Maneuvers test the candidate’s ability to demonstrate a skill in isolation or highlight a specific skill. Example: Railroad tracks for edging, pivot slips for rotary, and leapers for pressure control. • Basic Blended Skills Maneuvers test the ability to blend skills at lower speeds. What is assessed in this category is how one skill affects another skill, or the overall blend (skill to skill relationship). Example: wedge christie, basic parallel, short radius basic parallel in the bumps, wedge turns, etc.… • Applied Skills Maneuvers test a candidate’s ability to blend skills to a demonstration level at level 8 and 9 speeds and in level 8 and 9 terrain. These will be performance short turns, medium radius carved turns, fall line bumps, and variable terrain and conditions. In many ways, the changes aren’t that different from the current process. Examiners will still work in pairs, and all the current tasks fit into the exam process. The main differences are that the skills are highlighted (as opposed to the tasks), and that the examining pair will be have the ability to ski with the group. This gives the examiners the ability
to give visual demonstrations, create rapport and group dynamics, and a degree of flexibility with terrain (kind of like using the teaching model). This will also greatly aid in the consistency of message and feedback, since candidates will be receiving feedback from one set of examiners for an extended period of time before moving to another pair. Banking
Don’t worry, banking is not going away! We firmly believe becoming certified is an educational process, and want to continue to validate successes along the path. Banking is, however, changing a bit. Currently all maneuvers are banked for “life”, or at least as long as the maneuver is part of the exam (and the exam process stays the same). This process, while in some cases is very effective, tends to highlight the task rather then the skill or blend of skills. Starting next season banking will be by category, rather than by tasks. Candidates who successfully compete a category will “bank” that category for a period of three seasons. Each category will be scored a little bit differently. Please refer to the scorecard for specifics of the scoring process. Those currently in the PSIA-RM/AASI SPRING 2012
PSIA-RM CERTIFIED LEVEL 3 SKIING ASSESSMENT FORM
Attained Level 3 Skiing
Did Not Attain Level 3 Skiing
Date ____________ / _____________ / ____________
Scoring Criteria for Certified Level 3: 1: Essential elements 2: Essential elements 3: Essential elements 4: Essential elements 5: Essential elements 6: Essential elements
Candidate Name ____________________________________ Location ___________________________________________ Examiner (s) _______________________________________ __________________________________________________
were not observed or not present. are beginning to appear. appear, but not with consistency. appear regularly at a satisfactory level. appear frequently, above required level. appear continuously, at a superior level.
Passing level 3 skiing in PSIA-RM is defined by passing all sections in the skiing exam within a period of three seasons. Scoring for each section is defined under the section title. Individual sections may Comments: be banked for a period of 3 seasons. Isolated Skill Manuevers
Attained Date:
Did Not Attain
All scores must be 4 or higher Rotary
1 2 3 4 5 6
Edging
1 2 3 4 5 6
Pressure
1 2 3 4 5 6
Basic Blended Skills Manuevers
Attained Date:
Did Not Attain
Must average 4 or higher Task ________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6
Task ________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6
Task ________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6
Applied Skills Manuevers
Attained Date: All scores must be 4 or higher
Performance Short Radius Turns
Did Not Attain
1 2 3 4 5 6
Bumps
1 2 3 4 5 6 Must average 4 or higher
Medium Radius Carved Turns
1 2 3 4 5 6
Variable Terrain & Snow Conditions
1 2 3 4 5 6
process will be moved onto the new score card, and will retain the sections they have currently passed. For example: Passing the Isolated Skills Maneuvers section requires passing tasks that highlight rotary, edging, and pressure control. On the current score card the maneuvers that are currently in that category are railroad tracks and pivot slips. A candidate who successfully passed both maneuvers in the current system will have “banked” Isolated Skills Maneuvers in the new in the format. The Basic Blended Skills Maneuvers section is made up of three scores. These scores are averaged. On the current scorecard the maneuvers that make up this section are short radius basic parallel in bumps, wedge christie, and freestyle. Since this section is averaged,
a candidate would have get a total score of 12 to pass this category. For example, a candidate that currently has scores of 3 on wedge christies, 5 on freestyle, and 4 short radius basic parallel will “bank” the Basic Blended Skills Maneuvers because the average score of the three maneuvers is 4. A candidate that has not yet met the requirements of any given section in the current system, will have to do or re-do that entire section in the future. All members who are in the level III process at the conclusion of the 2011/12 season will be able to see where they are in the 2012/13 season by late May. This information will be available through the office. There will be no significant change to the Level III MA or Teaching modules for the 2012/13 seasons.
Our industry is ever changing and so are the needs of our guests, and therefore member schools. As the industry evolves, so must the training and evaluation processes. Almost five years ago we introduced a new and more comprehensive process of training and evaluating movement analysis. Two years ago we altered the teaching portion of the exam to allow more presentation time, and more realistic teaching scenarios. Since then we have turned our attention on the evolution of the skiing evaluation portion. It is our goal to constantly analyze processes with the intent of preserving our strengths, and limiting our weaknesses, through the process of change. As always, the Alpine Committee welcomes your suggestions and feedback. A
SPRING 2012 PSIA-RM/AASI 9
INSTRUCTOR TO INSTRUCTOR NEWSLETTER
Freestyle Specailist
The official newsletter of the Rocky Mountain Division is published four times per year with an average circulation of 6000. The schedule for submission of articles and advertisements is listed below:
By Scott Anfang
ISSUE SUBMISSION DELIVERY DEADLINE
Winter Spring Summer Fall
December 10 March 10 June 2 August 10
January March June September
CLASSIFIED AD RATES
• Classified rate for members is $15 for up to 200 characters, and $2.00 for each additional 50 characters. Maximum ad length is 400 characters. • Classified rate for non-members is $30 for up to 200 characters, and $4.00 for each additional 50 characters. Maximum ad length is 400 characters. DISPLAY ADVERTISING RATES
• Ads submitted must be camera ready or in digital format. • All ads will be printed in black and white only. • No ad cancellations will be accepted after the submission deadline. Size
Price Width x Height
1/12 page $60.00 1/8 page $90.00 1/6 page $115.00 ¼ page $175.00 1/3 page $220.00 ½ page $330.00 2/3 page $420.00 ¾ page $475.00 Full page $600.00
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o we have all been there, at a line up or meeting area, speaking with guests and potential students for the day. As you are trying to do the verbal split to get people directed to the appropriate class, you should be asking a few questions. They should be open-ended questions designed to engage in some form of conversation. The answers allow us to gather enough information to send them off in the right direction. This is very valuable time spent, as it sets the lessons and builds the groups for the day. What happens when we have to be responsible for placing ourselves in the right group? When there’s no one there to ask questions. No one to direct us into the right group. There is a web site - www.aasi-rm.org. It has loads of valuable information, standards and out-lines for all of our events. Please familiarize yourself with this website and all it’s information, and use it to help you decide which events are right for you. One of the main reasons for me sharing this information with everyone is directly related to the Freestyle Specialist programs. These are educational clinics that contain components of personal skill (riding/skiing), Movement Analysis (technical side), and teaching (communication and understanding). These freestyle clinics, although often viewed as the most fun, are still there for the purpose of education and personal
skill growth. They also support our motto of safety, fun and learning. They are NOT meant to be a huck-fest, or the time to try some completely new trick that you haven’t even taken the basic stepping-stones to building the necessary skills to be successful. In other words, if you’ve never hit a park jump before, going for the FS2 might not be your smartest decision. Ditto if you can do a sketch straight air over a medium size jump but have never done a spin in the park before. I guess what I’m trying to say is, read the clinic/course outlines offered on the website. They’ll give you guidelines and information to make realistic and smart decisions before you register for your freestyle events. Yes, there’s always potential for injury anytime you go up on the mountain, but educate yourselves. It’s always a drag when someone gets hurt. Make smart decisions to progress your skill set. Now back to the meeting area, speaking to people before a line up. Sure, most people will want to ride in the park, but before they do, we should make sure they’ve even been on a snowboard before. We have to assess them and send them to the right level lesson. We assess realistic short-term and long-term goals for other people all the time. Keep that same concept in mind when deciding where to place ourselves for any future freestyle specialist event. A PSIA-RM/AASI SPRING 2012
An Atypical Tip By Dale Drennan
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ome of my favorite legends of locker room lore revolve around tips. At the end of the day, we love to exchange stories and display those greenbacks as proof of our teaching prowess. It is at this time that questions begin to circulate. Which new instructor got their first tip? Why did they get a tip? Who got the most/biggest tips? Who got the most unusual tip? The new instructor, after receiving her first $20 tip, might buy her fellow instructors beers to celebrate a job well done. That $20 may never make it to the bank, but it serves as an affirmation of her teaching skills and, more importantly, of her relational skills. She must have done something to make her students happy. In the United States, good service theoretically merits tips. When I was a waitress, I strived to give prompt, friendly service so that I would get good tips. I smiled a lot even if I didn’t feel like smiling. At times, I almost felt like I had the words “TIP ME PLEASE” written on my teeth. Like the restaurant business, the ski industry is about offering good service, but what actually determines whether or not you get a tip? In group lessons, peer pressure plays an interesting role. Have you ever noticed that in group lessons, if one of your students gives you a tip, that action will cause the other students to search through their pockets for a few bills to chip in? This suggests, perhaps wrongly, that maybe we should plant a friend in our classes to remind the other students that they just received a great ski lesson from a poor struggling ski instructor! It is that end-of-the-lesson time which is so important. While you are wrapping things up, I think the action of reaching in your pocket to get your business card reminds students that they should probe their pockets for a few bills to show their appreciation. Receiving tips means that your students liked what happened in the lesson and they want to make you happy in return. Tips also send the message that your students would like to ski with you again sometime. The instructor who gets the most tips is often a veteran. This is a pro whose little black book is full of request privates, scheduled tightly together. All those appointments reflect a well developed ability to form last-
ing relationships with folks who often want to share what they have with their ski instructor friend, whether that’s money or something else. Some tips come “packaged together” with the student, like the guy who buys a round of drinks or a meal in order to be with their instructor and relive the successes and adventures of the day. Other tips come from clients who want to share their own abilities. I know an instructor who receives free dental work from his client - apparently, a good lesson warrants a good filling! Other instructors, who have built lifetime relationships with their clients, have received a week’s vacation at the beach, or a trip with the family to Europe, or even a car. Typically, these kinds of tips are earned by instructors who work at the big mountains and/or have cultivated relationships with successful professionals. It is, however, the unexpected atypical tip that makes the best story. I wish I could have personally watched the scene unfold that I am about to relate to you. The story is true, but I have changed the instructor’s name in order to maintain her privacy. The story takes place not on the slopes of a high dollar alpine resort, but at a more humble cross country center. Lots of folks choose to cross country ski because they don’t have the money for lift assisted skiing, or they may be afraid of lifts. Others want to sleep in and find something “different” to do in the snow for that day. There are those that come to the cross country center because their Plan ‘A’ hasn’t worked out. This was the case for the sheik, his four wives and their 31 relatives who had traveled to Summit County from the Middle East to experience snow and skiing for the first time. They had arrived at the resort too late take the alpine beginner lessons, so a well informed employee had the brilliant idea of sending the entire entourage to the cross country center. Clothed in their traditional garments (the women with their long silk gowns flowing onto the snow) they poured through the doors of the cross country center. The managing director quickly overcame her momentary shock and graciously greeted them all. A tall, fit, high cheek-boned beauty, Greta is a former cross country Olympian originally hailing from East Germany. Her speech is still delight-
fully tinged with an accent that caresses certain consonants. When this Arabic speaking group funneled through the doors of her center, her instinctive Eastern European efficiency clicked into gear. Assuming command, Greta ordered men, women, boys, and girls into four different corners. With the help of her coworkers, she outfitted them all in cross country skis, boots, and poles and then marched them outside for the lesson which she proceeded to teach by herself to all 36 members of the Saudi Arabian family. For the next two hours the sheik, his wives, his children, his brothers, and his sisters were gliding across the snow having more fun than racing camels on hot sand. When the lesson was over, the family returned to the lodge, equipment in hand. The air reverberated with a mixture of excited Arabic speaking voices and laughter. The sheik was very pleased. He was so impressed that he decided to offer Greta something special. As she was putting away the rental gear, he approached smiling broadly: “I like your style,” he declared, “Will you marry me?” Greta, flabbergasted, replied, “But you already have 4 wives!” “Yes, but none of them are like you, and besides the law allows me to have 5!” Surely this was true. The sheik appreciated someone who could keep his clan organized! Greta realized that this was her tip—a marriage proposal, offered in all seriousness. How could she refuse the quality life that the sheik was offering her-- silk gowns, travel, camaraderie with other wives, camel rides? Greta, already married, was forced to decline even though the thought may have crossed her mind that she could have pioneered the notion of female polygamy by maintaining one husband in Summit County and the other in Saudi Arabia. I’m not really sure how that would have worked. I’m not really sure that she received another tip in lieu of the marriage proposal. I do know that Greta did one heck of a good job. She got people who never would have dreamed of cross country skiing to do it, to enjoy it, and to have fun together while doing it. She bridged gaps between several cultures and between family members. Perhaps these are the best tips of all! A
SPRING 2012 PSIA-RM/AASI 11
Impulsive, Spirited, Inattentive Kids By Sheila Farney
Note: Although this article is in the adaptive section, the information is helpful to all instructors who teach children.
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ave you ever had a lesson with a child who is either bouncing off the walls, fidgeting and is easily distracted, or seems checked out and does not pay attention or follow directions? Dumb question—this sounds like an everyday ski school lesson, doesn’t it? I’m sure we’ve ALL run across these types of students in both group and private lessons. The issue is not IF we’ll have this type of student, but rather WHEN. We are going to encounter these students both in adaptive and regular ski school lessons. They may or may not have been diagnosed with ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) or ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactiv12
ity Disorder). Regardless of a diagnosis, as instructors we need an ever-growing bag of tricks with various activities and strategies which will make the day more fun and successful for everyone. You might find the following definitions and facts helpful: • ADD & ADHD – Attention Deficit Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder are biological, brain-based conditions that are characterized by poor attention, distractibility and/or hyperactive and impulsive behaviors. Grouped together, they are one of the most common mental disorders that develop in children. • Differences between ADD and ADHD – ADD is a general term frequently used to describe individuals that have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder without the hyperactive and impulsive behaviors. However,
the terms are often used interchangeably for both those who do and those who do not have symptoms of hyperactivity and impulsiveness. • Prevalence of ADD & ADHD – It is estimated that 3-5 % of preschool and school age children have ADD/ADHD. This equates to approximately two million children in the United States. In a class of 25 to 30 students, it is likely that at least one student will have this common condition. Characteristics of kids with impulsive, spirited, and inattentive tendencies as related to ADD and ADHD: • ADD – inattentive, distractible ➢ Inattentive – difficulty staying focused; shifts from one activity to another; easily distracted by sights and sounds; organizing and completing tasks are often extremely difficult; may appear forgetful. PSIA-RM/AASI SPRING 2012
➢ Constant motion; hard time sitting still; fidgeting; talks excessively; hard time following directions; appears spacey. • ADHD – inattentive; distractibility and/or hyperactivity & impulsiveness. ➢ Impulsive – acts before thinking; blurts out responses; tough to wait his/her turn. ➢ Moves all the time; skis in air; runs around and marches; hard time following directions. Strategies & activities to explore: • Choose fast-paced and novel/new activities. Quick-paced, ever changing activities and games help keep these kids interested and having fun. Be on your game, because you will need to use your whole game all day long. (Note: This is a very different strategy than one would use when working with kids with autism – these kids need time to process. They need to know what is going to happen before it happens – they like routine and predictability. They also like transition warnings: i.e.: we ski first, then eat lunch.) • Some strategies to implement for Positive Behavior: a. Ask parent/guardian for effective techniques that can be used with student. b. Give clear direction.
c. Give choices (avoid yes/no questions). d. Use novel ideas/activities (keep the activities varied and fun - change often). e. Keep it fast-paced (especially for ADHD). f. Re-direct. g. Introduce reinforcement when shown the desired behavior (visual - thumbs up; verbal – “attaboys”; may offer edible rewards but use with caution and with parental permission). h. Lower your voice. i. Contracts – make a deal with them. j. Give rewards – let’s take a free run! k. Praise, praise, praise! l. Aggressive behavior needs firm action followed by information and positive reinforcement of desired behavior/outcomes. m. Identify certain behavior and explain why it may not be acceptable. n. Talk ‘to’ not ‘down to’ kids. o. Give very concrete instructions (especially where to stop). p. If you figure out a system that works, write it in the Student Progress Report for next instructor. • Be Creative with your bag of tricks—carry some extra items in your fanny pack so you’re always ready to change the activity and keep
it fun. a. Silly putty/marshmallows (place in a baggie then place between shin and ski boot to improve tactile awareness). b. Bean bags or small stuffed animals (play catch or hand off). c. Straws (use to make mini slalom course on flats for beginners). d. Mini-football or ball (roll or toss). e. Pair up to ski in close proximity f. Play eye spy (look for something novel and snow related like jumps, side hills, terrain change, powder, etc.) g. Give him/her a job (i.e. ‘ski patrol’ or ‘caboose’) h. Give stickers/stars for rewards i. Play ‘red light, green light’ to practice speed control (use red glove and green glove to get visual contact versus only auditory) j. Deck of cards (draw a card to pick the number of turns; spades is leader; high card is ‘teacher,’ etc.) In a nutshell, by recognizing characteristics of kids who are Impulsive, Spirited, Inattentive, we are better able to match our creative teaching tactics to meet their needs. Result? A day of fun for everyone! A
I want to thank PSIA-RM for the $100 Scholarship
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plan to continue my education with the PSIA and work on finishing my level 2 Alpine and level 2 Adaptive. It has been great fun working in this industry and I am proud to be a member of such a great group of people in the PSIA-RM. My friends and family find it somewhat amusing, at times, that I grew up in Chicago (in the flattest state in the US), but have sought out a career in the ski industry. I have enjoyed working in the Adaptive ski field for three years and I wouldn’t change a thing. Thank you, Tommy Moore NSCD Winter Park A
SPRING 2012 PSIA-RM/AASI 13
N-Mail By Jim Sanders Your N-mail has arrived. I’m sure this comes as a relief. It is an understatement to say it has not been a record winter for the majority of our region. If you’re feeling that tension and sadness that comes with the passing of a low snow ski season, take heart in the fact that N-mail can keep coming to you whether the snow cooperates or not. There’s always next winter… and more N-mail. There was something I noticed this season. The amount of snow may not have been exceptional, but the people with whom I skied in lessons and clinics were. Somehow we had more fun than ever. Why was that? How can ski lessons be exceptionally fun when the snow conditions are less than ideal? Maybe it’s true that the best ski lessons, Nordic or otherwise, aren’t really about skiing; at least not entirely. Just to see if you are paying attention, I’ll develop this thought throughout the N-mail. In Divisional Nordic News, a new policy was implemented this season. “Partial Passes” are now an alternative as a result for both Telemark and Cross Country Certification. Here’s how it works: for certification you are assessed on the three main categories of Teaching Ability, Technical Knowledge, and Skiing Skills. Under the new policy, if you come to an exam and pass some but not all parts, you will receive a “Partial Pass,” which means to complete your certification you will only need to re-test on the portions which you did not pass. As an example, if you come to an exam and receive passing scores for Teaching and Technical Knowledge, but do not pass the skiing portion, you can come to a later certification event and retake the skiing portion only. There are a few stipulations. To maintain the integrity, spirit, and dynamic of your re-test exam, you must attend the whole event. However, you will only be asked to pay for one day, and you will only be assessed in the category which you need to retake. This is a fairly big change for Nordic. So if good ski lessons are not really about skiing, this raises a few questions: what exactly are they about? And if this is true, does an instructor really need to know much 14
about skiing? Part of the answer to the first question may be found in that very basic teaching concept, “Safety, Fun, Learning.” And I’m thinking the answer to the second question is still emphatically, “yes.” We’ll see. On the National front, new Nordic manuals, one each for Cross Country and Telemark, are in the works. It’s sad for some of us that the Nordic disciplines are being pulled farther apart, but as far as having useful technical references, this should be a good thing. There is not yet a time frame for their release. The XC material should have more alignment with the USSA Nordic skiing model and technical principles. N-mail’s research staff has not discovered more specifics at this point. We will disclose more information as it becomes available. Another National project in the works is the creation of a Level 1 Ski Instructor Certification workbook that is common to all disciplines and all divisions. It will most likely be available on line. There will be Nordic specific components. However, the majority of the work book will focus on teaching methodology, information, and skills that are consistent for teaching sliding on snow for all disciplines, whether XC, Telemark, Adaptive, Alpine or Snowboard. The National Level 1 workbook (and ultimately, a National Level 1 certification program) will replace our current divisional certification workbooks. The new work book may be available as early as next season, but I’m guessing it will take longer. Jumping back to our thread on what constitutes a good lesson, it seems that we often get caught up in the idea or maybe even unconsciously believe that teaching is a one-way exchange of information from the instructor to the student, with the added “frosting on the cake” of learning about the student and making some educated guesses (or worse, lip service attempts) at addressing varied learning preferences to make the flow of information easier. After all, we are the ski experts with the knowledge, training, and experience, right? How else might someone learn besides having us somehow share our wisdom and expertise, usually by telling or showing how we think skiing works? If this is true, I wonder why the phrase has the particular word order: Safety, Fun, Learning. Taking a quick look at Nordic event attendance in our division this year, we did not have very good numbers. Turnouts were
fairly uninspiring, although, as usual, the folks who did turn out were quite inspired, and the events were fun, educational, and successful. I cannot come up with a particularly brilliant or specific reason for smaller turnouts and cancelled events. The obvious contributing factors are a poor snow year and a still struggling, although slowly recovering economy. Many Nordic instructors spent the majority of their early season shoveling snow on to trails just to get and keep their Nordic Centers up and running, instead of teaching lessons. When you add in a warm, dry March with snow disappearing from most trails in the middle of the month, well, it was a tough, short season. If there are other reasons that you can think of for our low attendance, please don’t hesitate to contact me or other Nordic Ed. Staff members with your insights. Back again to effective ski instruction, it’s been my experience that successful lessons -the kind that make folks want to come back again and again -- are primarily safe and fun, with the learning part coming as an added bonus after the fact; the fact of fun. Do we really believe that our guests want to pay for and spend their valuable time standing around listening to or watching us pontificate on our beliefs about skiing? If we buy into the idea that people learn the most only when they are ready to learn, then it becomes fairly easy to see that the best teaching is accomplished by facilitating the best learning situations. And that is usually accomplished by providing safe and fun experiences (which are well targeted to folk’s motivations, goals, and abilities), then “getting out of the way” so folks can learn what they want and need to learn, instead of what we think they should learn. And yes, since it is skiing, it works best when we have an extensive, well understood, and practiced knowledge about and experience with skiing. We need to be as prepared and well versed as we can in our passion (XC and Telemark, of course), but not so we can lecture. More, so we can humbly watch and accompany our clients, who so often can and do become our friends, as they move along a path of experience, joy, and learning about this wild thing we love called Nordic Skiing. Oops, almost fell off my soap box. That’s more than enough for now. I’m off to find the last bits of snow to slide on. Maybe I’ll see you up there. It should be fun, and I bet we’ll learn something. Until then, you can e-mail n-mail at hugeglide@aol.com. See ya’. A PSIA-RM/AASI SPRING 2012
How I Used My PSIA/AASI Scholarship By Pat Faurer
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nowboarding is a life pursuit that allows you to develop a skill while meeting individuals that share your desire and motivation. The ITC held in Snowmass Village was a shining example of snowboarding at its finest. For three days the group of hopeful candidates rode together learning tips from one another and building bonds which will last for many seasons. This was made possible by the trainers organizing the event and their ability to set a positive upbeat atmosphere. Following their lead, our group of aspirants attained Level One AASI. The success of the ITC was a result of the skills and knowledge the candidates demonstrated, and the humor in the group kept the mood light and the tasks easier. The ability to be serious and to also joke about the same situation, allowed the trainers to connect with
all of the members of the group. In return the students were provided the opportunity to learn in a unique atmosphere. As the trainers put us through the required steps necessary to pass the exam, we were able to reveal our love for the sport and our interest in teaching, without the restricted feeling that accompanies most assessments. Instead of being made to feel like it was ‘perform or fail’, it turned out to be ‘show us what you can do and we’ll make suggestions to help improve your riding’. Students were accorded the best opportunity imaginable to leave the ITC with the feeling of achievement. The trainers were open with the candidates about what was essential to provide our own students the best instruction possible, once we returned to work. Their tips on provid-
My Path to Level 1 Certification By: Stephanie Maltarich
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t’s always been on my life list to move to a beautiful and funky place, so this winter I decided to teach in Crested Butte. I’m very excited about teaching snowboarding, and have been a part-time snowboard instructor for the previous two winters at two other mountains. In coming to CB I felt pretty confident about my capabilities as a teacher; however, I had one regret - I never made the effort to get my level one certification. My supervisors have highly encouraged all instructors to become certified, and both years, I watched as my peers studied, prepared for and passed their exams. As a result they became more skilled instructors, were higher on the priority list, and let’s not forget about the $1 raise! As a self defined nomad, I didn’t see getting certified in the foreseeable future because of my financial situation. Even with all of the aforementioned benefits, I couldn’t justify throwing down such a huge chunk of change. I think most snowboard/ski instructors can empathize with this sentiment. Who really has an extra $350 lying around? Then,
I found out that AASI-Rocky Mountain offers scholarships to folks like me. I was super excited to apply, and finally saw the possibility of becoming certified in 2012. The application process was pretty easy. I had to write an essay about why I like teaching snowboarding (duh, it wrote itself!), and ask for two letters of recommendation from my supervisors (big thanks to Nick and Dan!). A month later I was surprised to open my email inbox to a letter stating I had been awarded The Patterson Scholarship which would give me $100 towards my level one certification. SWEET!
ing accurate and detailed movement analysis, presenting sound demonstrations, and explaining concepts to guests in multiple teaching styles will allow our new generation of instructors to pass on their knowledge to the future participants of the sport. After finishing the ITC I found myself a more accomplished snowboarder, enthusiastic to return to teaching as a certified instructor. The time I spent in the ITC contributed to my understanding of what to expect throughout my career, a continued focus to progress with the sport, and with many new friends in the profession. I am looking forward to my next opportunity to undertake an AASI-RM exam, and once again experience the camaraderie that transpires when a group of friendly, smart, and quality snowboarders converge on a mountain for three days of focused fun. A I took my level one exam in early February, at my home mountain - Crested Butte. The clinic and exam were extremely beneficial and informative, and extremely fun! I enjoy receiving feedback in all areas of my life, because I feel I can only improve when told what I need to improve. And feedback we were given....lots of it! Feedback on teaching, riding, interpersonal skills and all other things snowboarding related. We spent three days on the snow as a group discussing everything from teaching and learning styles, to beginner progressions, board performance, bump riding, switch riding and freestyle. Not only did I improve my own riding, I left with a pocket full of tricks to take to my lessons, a greater foundation in teaching, more confidence, a greater understanding of my students, and a curiosity of wanting to further my education and training as both rider and teacher. A big ‘thank you’ to AASI-Rocky Mountain for awarding me this scholarship. In all honesty, I might be in my third year teaching without a certification if there were no such thing as a scholarship. Being given an opportunity to learn and improve in my profession is something I value greatly, and I am so happy to finally have that awesome pin to put on my jacket! A
SPRING 2012 PSIA-RM/AASI 15
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P S I A - A A S I — i t 's a s m o o t h r i d e a h e a d .
PSIA-RM/AASI SPRING 2012
PSIA/AASI Rocky Mountain Division P.O. Box 775143 Steamboat Springs, CO 80477 970.879.8335 / Fax 970.879.6760 www.psia-rm.org
Have you changed your PERMANENT address?
Please contact the PSIA-Rocky Mountain-AASI office in Steamboat Springs. 970-879-8335 phone 970-879-6760 fax carolyn@psia-rm.org