EdgeWinter09Web

Shaking the Nerves Out of Exams Everyone gets nervous...Dan Kleiner has great suggestions on how to make your exam days successful!

See page 3.

President’s Message

The arrival of 2009 marks a major milestone in the history of the Western Division. After many years of sustained and fervent resis-tance I have finally decided to yield to the unending

outpouring of requests for an official PSIA/AASI-W version of a “Top Ten List”.

And so, leveraging off the exit polling opportuni-ties of the past elections and the spirit of uniqueness we now have your... Top Nine PSIA/AASI-W Reasons to Slide in 2009#9: Adventure:

Experience something new around the next turn.

#8: Camaraderie: Hit the slopes with friends old or new.

#7: Excellence: Refine your skills or perfect your technique.

#6: Leadership: Stay current with all things snow-related as a

leader in your industry.

Nominations for Adaptive Committee . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 6

Graduate from the Skid Zone . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg.9

Introducing a New Children’s Manual . . pg. 10

Understanding Senior Skiers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 14

#5: Safety: Fulfill your innate

obligation to keep the slopes safe.

#4: Fun: Candidate for Top Reason, hold that thought...

#3: Learning: Add to

your bag of teaching tricks.

#2: Desire: Because you

want to.

And the Top Reason to Slide in 2009...

#1: No Reason Needed: Because you can and because it’s Fun.

Disclaimer: Please observe moderation in application of list. List subject to change. All legitimate Reasons to Slide welcome for future consideration. Future modi-fications dependent on level of fun and number of new adventures unfolding for you.

Look for evolved lists in the future. In the mean-time seize the opportunity to make your own list of snowsport memories, hit the slopes, and slide with pride.

Take care, Neil

Neil Bussiere, ASEA-W President

By Neil Bussiere, ASEA Western President

Winter 2009

Sean Johnson and Meaghan Jones soak up the camaraderie (and sunshine) at last year’s convention. Photo courtesy of Aaron Rosen.

Board of Directors Elections

theedge • Winter 2009 Page 2

PSIA/AASI West will be holding elections this spring for four spots on the Board of Directors. Qualifications: A passion for the sport, a willingness to work hard in a cooperative

setting for the benefit of the membership. Attendance is required at two annual Board of Directors meetings, normally held in spring and summer. This year’s meetings are scheduled for April 23, 2009 in Mammoth and August 1-2, 2009 at our Truckee office. Guidelines for submitting your candidacy: Prospective Board members should submit a candidate statement of approximately 300

words, and an electronic photo (head shot) to our office by January 25, 2009. Statements will be printed in the Spring issue of The Edge.

Results will be announced the first week of April.

theedge The Edge is a publication of the The Western Division of Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA-W) and the American Association of Snow-board Instructors (AASI-W) covering California and Nevada. We are one of nine divisions that make up the American Snowsports Education Association (ASEA). PSIA was founded in 1961 to devel-op a standardized system for teach-ing and to unify instructors through-out the country in the disciplines of: Alpine, Nordic, Snowboarding, Adaptive, as well as Backcountry.

The Edge is published three times annually. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors, and are not the policies and opinions of PSIA/AASI Western Division.

For advertising submissions and information, contact our office:PSIA/AASI Western Division9709 Highway 267, Suite B, Truckee, CA. 96161phone (530) 587-7642fax (530) [email protected]

For all membership inquiries, check out our website at www.psia-w.org or contact our office for additional information.

Save the date... Spring Convention 2009 MammothApril 24, 25, 26Check the website for information on lodging, clinics, and schedule as the season progresses.

Deadline for submission is January 25, 2009


By Dan Kleiner Shaking the Nerves Out of ExamsI will always remember my

first PSIA exams. The hours be-fore the exam, I felt the nervous tension build. I would awaken in the morning to my alarm and be-gin to wonder, how is the weather today, and who will be my exam-iner? Will I be in a group with any friends from last year’s exam? I feel we all have similar thoughts and emotions before an event like this. Let’s get real! EVERYONE GETS NERVOUS! World Class competitors are nervous before an event. Nerves can heighten your awareness, or send you into dark-ness. The key is to understand that it is ok to feel this way.

A good friend of mine once told me, “ Knowledge is Power”. We can reduce the nervousness by understanding the module format. The better prepared you are, the less ner-vous you will be. Let me share with you some insight on how the module works, and what you can do to prepare yourself for success.

Being fully prepared be-fore you arrive can ease your mind as in, “Failure to prepare, is preparing to fail.” The module format now allows the candidate to develop a learning partnership with the examiner. Modules offer coaching and give you the stage, to show us (examiners) your own style. Listen closely to your clinician’s critiques and try not to take it personally. The critique is meant to guide you toward improving your performance.

Here are some suggestions for your training throughout the winter season:

Use the module outline in the “Trainer’s And Examiner’s Manual,” as a guide for your training.

It will provide a focus for the topics. Work with your local cli-nician to master the requirements for the demos and the teaching.

Read the manual to understand the standards required for all levels. Apply discipline when free skiing, and spend your time work-ing toward the module, by practic-ing the required tasks and demos. PSIA-W has formulated a list of tasks that can be presented in a module. These tasks are designed to improve your skill base and can be used in teaching. Isolate which tasks you are good at, and the ones you are not! Everyone enjoys doing tasks well, but try to work more diligently on the tough ones. This discipline will

Many candidates get ner-vous and rigid when performing demos and tasks. Watch your examiner’s demonstration and take a mental note of the shape, speed, and number of turns. Be aware of the movement patterns required for each type of demo or task in the module. If there is any confusion as to what is required, try to ask questions before you begin.

Before the module, plan a trip to the designated resort, and familiarize yourself with the ski area. Knowing the terrain ahead

of time will ease your mind, when you are given your mod-ule teaching assignment.

When you come to the event, alleviate morning stress by preparing the night before. Check weather for the fol-lowing day and plan to dress accordingly. Bring your notes, snacks, and other essentials, to cover you throughout the day. The snacks are a must, they will keep your energy level high. Give yourself plenty of time to arrive at the mountain, to avoid

the stress of rushing to the event. Utilize all the resources you

can to prepare for your module. Find a coach you believe in and trust. Check out the PSIA-W website for information about teaching, skiing tips, and manu-als. You will find the standards for the modules in the examiners manual. Dedicated preparation helped me through those nervous times, and I know it will help you as well.

Enjoy the journey.

Dan Kleiner is a member of the PSIA West Tech Team, is Assistant Director for Alpine skiing at Snow Summit, and in his spare time is a captain for American Airlines

Everyone enjoys

doing tasks well, but try

to work more diligently

on the tough ones.

– Dan Kleiner

make the difference, come exam time. Practice your demos during the season, with your students, as they need to see a good visual. Work on your skier analysis with other candidates at your resort. There is strength in numbers, and it is more enjoyable that way.

Notepads are a must! I found that making notes helped to solidify my memory. I used them continuously through full certifi-cation. Write your notes while rid-ing the chair, before the thoughts of the moment are past. You can revise the notes, and put together a final copy, that can be reviewed during the module. I would use my notes to rehearse on the hill until I had the concept down cold. When my assignment came up in the module, I knew just what to do, and the “Knowledge is Power” concept drove out the nervous-ness of the moment.


Alpine By Elianne Furtney, Alpine Vice President

Tech Team Kicks Off the Season

Cold snow and sunny skies welcomed the Alpine Technical Team to our first training at Mam-moth November 17th and 18th. A busy two day agenda focused on bringing the group together in a consensus of both ideas and skiing movements. We were extremely fortunate to have the presence and insight of our cur-rent National Team members.

Michael Rogan, Robin Barnes, Mike Hafer and Chris Fellows (recently retired from the Team) shared with us the techni-cal focus of the recent National Team training in Colorado. Look-ing forward to the next Interski in St. Anton in 2011, the Team is striving to present a more unified look to American skiing, with emphasis on disciplined core

Mike Hafer demonstrates a countered position. Photo courtesy of Aaron Rosen.

“If you are looking for

this year’s ‘new’ move or

buzzword, I say every-

thing old is new again,

and we are coming back

to the fundamentals that

have always defined

good skiing.”– Elianne Furtney

movements. In the last several years, as you may have noticed, there has been a tendency to ski (and teach) with more squareness of the hips in relation to the skis. If you look through any of PSIA’s written materi-als you will see that both historically and currently there is no official endorsement of a more squared posi-tion and that, in fact, we as an organization have always advocated [skiing into and out of] a countered position.

They say that the human race only exists in moderation as we

pass through the pendulum swing from one extreme to the other, and PSIA is certainly not immune to this tendency as we try to re-invent our-selves and stay “current” with modern technique. If you are looking for this year’s “new” move or buzzword, I say everything old is new again, and we are coming back to the fundamentals that have always defined good skiing. As we practiced at Mammoth, main-taining a countered position through the finish of the turn enables you to begin the new turn with a strong directional movement of both hips and the upper body into the turn resulting in better control and shaping of the top of the new turn. Obviously this is merely an overview and I urge you to seek out a Tech Team member for clarification at your home mountain or at one of the many events we are offering this year.

In addition to our on-hill activities we had a produc-tive indoor session where we

discussed and agreed upon exactly how we interpret the National Standards when it comes to Level 3 skiing. As Finlay Torrance, chair of the National Certification Unity Project shared with us, the West-ern Division has a reputation for rigorously upholding the National Standards, perhaps more than oth-ers. We feel that with the module format and the coaching offered within, we are providing a very fair but legitimate test of skill, and anyone who achieves the Level 3 in the West should be justifiably proud to wear the gold pin!

It can be a challenging yet fas-cinating process to bring a group of independent thinkers into harmony but it feels like the Tech Team is rowing together toward a common goal. I hope you will appreciate as I do that your exam-iners and clinicians are working hard to bring you a consistent and high quality experience, whether you are participating in an exam or an educational event. Now if only it would snow…

Douglas R. Fagel. Photo courtesy of Aaron Rosen.


Create Your RoutineThe ‘groove’, the ‘flow’, the

‘zone’. We all know the feeling those words describe, a feeling where your focus and concentra-tion is so complete that you lose yourself in the activity and it be-comes effortless. When standing at the top of the terrain park, I am always seeking that groove, which for me is a feeling of ‘mindless-ness’ and brings my performance to an all time high. The problem is, how do I get there more often?

How can I find that positive place in my mind all the time? How can I teach others how to find their happy place? We develop our muscle memory to create kinesthetic pathways in our bodies to allow us to move with-out having to think. So I want to create pathways in our brains so we don’t have to think.

The MindWhen the mind is in the

right place we can set ourselves up for success. If our minds are not focused or overwhelmed with thoughts such as fear and worry, we cannot perform to the same level. When we are put in situa-tions where we feel pressured and stressed we are even more likely to be affected by our mind in a negative way. This has happened to me many times before and caused me to wreck at the most inopportune moments.One time I pre-rotated a switch five and

caught my toes as I launched off the lip of the jump; I new

that my thoughts had put me in the wrong place and

By Doug Fagel, Snowboard Vice President SnowboardingTip of the Day: “Create Your Routine”

my fears caused me to be impa-tient as I approached my take off. I luckily did not injure myself, but I did bruise my ego in front of a good number of spectators.

Their RoutinesIf we look closely at suc-

cessful athletes in almost any sport, we can notice the small idiosyncrasies that are performed before they have to perform. This routine that they create for themselves is the physical and mental activity that the athlete uses to put their mind at ease. This process of doing something familiar brings the athlete to a comfortable place that they are used to. If we look at a baseball player get ready to bat, the move-ments that are made as they step out of the batters box are not there to prepare physically, but rather these activities are used to draw the mind into these familiar places that create focus and flow.

Pre-FlightI tend to use my routine each

time I roll through the park or difficult terrain. I call my routine my preflight checklist. Just like taking off in an airplane, prior to each flight we need to go through a preflight checklist to make sure that we are safe to take off. On my snowboard my preflight routine includes an equipment check, checking my bindings, a style check, checking my clothing and gloves, and a helmet check, check the head. The

next step in my preflight check-list is a check on my speed and a focus on what I need to do to set myself up for take off. I focus on the execution and block all the unneeded things out. The results feel natural; the maneuver that I desired, the landing and the set up for the next feature.

“Your” RoutineTo create your own routine

think of the three key elements such as your equipment, your style, and the technical aspect of what you want to achieve. Find a routine that is comfortable for you and use it when perform-ing in areas that you are already comfortable. The exercise of us-ing your routine in your comfort zone will make it more useful when you are pushing yourself to the next level. Make sure to use this physical and mental activity right before you drop in to a fea-ture. If you get distracted, make a quick pause and run through it again. This will keep your mind focused and help you stay in the flow. Your routine will allow you to put yourself in the same men-tal state, no matter what task is at hand. This will help to suppress fear, clear your mind and set yourself up for success. So clear your mind with your routine and start making steps towards the next level.

Nominations For Adaptive Committee

The Adaptive Committee meets several times each year, plans education andcertification programs, and makes decisions guiding the PSIA-W Adaptive programs.

Nominees must be members in good standing with an Adaptive Certification. Therewill be an election ballot in the Spring Edge. Three positions will be open andmembers will serve for three years. Nominations will be closed February 1st.

Current Members of the Adaptive Committee and term end date:

Bill Bowness 2009 Brent Kuemmerle 2009 LynneHaile 2009

Josh Spoelstra 2010 Ralph Aros 2010 Robin Conners 2010

Peter Axelson 2011 Karey Kusuhara 2011 Glen Smith 2011

Alternates:

Dan Stormer, Travis Thiele, Donna Boyd, W. C. Fields,

I Nominate:

ing for years. Don’t worry; the big three are the same across all disciplines: SAFETY, FUN, and LEARNING. Teaching adaptive is sweet because there’s no guaran-tee you’ll be teaching to the same piece of equipment you’re riding on. You’ll be giving the same lesson to a sit down “skier” that a stand up ski instructor would. It’s all a matter of knowing about the different disabilities and what adaptive equipment can help your students get down the slope.

We in the Adaptive discipline have the same reasons for teach-ing as any other instructor. Seeing someone’s face light up when they make that first turn is amaz-ing regardless of what piece of equipment they are on. Providing an opportunity to someone who has to try a little harder to make things happen is all the more rewarding.

Check out the Adaptive schedule and get involved!


If you’ve been on the snow for any amount of time, you’ve certainly seen disabled people get-ting down the hill with all sorts of equipment. In the past we called it skiing. Even those sit down devices with one plank are called skis…..You might think disabled people aren’t interested in snow-boarding? You’d be wrong. There are far more disabled people who want the same thing we all want; the thrill, the exhilaration that comes from moving down a hill: THE PERFECT TURN. Adaptive skiing has been around for 40+ years. Most adaptive ski instruc-tors have had to teach snowboard lessons strictly because the need is there, but the instructors aren’t. The fact is everyone can help no matter how they get down the mountain.

“I don’t know how to teach skiing!” you might say. Adaptive ski instructors have been saying the same thing about snowboard-

Adaptive By Brent Kuemmerle

Skiing? Snowboarding? Adaptive!

Brent Kuemmerle assists Travis Thiele with the Sno-wing. Photo courtesy of Glen T. Smith.

It’s important to participate in determining who will be making decisions that affect you. Please complete the Adaptive Committee Nomination form and fax to PSIA-W at (530) 587-4273. Or mail to:9709 Hwy. 267 Truckee, CA 96161.

Don’t delay, send in your nominationtoday!

Lynne Haile 2009


By Brent Kuemmerle Adaptive (cont’d)

We’ve got “Welcome to Adaptive” clinics through-out the winter and a full certification path for skiers and snowboarders. Got someone who rips? Send ‘em down the road to the USASA which is the next step to the Paralympics.

Brent Kuemmerle is certified Level 3 Adaptive and Level 2 AASI. He is also a below the knee amputee who thinks that snowboarding is the sweetest way to get down the hill. Although, those sit down contrap-tions are pretty fun too.

There are far more disabled

people who want the same

thing we all want; the thrill,

the exhilaration that comes

from moving down a hill:

THE PERFECT TURN.– Brent Kuemmerle

Brent Kuemmerle assists Travis Thiele with tip connector and reigns. Photo courtesy of Glen T. Smith.

Feeling Creative?WIN A FREE DAY OF CLINICS AT SPRING CONVENTION 2009!

This year Steve Evenson and the Conven-tion Committee will be reviewing sug-gestions for the slogan that will be used on spring convention 2009 t-shirts and hats. If you have a crafty suggestion, put it in writing and email to: [email protected]. Please include your contact details. The Winner will be announced on January 15, 2009. All entries must be received by January 10, 2009. Good Luck!

Contact [email protected]

for more information!

NASTC is the only advanced ski school of its kind, developed by Chris and Jenny Fellows in 1994. With a staff of PSIA National and Regional Demo Team members, NASTC has been helping skiers break through their plateaus and make lasting improvement in their skiing for over fourteen years.

Join NASTC for an Unforgettable Ski Training Adventure!

Grand Targhee, WY., Catskiing & Powder Adventure, Jan 31-Feb 4

Enjoy some of the best cat-skiing in the country.

Backcountry Overnight Adventure to Lost Trail Lodge, February 4-5

Spend the night in the beautiful Lost Trail Lodge.

AIARE Certified Avalanche Level I, February 7-9

AIARE Certified Avalanche Level II, February 20-23

Steep and Deep at Silverton Mountain, CO., March 4-9Ski some of the best big mountain skiing south of Alaska.

Introduction to Backcountry Skiing, May 3Backcountry safety, route finding and touring techniques.

Mt. Shasta Summit and Ski, May 30- June 1Summit Mt. Shasta and then ski 5,000 ft back to basecamp.

For more information go to www.skinastc.com or contact NASTC at 530.582.4772


Many Tele skiers on the hill today have been at it since leather boots, 3-pin bindings and long, skinny skis were the norm. A low, compact stance was used with this gear and the skier’s legs tended to be hyper-flexed knee to the ski. For the sake of argument, let’s use the term ‘Old School.’ With the changes in modern telemark ski gear come change in the stance we use to maximize balance and efficiency. Modern plastic boots, tight bindings and shaped skis allow us to achieve a taller stance with the skier’s legs more extended.

The Old School telemark technique can be recognized by the angle of the rear femur in a telemark stance. The rear femur is more vertical in nature with the knee under the hip (photo 1).

Nordic Notes By Aaron Pearlman

Telemark Stance...Are you New or Old School?

The New School telemark stance is taller with the rear femur pointing more forward out of the hip, not vertical. The front-back lead change is reduced and feet are closer together (photo 2).

Old School (Vertical Femur, Large Lead Change). Photo courtesy of Mary Ellen Houston.

New School (Forward Pointing Femur, Reduced Lead Change, Tall Stance. Photo courtesy of Mary Ellen Houston.

Old School telemark is also recognized by longer front-back lead change. In this position, it is challenging to effectively balance on the back foot because the foot is not under the body, but behind it. The skier’s ability to absorb terrain is limited by virtue of the low stance. Also, this Old School stance is conducive to only a me-dium or long radius turn shape, as short turns are compromised.

With this modern stance, the skier is able to balance more effectively on the rear foot because the foot is more under the body than behind it. The taller New School stance is better for absorb-ing terrain. Quick, snappy turns are possible from this position.

One of the goals in skiing is

to reduce muscle fatigue so that you can ski top to bottom all day long and still disco into the night. A great way to do this is to support your body’s weight with your skeleton rather than with muscular tension. If you stand tall, your skeleton is properly stacked to hold you upright with little strength. If you are flexed low, your muscles are tensed and balance is achieved by strength.

If you don’t believe me, test how long you can stand tall versus sitting in an imaginary chair with your legs bent 90 degrees at the knees and your back pushed against a wall. In a telemark

stance, the only way to accom-plish this skeletal alignment is to have a forward pointing angle with both femurs. Most impor-tantly the rear leg (photo 2).

So, next time you are out on the hill, pay attention to your rear femur. Is it vertical or is it prop-erly pointing forward from the hip? If you learn to ski taller with both femurs pointing forward, you will have better balance over both feet, you will have more room for absorbing terrain and you may find yourself ripping off a bunch of short turns just for fun. So, keep up with the times and equip-ment and try some New School Telemark turns.

Aaron Pearlman is a Level 3 Telemark Instructor, PSIA-W Advanced Educator, and Nordic Demo Team Candidate.


By Glen Smith Graduate from the Skid ZoneMany advanced skiers still

have a slight flat steering of the skis in their advanced turns. If you watch these skiers, they may have a very smooth appearing turn, with effective edge engage-ment through most of the turn. However, there is still a portion of the turn initiation where the skis are flat and there is steering rather than a pure edge to edge move-ment. This steered turn initiation is usually accompanied by several characteristics.

Characteristics of the steered turn initiation Mental expectation – The skier has an expectation that there will be a steering of the skis at ini-tiation. This is understandable, since it is valid to steer the skis in the first parallel turns. We all teach leg steering to our students at this level. Simultaneous edge change and steering of both skis is the next logical step after the advanced wedge christie turn. But as an advanced skier, the edge to edge turn should also be possible without the flat ski steering.

Slight body rotation – There is often a slight upper body or hip rotation move to help the rotary movement get started. This move-ment can be very smooth and practiced, and may be difficult to detect. It may be as small as a subtle hand or arm movement as-sociated with the pole plant.

Hips to the outside – The skier may move the hips from an ef-fective angulated and countered position in the previous turn to a tall and forward position, but then pause with the hips over the skis or slightly to the outside of the new turn. This position facilitates keeping the skis flat for an instant longer, and allows the skis to skid and steer.

Characteristics of the Carved turn initiation

Mental expectation – The skier has an expectation that the skis will tilt from edge to edge without a flat steered phase.

Lateral movement – There is no rotary component of the move-ment from one set of edges to the other. The upper body, hips, shoulders and arms are properly countered at the end of the previ-ous turn, and move across the skis without rotating.

Hips move across – The hips move smoothly across the skis without pausing. The movement is more of a continuation of move-ment down the hill.

ski straight during the instant that it is flat, and add no rotary. The skis should leave clean carve marks in the snow with a short section of flat ski that shows no evidence of skidding.

Static edge to edge – On a me-dium to steep slope, stand with skis across the slope and support-ed by the poles, try to switch from the uphill edges to the downhill edges without slipping. This move requires that the hips move smoothly from above to below the position of the skis. If the hips pause, the skis will slip when they are flat.

Cross under turns – On a medi-um steep slope, try to make high

In the skidded turn initiation, the skis can be observed skidding in an arc at initiation.

energy short to medium turns with lots of action of the ski in the end of the turn. The ski should accelerate or jet into the new turn. This contributes to a quick edge change, and encourages an edge to edge turn without steering the skis. (cont’d on pg. 10)

In the carved, edge to edge turn initiation, the skis are flat for a very short time, and tip cleanly to the new edges with no skidding.

Exercises to encourage edge to edge turns

Railroad track turns – On a gentle slope, roll the skis from one set of edges to the other allowing the skis to carve arcs in the snow with no skidding. Try to keep the


Children’s By Greg Lyons, Children’s Committee Chairperson

section that contains multiple exercises followed up with age specific tips. For a new instructor you will be given a good outline to follow and for the experienced in-structor you can try new exercises or modify ones you already use.

There is also extensive section on lesson safety.

Read the book. Use the tools the book highlights. Smiling is contagious. As successful students smile more often, you will too!

Greg LyonsChildren’s Committee BOD

The Children’s Instruction Manual, second edition can be ordered on-line through the National website, www.psia.org, or from our Western Division office for $24.95 plus shipping.

My four year old loves to sing the phrase “You’re never fully dressed without a Smile!” Nation-al has done a great job compil-ing and updating the Children’s

Instruction Manual, and this book will help you bring more smiles to your lessons. Whether you are just starting your journey in snowsports instruction, or are a seasoned veteran, this book can help you.

The Children’s Instruction Manual provides building blocks for teaching. It contains in depth discussions about how children learn, including the four learning styles, Piaget’s Stages of Develop-ment, eight categories of Multiple Intelligences, Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, class handling, behav-ior management and teaching with creativity. Also covered are student, instructor and parent behaviors.

There is plenty of informa-tion for each discipline: Alpine, Snowboard, Adaptive and Nordic. Each discipline has a beginner, intermediate and advanced

PSIA/AASI Releases New Children’s Manual

Second edition, published fall 2008.

Graduate from the Skid Zone (cont’d) By Glen Smith

(cont’d from pg. 9)

Tuck turns – Assume the posi-tion of a racer in a tuck. Lock the poles under the arms and against the hips. Try to keep the hands and triangle formed by the poles pointing straight down the hill. This reduces or eliminates any upper body rotation and encour-ages movements of the ankles and knees to change the edges.

Glen Smith is a Level 3 Alpine and Level 2 Adaptive instructor at Heavenly.

Practice these moves, and try them

on your advanced students. Observe

the tracks in the snow, and watch the

movements that explain what the skis

are doing in the snow. Let’s get the

most out of the skis we are riding and

help our students graduate from the

skid zone to the carve zone.– Glen Smith

It was a warm 92 degree spring day in mid-May, at Genoa Lakes, NV. The 17th green had a New 2008 Newport Blue Subaru Tribeca placed right next to the tee box. Tournament participant Mark Brown was thrilled. He stated “I have never had one golf swing that provided a chance to win a Brand New Car”. Thank you Zak Salah at South Shore Mo-tors, the car added a heart pound-ing dimension to the game.

Forty-seven players partici-pated and $2,200 was raised as a donation to the PSIA/AASI West Education Foundation. Raffle prizes included rounds of golf, foot beds, alignments, tunes, clothing, watches, and so much more all to be given away. Over 40 raffle prizes in all were donat-ed. Thank you to all who donated and all players who participated!

Aaron Rosen, John Darby, Mike Hafer and Pete Smith won with a score of 13 under. They

Ed Foundation Golf Tournaments Help the Foundation & Build Camaraderie

took home the plaque created and donated by Bob Haas and Steve Scott, last year’s winners. The plaque will be displayed at Northstar this summer in the Pro Shop and in the Ski & Snowboard School this upcom-ing winter.

A 340 yard drive by Adam Turner won the longest drive contest on the 15th hole. Closest to the pin was won by Frank Deras on the 17th hole. He did make the putt for birdie! Unfortunately, no one won the Subaru, this time anyways.

Please join us for the Third Annual Golf Fund Raiser in October 2009, course and exact date TBA. Mulligans, hand wedges, foot wedges all are welcome...for a donation! A raffle and


By Greg Lyons and Aaron Rosen Education Foundation

putting contest round out a relaxing, rewarding event!

Thanks for supporting the Education Foundation Tournament!

Out of Bounds InstructorCertification Offered in Cooperation With AMGA

At their October meeting, the ASEA National Board affirmed their partnership with the AMGA (American Mountain Guides Association) to provide certification programs that are recognized by our Association. According to Western Na-tional Rep Craig Albright, the AMGA is working on a special certification tailored to PSIA Level 3 instructors. “The ‘Out of Bounds’ certification is de-signed for instructors to learn skills for guiding out of bounds tours accessible from ski resorts.” The certification will be recognized on your PSIA/AASI card, pending approval by the individual division. The courses are organized and administered by AMGA. For information on these offerings, check the AMGA website, www.amga.com.

The top foursome enjoys the spring weather at Genoa Lakes. John Darby, Pete Smith, Mike Hafer and Aaron Rosen.


Member Schools Management

This Fall’s Member School’s Managers meeting took place at Mammoth Mountain in No-vember. The meeting was well attended, and school represen-tatives from Mt. Baldy to Mt. Shasta, Dodge Ridge to Bear Valley enjoyed an update from the attending Board of Directors members. Highlights included Publicity Chair Heidi Ettlinger reporting on extensive off season

work that has been done updat-ing study guides, certification and training manuals that will benefit both Snow sports school managers as well as the member-ship. Heidi demo’d some cool new give-aways for the general membership.

PSIA/AASI received extensive feedback on many topics during the meeting, ranging from risk management issues to the current

economic climate. One common thread was the fact that most schools were having no problem finding new hires. This comes as great news considering the issues that we all have been facing re-garding Visas for foreign instruc-tors. On a personal note, to all of you who did not get to visit us for this winter season, you will be missed. That said, I look forward to meeting all the new members we will be recruiting from the USA.

After the morning meeting and lunch, the attendees enjoyed an afternoon of sliding. The con-ditions at Mammoth were great for early season, and we were skiing and riding from the top of the mountain. A special thanks to Mammoth Mountain for hosting this event. Your school managers left Mammoth pumped and ready for the upcoming season and are ready to “Aspire to Inspire”

Enjoy your season.

Ken Mattson Member Schools Management Committee Chair

By Ken Mattson, Committee Chairperson

Representatives of 24 snowsports schools gathered for the November Member School Management meeting in Mammoth.

Events OnlineFor a complete list of PSIA/AASI educational events and exams, check our website, www.psia-w.org. You can view the calendar, download signup forms, or even sign up for most events on-line.


Ski Teaching in Spanish or Portuguese

Handbooks with side-by-side translations for children/adults

Audio Tapes or CDs with Text

Enor Martinez www.skiteaching.com

3508 Virginia Way [email protected] (email)

Salt Lake City, Utah 84109 (801) 466-9039

Panoramic mountain views, 3,240 feet of vertical, pinnacle instruction, terrain challenges, and noticeable skiing improve-ment. If this is your idea of a good time, throw in loads of smiles and cheer, radiant energy, comfortable lodging, delicious meals, fun so-cializing…and you have the PSIA National Academy.

My name is Jeb Scicluna. As the Sodergren Scholarship recipi-ent, I was very privileged to take part in the 2008 National Acad-emy hosted by Snowbird in Utah. I’ve spent 99% of the past 18 years snowboarding. In my occasional ski lessons, I had to fall back on what I first learned at age 9 and from a ski clinic here and there over the past decade. This past year I decided to make the sacri-fice of some snowboard time and re-embrace skiing. What perfect timing, as I train for my level 2 and 3 ski/teach modules, to attend Academy. The people there, who had come from various parts of the globe, took me in to join their world of fun, learning, profession-alism, and athleticism. They really went out of their way to make the lone samurai of the wild lands of the West feel welcome and at home in a new environment. I was totally stoked.

Snowbird is truly an incred-ible mountain within the Wasatch-Cache National Forest, and pretty easy to get to from here. A direct flight from Reno to Salt Lake, a short commute through the deep Little Cottonwood Canyon and I arrived at the Cliff Lodge, a beauti-ful upscale hotel, right at the base of the mountain with remarkable architectural design. The food was great, also. It was an unforgettable experience to meet instructors, trainers and team representatives from around the globe including USSA Ski Team member Steven Nyman and giant slalom U.S.

Olympic Gold Medalist Deb Arm-strong. Canada, Britain, Australia, Argentina, and New Zealand gave presentations and shared a taste of their country’s teaching system. Each day we took a class on vital topics such as carving, powder/crud, steeps/bumps, boot fitting, stance/balance/movement, video session, movement analysis, children, backcountry/avalanche, and park & pipe, or just skied with an International Demo Team member.

The coaching was top notch. Of the numerous professional clinicians - all worth mentioning, I’ll give recognition for his high energy and inspiring coaching to my group leader Jim Schan-zenbaker, National Demo Team member and National Powder 8 Champion out of Aspen CO. Our groups were created based on our personal ability, goals, terrain, and pace desired.

Now as a snowboarder, it was neat to actually ski for 5 days straight - crossing over the fear-less determination and stamina from snowboarding to be able to attack the mountain of steep pitches off and on piste. Yet I’m no traitor. Just in case there was a day of fresh Utah snow, I snuck my snowboard and bindings into my wheelie locker. Yes, the morning of departure just before my flight, 9am in transport to 11,000 feet elevation, STEEP and semi DEEP, I was able to spoon through 1 to 2 feet of fresh pow-der using one of the vehicles that floats best. No horn, just a voice of hootin and hollerin through exciting mountain playground descent.

So it is my encouragement to everyone out there in our talented divi-sion whether need-ing a vacation, some

“It was an unforgettable

experience to meet instructors,

trainers and team representa-

tives from around the globe...” – Jeb Scicluna

Jeb Scicluna PSIA National Academy 2008Snowbird, Utah – Mike and Mariam Sodergren Scholarship Recipient

training for Demo Team tryouts or a certification, to attend the Na-tional Academy or the Rider Rally to meet fun people of common interests and share the excite-ment of skiing or snowboarding. Most importantly, Thank You, to those who have contributed to the Sodergren Scholarship fund in memory of two World Class Ski Instructors of Thredbo Australia, Northstar, and Alpine Meadows California, Mike and Mariam Sodergren. God bless their family and friends.

Jeb, second from left, with some new Academy friends. Photo used with permission from Kate Howe.


Understanding Senior Skiers By Peggy Connor

Effectively Reaching and Teaching the Senior Skier (“The Reach and Teach Method”) Part Two of a Four Part Series

So you’ve got your senior certification pin. What do you do now? Here are three principles to follow that will get you started, which will give you a guide-line to go by if you want to really make a positive im-pact on your students, as well as set a good example for your colleagues.

1. DefineFind out

what your student really wants out of the lesson. Although this might sound easy, it can be quite a challenge. Frequently, the student doesn’t know what he/she wants or needs, so you are left with the responsibility.

2. EvaluateCompare

what your stu-dent wants out of the lesson to what you think your student is capable of. In other words, you define the real need. This re-quires experience and skill. You literally have to watch the skier move, while he/she is sitting down, moving to a standing from a seated po-sition. Watch him/her walk, ski and carry equipment. Then, after evaluating the skier physically, emotion-ally and mentally, it is your charge to determine if the goal is reasonable.

3. WorkWork on making sure your senior students

understand contemporary movement mechanics. You can easily spend an entire day doing this … for some … an entire week of privates may be necessary. I personally have been working on this for most of my life, and still haven’t quite mastered it.

Here are some ideas on how to break these three objectives down into a step by step process.

Define the true need set of your skier.Find out what your skier really wants out of the

lesson, and then, give him/her what he/she needs. I am constantly amazed by the answers I get from folks after spending a few minutes inter-viewing them. Many times, they don’t come to ski, they came for other reasons … social outlet being the main one. But you re-ally need to know why the skier is here before you move forward.

I will never forget one female student, over 65 years of age, who showed up one day to “learn how to ski.” She had never been on a mountain and had come from a background that did not

permit spending hard earned money on “engaging in frivolous activities.” A widow, she just wanted to have some fun and conquer her fear of sliding down a hill made out of snow and ice. For her, it was a self esteem exercise. And you know what they say about women … “Girls just want to have fun.” It doesn’t matter if they are 6 or 60.

We spent the entire day doing just that. And she did a lot more than just “slide down an icy hill”. She told me later that it was one of the best days of her life. And that is why I do what I do.

Evaluate Before you do anything, check the equipment.

Then, check the equipment. And then of course be

“Girls just want to have fun.” It doesn’t matter if they are 6 or 60.


Understanding Senior Skiers (cont’d)sure to check the equipment. Get my point. Moreover, be sure to check the clothing and the “acces-sories” that your skier is wearing. If you have to, go rent some good equipment. And if you need to, leave behind some of those “love-ly” accessories that will only cause problems. Do what it takes. It all adds up. Just make sure your skier is on the right equipment and in the right garb before you even be-gin movements. Sunscreen needs to be a part of that check list too.

“Equipment designed to improve stability is also shown to facilitate a decrease in the integral of drag.”1

Now that you have the right equipment and have SLATHERED sunscreen all over your face as well as the face of your student, educate your senior skier. Yes, skiing has changed over the years, and yes, you are going to be up against a lot of resistance if your student has any kind of a history using old styles. Patience is the key word here. And tenacity. Was it Churchill who said “Never, ever, ever give up.”

There are some excellent fundamental concepts found in “Handbook for Teaching Seniors” found at the psia-w.org website. You can build on those. (http://www.psia-w.org/pdf/HAND-BOOK_FOR_TEACHING_ SENIORS.pdf)

“Furthermore, contemporary skiing tends to include rounder turns because the contemporary equipment is designed to carve rather than skid.” (Handbook for Teaching Seniors, p.23)

Examine your student’s expectations. Are they realistic? “The decisions people make as they age are influenced not only by past and current circumstanc-es, but also by what they expect to happen in the future,” according to Growing Older in America: The Health & Retirement Study. Spon-sored by the National Institute on Aging.

And look for signs of poten-tial problems. Look for things that are obvious. Obesity appears to have an independent effect on the onset of impairment in strength,

lower body mobility, and activities of daily living (Jenkins 2004).

http://www.nia.nih.gov/Re-searchInformation/Extramural-Programs/BehavioralAndSocialRe-search/HRSfull.htm

Explore your student’s future expectations. Initial analysis of this will determine your strategy for communicating effectively with your special student. Simply put, it is up to you to determine if the student in front of you can actually achieve the goals you set for yourselves when the lesson begins. Make them realistic.

Simply pu…you have to “reach ‘em to teach ‘em.” And be sure to seal each lesson with a KISS. That’s righ…remember to always “keep it simple...”

1 Footnote: Sports Engineering, Volume 4 Issue 2 Page 103-112, May 2001, To cite this article: B. E. Thompson, W. A. Friess, K. N. Knapp II (2001) Aerodynamics of speed skiers Sports Engineering 4 (2), 103–112 doi:10.1046/j.1460-2687.2001.00072.x.

Online Resource for Senior Programs Developed

P. J. Jones and Cookie Hale have launched a national Senior website so all PSIA/AASI divisions and members can share information to help develop Senior programs. Hopefully this site will grow into a major source of shared information, manuals and educational materials. Logon and watch open at www.seniorsnowsports.org.

Fun stuff coming up on the Senior Calendar and website. Don’t forget to check the PSIA-W calendar and website for Senior Education and Accreditation clinics in Big Bear, Mam-moth and Tahoe. All senior events count as educational credit.

By Ted Pitcher

PSIA W Ski Education FoundationPSIA - Western Division – AASI9709 Hwy. 267, Truckee, CA 96161(530) 587-7642, Fax: (530) 587-4273Email: [email protected]: www.psia-w.org

Nonprofit Org.

U.S. Postage

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Sacramento, CA

Permit No.1704ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

PSIA-W/AASI-W Board of Directors & Officers 2008-09

Officers:President Neil BussiereExecutive Vice President Carl UnderkofflerAlpine VP Elianne FurtneySnowboard VP Doug FagelNat’l PSIA Representative Craig AlbrightPast President Dave Achey

Directors:Craig Albright (11), Neil Bussiere (11), Heidi Ettlinger (11), Steve Evenson (09), Elianne Furtney (09), Chris Fellows (09), Leigh Pierini (11), Greg Lyons (10), Ken Mattson (10), Ted Pitcher (09), Finlay Torrance (10), Carl Underkoffler (10).

Nordic Chairperson: John “Cedar” SeegerAdaptive Chairperson: Glen Smith

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