Winter 11/12 Issue #2 2011/12 Season PNSIA-EF Season Guide Inside 2011-2012 event dates & descriptions Winter Blast Feb 6-7 @ Stevens Pass 2-day Immersion Feb 8-10 @ Mission Ridge an alternative way to Divisional Academy Mar 9-11 @ Whitefish Alpine & Snowboard Exam Modules make V2 skating easy by Don Portman Mar 17-18, Mar 24-25, Mar 31-Apr 1, Apr 7-8 Symposium Apr 13-15 @ Mt Bachelor would you take a lesson from yourself? insight from Manon Burke plus pro tips, children's tips and more... Bergans of Norway is a proud supporter of PSIA-NW www.bergans.com; Bergans North America, Seattle, WA; (206) 329-2088; [email protected] 2 NW Snowsports Instructor contents features contributions 4 Dues Increase Scheduled for Next Season an alternative by Jack Burns, President and 12 Ed Younglove, NW Representative & way to make V2 PSIA-AASI Operations V.P. skating easy 5 Call for Candidates by Don Portman by Mary Germeau, Executive V.P. 6 The Joys of Teaching by Tyler Barnes, Communications V.P. 7 What’s New at Your Northwest Ski Areas 2011-2012 by Scott Kaden, PNSAA President 14 SEASON GUIDE 8 Certification: an Open Memo to the Northwest Division Event Dates & Descriptions by Chris Thompson, Certification V.P. 9 Adaptive Level I & II Get a New Look by John Stevenson, Adaptive Chair 10 In Memory of Joy Lucas by Kathy Hand 20 would you take 11 Excerpt from It Started in the Mountains by Joy Lucas a lesson from yourself? 14 Welcome to the 2011-2012 Season by Kirsten Huotte, Executive Director by Manon Burke 21 Adult Teaching Handbook Review by Ed Kane 24 Snow Pro Tips by Brad Jacobson, Jeremy Riss, Brett Urbach, John Stevenson and Jenn Lockwood 27 Fly on the Wall: An Exam Shadow by Brad Walsh 28 Pink Elephants & Flaming Ducks Children’s Tips by Terry McLeod, Kelly Medler, Caron MacLane and one shared by Joy Lucas 30 Balancing Movements Revisited Senior Moment by Ed Kane Divisional Academy 2011 at Mission Ridge where we were joined by Glen and Kimberly Plake. Photo by Michael Buzzelle with staging and support by Nick Barth. winter 2011/12 3 State of the Union office to Wenatchee. While these increases fund 7 Newsletters and magazines to support your Dues Increase different aspects of your membership, for you it education and development is one cost and you should consider the value of Scheduled for your membership as a whole. Neither the Division 7 Ever-improving web services to enable nor National could possibly deliver the value you member self-service, access to member Next Season receive without the other. records, online training tools, web-based by Jack Burns, President and event registration, web-based catalog Ed Younglove, NW National Representative Whether you are a registered member, just got purchases, and communication with members & PSIA-AASI Operations V.P. your Level I, or have been certified as a Level II across the country or Level III instructor for many years, you are 7 all members of the “gold standard” professional and more... organizations for snowsports instruction in the PSIA-AASI National and PSIA-NW have each United States and, the premier snowsports orga- made continuous upgrades and improvements to nizations in the world. their respective websites (thesnowpros.org and psia-nw.org) and online member tools to provide Your membership says that you are a professional not only a better online experience, but also to instructor. With that membership comes certain recognize cost efficiencies and boost the amount responsibilities. You subscribe to a professional of useful content available to you. code of conduct. You aspire to provide cutting edge professional instruction to your school’s clients. At the National Level, while significant in terms You pay a reasonable membership fee to support These are tough economic times. Your bank may of investment, the gains in financial and service the work of the professional organization(s) to be charging you new fees for old services and the efficiency have already demonstrated the value which you belong. value of your home has probably nose-dived if you of these web-based projects. Examples include: bought it more than 4-5 years ago. So it probably In return you get many benefits from your mem- won’t come as a surprise that your dues are go- 7 A national social networking tool, driven by bership. Many past communications have trum- ing up next year, starting July 2012, by $16, a little you, “The PSIA-AASI Community” that peted those benefits, but here is a brief summary more than $1 per month. allows for information sharing amongst of some of them: members, Divisions, and other PSIA-AASI PSIA/AASI (National) dues are going up $11 and stakeholder groups. PSIA-NW dues are going up $5. The good news is 7 Clinics to improve your skiing, riding, or that the value of your membership has never been teaching 7 Centralized web login, combining the various greater, and better still, it just keeps getting bet- online resources, including membership 7 Exams to validate your level of professional ter. Our hope is that you realize the value of your renewal, into one platform. membership and that you take full advantage of knowledge and skills it. It’s a bargain in the long run. 7 Development of “Web Extras,” bonus content 7 The PSIA-AASI shields, recognized across the to supplement material found in the printed country, signifying your accomplishments In June 2011, the National Board of Directors took 32 Degrees and Snowsports Instructor a hard look at PSIA/AASI’s financial forecast for 7 PSIA-AASI national teams, divisional magazines. the next five years. As stewards of the organiza- clinicians and examiners, who act as leaders 7 Creation of a 100% electronic version of tion the National board made the difficult but and innovators in the field and provide top- 32 Degrees and Snowsports Instructor financially necessary decision to raise dues $15 notch training for all levels of membership next year (starting July 2012). This will be four magazines. years since the last National dues increase. When 7 The strength of the PSIA-AASI brand with 7 A customizable and more detailed online the decision to raise dues was announced to the snowsports schools and area management member profile Divisions, there was a considerable amount of with supporting modest pay increases discussion regarding the increase. Since that de- associated with professional education 7 Operating system and design upgrades to the cision last June, and due to successful efforts to Movement Matrix secure alternative sources of revenue (non-mem- 7 Connecting you to a support network of fellow ber money), the National board has been able to instructors across the country who share your The Movement Matrix, originally released in early decrease the original dues increase from $15 to $11 passion winter of 2007, is an interactive, multi-layer web- and to enhance the benefits provided members, site designed to revolutionize how PSIA-AASI de- 7 Reduced-cost print and electronic materials to starting this year, by allowing access to the Move- livers content to you. This tool utilizes video and support your on-snow education and training ment Matrix free of cost. Another, much smaller a searchable tool to illustrate the skills concepts, increase may be necessary in 2013. 7 Consumer publicity promoting the value of situational skiing and riding, drills for teaching, and the national standards. Its content is relevant This fall, PSIA-NW approved a dues increase of taking lessons and the professional image of you as a ski or snowboard instructor to alpine, snowboard, nordic, and adaptive mem- $5, also taking effect July 2012. The Division board bers. And starting this season it is free with your felt this modest increase was necessary in antici- 7 Discount programs, pro deals, and catalog membership! The normal subscription cost is $15. pation of decreased revenue from dues and event offerings, which reduce the costs of being Since the last dues increase, members have seen income and, to maintain current levels of service an instructor, which more than offset the an increase in pro form opportunities from 25 of- despite cost saving measures, such as moving the cost of dues. fers four years ago to 42 direct offers to the mem- 4 NW Snowsports Instructor bership today. In addition to these offers, supplier MEMBER SCHOOL REGIONAL programs also subsidize the PSIA-AASI Accesso- CALL FOR ries Catalog, which provides more opportunities DIRECTORS and access for members. Active membership in CANDIDATES Member School Regional Directors are also up for PSIA-AASI is recognized as the industry standard by Mary Germeau, PSIA-NW Executive V.P. election each year on a rotating basis. A person for pre-qualification for pro purchase opportuni- wishing to run for one of these positions must be ties. PSIA-NW members are en- couraged to get involved and a Certified Level II or Level III and a Snowsports School Director in the Region in which he/she In addition to a strong and successful public rela- run for any position on the wants to run. There are currently four regions in tions effort, PSIA-AASI also produces consumer Board of Directors that is up PSIA-NW. Two Regional Directorships are up for messages through the “Go With a Pro” (GWAP) for election in their region. In election this year. The first is for Region 2 (Spo- campaign. GWAP offers simple marketing and order to run, you need to meet kane, Idaho and Montana) which is currently held messaging tools that can be adapted by Divi- the candidacy requirements by Maxine McIntyre of Mt.