PSIA-AASI

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PSIA/AASI: What the organiztion is
PSIA/AASI - The Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA) and American Association of Snowboard Instructors (AASI) are nonprofit associations dedicated to promoting the sports of skiing and snowboarding through instruction. With more than 31,000 members, PSIA-AASI establishes certification standards for snow sports instructors and develops education materials to be used as the core components of instructor training.

Vision: Inspiring lifelong passion for the mountain experience
===Mission: PSIA/AASI supports their members, as a part of the snowsports industry, to: • Develop personally and professionally • Create positive learning experiences • Have more fun===

Members range from full and part time instructors to alumni members, who are retired from teaching. Many of our members come from professional backgrounds such as contractors, small business owners, pilots, doctors, lawyers, and teachers. They all bring a passion for snow sports to share with others.

ASEA (American Snowsports Education Association) is the umbrella organization for PSIA/AASI.
133 S. Van Gordon, Suite 200, Lakewood, CO 80228 Phone: (303) 987- -9390, Fax: (303) 987- -9489
 * ASEA National Office
 * PSIA/AASI/ASEA www.thesnowpros.org

PSIA/AASI consists of nine divisions:
P.O. Box 243491 Anchorage, AK 99524-3491 Email: mist@thesnowpros.org Phone: 303-987-9390 States: Alaska
 * Alaska : www.psia-ak.org

3225 West St Joseph Lansing, MI 48917 Email: info@psia-c.org Phone: (517) 327-0601 Fax: (517) 321-0495 States: AL, AR, IA, IL, IN, KY, LA, MI, MN, MO, MS, OH, TN, WI
 * Central : www.psia-c.org

1-A Lincoln Ave. Albany, NY 12205-4907 Email: psia-e@psia-e.org Phone: (518) 452-6095 Fax: (518) 452-6099 States: CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, MA, MD, ME, NC, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, SC, VA, VT, WV
 * Eastern : www.psia-e.org

7105 S. Highland Drive #201 Salt Lake City, UT 84121 Email: admin@psia-i.org Phone: (801) 942-2066 Fax: (801) 942-7837 States: ID, NV, UT, WY
 * Intermountain : www.psia-i.org

Box 548 Burley, ID 83318 Phone: (208) 678-8347 Fax: (208) 678-8348 States: ID
 * Northern Intermountain : www.psia-ni.org

PO BOX 11392 Bozeman, MT 59719 Email: director@psia-nrm.org Phone: (406) 581-6139 States: MT, ND, SD, WY
 * Northern Rocky Mountain : www.psia-nrm.org

11206 DesMoines Memorial Dr #106 Seattle, WA 98168 Email: barb@psia-nw.org Phone: (206) 244-8541 Fax: (206) 241-2885 States: ID, MT, OR, WA
 * Northwest : www.psia-nw.org

PO Box 775143 Steamboat Springs, CO 80477 Email: info@psia-rm.org Phone: (970) 879-8335 Fax: (970) 879-6760 States: AZ, CO, KS, NE, NM, OK, TX, WY
 * Rocky Mountain : www.psia-rm.org

9709 Hwy. 267 Suite B Truckee, CA 96161-0369 Email: admin@psia-w.org Phone: (530) 587-7642 Fax: (530) 587-4273 States: CA, NV
 * Western : www.psia-w.org

1. HISTORY:
PSIA was founded in 1961 to develop a standardized system for teaching people and to unify instructors throughout the country. Since then the ASEA has grown to include 31,000 members nationwide.

The early days of ski instruction in the United States were typified by a variety of programs and techniques, many of which were brought to this country by European ski instructors. Teaching principles varied across the country, as did the process of instructor certification. This was due in part to an assortment of regional associations responsible to liability requirements of the U.S. Forest Service which owned much of the land the ski resorts were located on.

PSIA was incorporated in the fall of 1961 by a group of seven committed instructors from various parts of the country, Bill Lash, Jimmy Johnson, Paul Valar, Doug Pfeiffer, Don Rhinehart, Max Dercum, and Curt Chase. By 1964 a truly American ski technique had taken shape, described in PSIA’s first manual, The Official American Ski Technique. In 1971, thanks to PSIA President Jimmy (Judge) Johnson, an Austrian named Horst Abraham took the position of Education VP of PSIA. Horst assembled an eclectic group of experts in the fields of sports psychology, experimental mathematics, physiology and scores of avant-garde practitioners to build the National Education Committee. In conjunction with a crack team of extraordinary ski instructors (PSIA-Demo Team) Horst’s brain trust began cranking out an extraordinary array of material on skiing and ski teaching and developed the American Teaching Method that was student-centered and skills based. Their work revolutionized the ski instruction industry around the world. PSIA/AASI’s current methodology and material, though it has developed and evolved to be current with the equipment, is still based on this early work.

a. What is a certification?
Certification is based on a set of standards developed and defined by PSIA/AASI National. These standards are divided into four disciplines (alpine, snowboard, nordic, adaptive). Each of the nine divisions follows these guidelines but can customize their own process to suit the individual needs of their division. Certification is not required in order to work as a snow sports instructor or to be a member of PSIA or AASI. However, most instructors choose to pursue certification in order to improve their own knowledge and skills as well as be recognized by snow sport schools across the country, which often pay more for certified instructors. Membership and certification can include benefits such as professional discounts on equipment, clothing and accessories.

Becoming a certified instructor requires a commitment to self-training, resort in-house training and PSIA/AASI education clinics in your division. Your motivation to train and use of all the published educational materials will help prepare you for the certification modules. These modules are your opportunity to be validated as meeting the national standards for certification. A dry land training program should be incorporated into your training for certification. Nutrition should also be considered as your certification nears. Proper diet and rest can assist you in becoming successful. Read the certification guidelines listed within each discipline and each division on their web sites for further details on recommended training.

b. What is an accreditation?
Accreditations are specialty certificates that signify special training for instruction in specific disciplines and/or specific age groups. Many accreditations have prerequisites of a certain level of Certification.

c. Certifications and accreditations are offered by each division.
The basic certification categories are:

(Level 1 being the entry level)


 * Adaptive Level 1, Level 2, Level 3


 * Alpine Level 1, Level 2, Level 3


 * Nordic Level 1, Level 2, Level 3


 * Snowboard Level 1, Level 2, Level 3

Accreditations vary by division. The basic categories are:


 * Childrens Specialist


 * Senior Specialist
 * Free Ride/Free Style/Park & Pipe Specialist

C. Relationship of Instructor to Snow Sports Resorts
Not all mountain schools/snow sports centers are PSIA/AASI affiliated.

As an instructor, you will either be working directly for a school or 'center' operated by the ski resort, or some 'concession' school or group which as the legal rights to teach lessons at the ski resort.

In some other countries, being a fully certified instructor is basically a license to teach, however, in the U.S. this is not the case. In most states, teaching snow sports lessons at a ski resort, by individual instructors not affiliated with an 'approved school' at that resort, is not legal and known as "theft of services".

Study Questions
1. When was PSIA founded?

2. How does the PSIA/AASI “Vision” align to your future goals?

3. What about the PSIA/AASI “Mission Statement” strikes you as most important in your life? - explain why.

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