PSIA-RM Spring 2009

THE JOURNAL OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN PROFESSIONAL SKI AND SNOWBOARD INSTRUCTOR

SPRING 2009

PSIA-ROCKY MOUNTAIN-AASI

ROCKY MOUNTAIN SKI INSTRUCTORS

EdUCATIONAl FOUNdATION

PSIA REPRESENTATIVES

lINdA GUERRETTE - PRESIdENT, MEMbER-AT-lARGE

MIChAEl MElhAUSER - VICE PRESIdENT, FRONT RANGE

bRYAN OlSON - SECRETARY, WESTERN SlOPE

PETER dONAhUE, SOUThERN dISTRICT

MIChAEl ChANdlER, SOUThERN dISTRICT

MIChAEl GREEN, SOUThERN dISTRICT

EARl SAlINE, MEMbER AT lARGE

JOhN bUhlER, FRONT RANGE

JOEl MUNN, WESTERN SlOPE

KEVIN ROOP, WESTERN SlOPE

MIKE TEEGEN, FRONT RANGE

TONY bRITT, MEMbER AT lARGE

COMMITTEE ChAIRS

JONAThAN bAllOU - AlPINE ChAIR

PATTI bANKS - NORdIC ChAIR

TONY MACRI - SNOWbOARd ChAIR

dUSTY dYAR - ChIldREN’S ChAIR

RUTh dEMUTh - AdAPTIVE ChAIR PHO

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2 PSIA-RM/AASI SPRING 2009

In this week alone I have heard of wage freezes, layoffs and even reductions in pay for seasonal resort employees. The last thing you want me to tell you is that

we have to increase the dues for the 09/10 sea-son. Well, I’m going to tell you anyway: we have to increase the dues for the 09/10 season by $10. But before you do anything reactive, first let me explain why, then I’ll explain the “But We’ve Got Your Back” part.

Since our last dues increase in 2003 our expenses have gone up 25.5%. In order to offer you quality in your membership we must be able to sustain quality in our prod-ucts, staff and member benefits. Just as many of you learned you are going to make less money next year, I have to tell you it is going to cost you $10 more to be a member next year.

I wish that we (PSIA-AASI) were exempt from the economic challenges this country is facing. Unfortunately we are not. YOU, the members are our customers and with your instability comes ours. Membership and

event attendance is expected to be down at least 15% next season. We are non profit. That means we are NOT here to make a PROFIT. At the end of the day we are here to merely break even. Our #1 goal and priority is to support you, our members. It pains me when we are unable to do so and pains me even more to know that many of you may not be able to continue in this profession that you all love so much.

Since I became a member almost 20 years ago, I believe in this organization and what it stands for because it is fair. It has standards and treats all members equally. Because this is what we represent, to be fair to you we are going to offer, to those who need it, to PAY the $10 increase. Yep you read that correctly, we’ve got your back. Over the years we have built a reserve fund should something like this happen. We have decided that you are all worth spending this reserve on. You are PSIA-AASI. We need you and we want you to be able to do what you love.

Dues billing for the 09/10 season, will be

emailed out the week of March 16th, followed by a paper bill a few weeks later. There will be a separate line item that will give you the option to have the additional $10 covered by our reserve.

The bubble that many of us live in is offi-cially broken, and a lot of us are struggling with whether we will be able to continue to work in this industry. The sacrifices we make to be a part of this industry go unspo-ken. We are bound together by a common understanding as to why we make those sac-rifices and can agree that the lifestyle has made up for the lack of pay. I want more than anything for all of you to be able to live life by your rules, on your playground, while continuing to enjoy the untracked powder at early morning clinics and the cli-ents that you share your passion with. The size of your bank account should have no say in determining whether or not you can follow your passion. Your life should by guided by doing what you love, with the ones you love. A

Dues Increases Stink! But We Got Your Back!By Dana Scronek, PSIA-RM-AASI Executive Director

SPRING 2009 PSIA-RM/AASI 3

Sustainability – (sə-stən’ -uh-bil-i-tee), noun. The ability to meet present needs without compromising those of future generations. It relates to the continuity

of economic, social, institutional and envi-ronmental aspects of human society, as well as the non-human environment.

While this word – sustainability – maybe a mouthful, sustainability initiatives at PSIA-RM are influencing curriculum decisions, operations budgets, and our social culture. At any particular level, it ensures, without discontinuity, an opportunity for evolution now and well into the future.

As your PSIA-ASSI division leadership, we strive to establish organizational responsi-bility (OR) in order to maintain and continue to do what we do well, and increase our value in the process that makes us more sustain-able for future members. Attention to this OR helps identify new business and membership growth opportunities. It helps realize cost reductions and increase productivity. Solid OR performance provides more flexibility to expand or establish new operations and prod-ucts in a quicker and more efficient manner.

Focusing on sustainability through orga-nizational responsibility will offer the mem-bership the best reasons to hope for a posi-tive future.

Moving forward in tough economic times can best be tackled with keen aware-ness of the importance of interconnections, relationships, consequences, and feedback loops. It involves a willingness to consider

all significant aspects of an issue, and not to jump to appealing (but usually wrong) simplifications.

There is much reason to adopt a percep-tion of learning. This enables us to be open to innovation as a response to problems rather than critique and complaint. PSIA/ASSI-RM is essentially a vision oriented organization. We focus our energies on addressing challenges squarely, with hard-nosed realism. We also choose a high road filled with optimism about our capacity to learn and grow.

The partnerships we establish during these times help strengthen our leadership as an educational organization in the snowsports industry. We seek leverage points that set processes in motion for organization-wide gains.

Abraham Lincoln said: “Always bear in mind that your resolution to succeed is more important than anything else.” We, the Board of Directors, pledge to keep PSIA/AASI-RM focused on being a visionary and solution-oriented organization, especially during these challenging and changing times. Our decisions are always based on how they influence you, the members, and your ability to become better prepared and trained, whether you are a full- or part-time instructor. We are also concerned about the effects our decisions have on fiscal responsi-bility of a non-profit organization.

You, too, with voting rights, are respon-sible for always questioning leadership and for being knowledgeable about our organiza-tion. You play an essential role in our orga-nizational responsibility and our sustainabil-ity. We welcome your active participation.

In short, we hold dear the faith that you place in us as leaders. Like you, we must make decisions and live with the conse-quences. Sometimes our decisions are dif-ficult, but they are always with you and the future of our organization in mind.

Please keep your feedback coming. You can contact me directly by email at [email protected], or PSIA/ASSI-RM Executive Director Dana Scronek at dana@ psia-rm.org. A

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website - psia-rm.org

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Notes from the President By Linda Guerrette, PSIA-RM President


In the two years since the American Snowsports Education Association, your PSIA/AASI National affiliate, and the National Ski Patrol began to separate

administrative operations, the national staff has shown a renewed enthusiasm and focus on the needs of our PSIA/AASI membership. For proof, look no further than the new mag-azine, 32 Degrees, and the great new website at thesnowpros.org.

As a multi discipline member myself, I appreciate the inclusion of all the disci-plines together in one magazine with arti-cles that broaden my appreciation for my fellow snowsports pros, regardless of their tool of preference or the style they choose for applying it. As for the website, I am completely amazed by the amount of use-ful information at my fingertips from my member login page, and even more so at the material available to the casual visitor to the site. It’s enough to inspire any snowsports enthusiast to take it to the next level, seek snowsports school involvement, and become a certified member.

As good as these new benefits are, they are only the tip of the iceberg of new initiatives

to benefit our national membership: There is the new Children’s Instruction

Manual, a great handbook for both the new-bie or veteran children’s instructor; also new in kid world is the national children’s task force initiative to standardize Child Special-ist programs nationwide.

Another important initiative is the National Certification Unity project that is seeking to coordinate all division level 3 certifications with a national format.

Consider a subscription to the Movement Matrix, with streaming videos of national standards and situational skiing (and now riding and Telemarking) with links to drills and written materials to support your lesson planning and help you enhance your value to your clients.

Also new is a national professional liability insurance program that includes $1 million in liability coverage (Ever take a run or two with a client off the clock?) and $50,000/$100,000 ($2500 deductible) Major Medical/ acci-dent coverage at no additional charge. This is available for $185/ year with only a few mouse clicks from a link on the new national website. As a PSIA/AASI Edstaff member teaching impromptu clinics at neighboring resorts, I couldn’t be without it.

On top of all this is the national initiative to coordinate all divisional databases in one Association Management system. This will provide seamless and consistent service for members in all divisions: allowing hassle free events registrations across divisions, seam-less division transfers with full reciprocity, and centrally located membership informa-tion for our members and our national spon-sors. The opportunity for divisions to share resources and streamline business operations is unprecedented.

As if this weren’t enough, don’t forget the benefits that we already take for granted: great deals from the PSIA/AASI Accessories catalog, the access to swag from our national sponsors, and the best buy that you can pos-sibly find on a new Subaru, the world’s best snow car.

When your next dues billing arrives, take a moment to consider the value of your mem-bership in a truly national association. While our industry will be faced with challenges in the upcoming years, our association is increasingly equipped to help us face them owing to the stronger organization of our growing numbers, and our commitment to the success of our professional members. A

National Report: News from our National AssociationBy Peter Donahue, National Representative


have you received an email in the last few months with information regard-ing “Full Cert Freeride”?

This is an interesting movement that is attempting to gain skiing privileges for Full Cert (Level 3) instructors at all major American ski resorts free of charge. The model this is based on an existing model in Europe. Many of the lift companies (ski areas) in France and Austria give between 80% and 100% discounts to fully qualified snowsports instructors on lift tickets. Mind you, I am always grateful for the support I find at our member schools currently in form of discounted lift tickets. ISIA (inter-national ski instructors association) certi-fication allows you the ability to work in at least 32 different skiing nations worldwide. PSIA/AASI, along with 31 other nations is a member of ISIA, and any holder of a PSIA/AASI Level 3 Certification is entitled to an ISIA stamp. You can receive one by calling the national office in Lakewood.

Over the last few years the international

standard has come under some scrutiny by some of the European nations. This has prompted ISIA to incorporate some new, and possibly less than relevant, additions to the definition of “the minimum standard”. Many of these requirements are based around race coaching (including a FIS compliant GS race), backcountry awareness courses, a minimum number of training hours, and the ability to teach beginner lessons in a second language.

Many of these new requirements may not be totally relevant to the majority of our Level 3 and Level 3 hopeful members and we are not alone in thinking this. A large number of the member countries are attempt-ing to change these standards to something more relevant to what we do on a daily basis with our guests. So rest assured, we are not planning on making you go camping and ice climbing in the backcountry, or put on a stretchy suit and fly down an icy course to meet the full cert standard anytime soon (or ever).

That being said, the skills mentioned above, while possibly not the most relevant to the majority of our level five and six guests out here for a week from the Midwest and L.A., are a part this industry. As an educational body in the snowsports industry, the Alpine Committee and I feel strongly that we should encourage education and promote oppor-tunities to train in these areas for members who are so inclined. PSIA-RM-AASI and National have relationships with the AMGA (American Mountain Guides Association) and USSA (United States Ski Association). These two organizations offer education and certification in backcountry and guiding

skills, and competitive race coaching respec-tively. We are currently formalizing our relationships with these organizations, both on a regional and national level, standard-izing educational pathways for our members with their organizations, as well as pathways for their members with PSIA.

Please keep your eyes out for more infor-mation about opportunities in these areas over the coming months. Should you have ques-tions or suggestions feel free to contact me.

More information about ISIA can be found at www.isiaski.org. A

Alpine UpdateBy Jonathan Ballou, PSIA-RM Alpine Committee Chair

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Board Briefs

1. Successful candidates for Board positions are: Peter Donahue, South-ern District; Donnie Mechalke, Front Range; Linda Guerrette, Western Slope and Brian Dunfey, Member at Large. They will each serve a 3-year term.

2. “Take It To The Next Level’ has been trademarked by PSIA-RM.

3. Jenny MacArthur stated that the Alpine committee decided the valid-ity of prerequisites for exams would be 3 years.

4. The Committee Policies and Procedures document is being revised.

5. Michael Green, Southern Dis-trict representative to the Board has submitted his resignation effective immediately.

6. Rhonda Doyle will be contacted about fulfilling the remainder of Michael Green’s term since in the just-finished election she was the Southern District candidate with the next highest number of votes.

7. Dusty Dyar was accepted as the new chairperson for the Children’s Committee and will serve a 3-year term.

8. The Board voted to increase RM dues by $10 for a total of $50. (PSIA/AASI (national dues) remain $50.)

9. The Board voted to increase RM dues for emeritus members to $25.

10. Next board meeting is scheduled for May 8 & 9, 2009; location to be determined.

It’s March already and while it’s been nice to have some sunshine, I am defi-nitely hoping to see a little more “win-ter” before spring really springs.

I want you all to know that I genuinely admire the desire to learn and improve that so many of you posses. Congratulations to all of you that have sat exams this year. It requires courage to put yourself in a situation where you open yourself up to feedback. It takes even more courage to go back for more when you receive a partial pass. Snowsports instructors are notorious for beating them-selves up for the one maneuver that was not passed rather than the eight maneuvers that were passed.

As teachers we all realize the importance of learning. Why then, is it so difficult to allow ourselves to be learners? We hold ourselves to extremely high standards and forget to congratulate ourselves on the achievements along the way. Please take the time to congratulate those that have opened themselves up to the learning pro-cess and acknowledge the successes along with the opportunities for further growth and learning.

If you are headed to Loveland, Taos, Vail, A-Basin, Copper, Breckenridge or Gold Run for an exam, GOOD LUCK! Be kind to yourselves and enjoy the rest of your winter. A

Teachers as Students By Jenny MacArthur, Training & Education Manager

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DoNNIe MechAlke

FRoNt RANGe

PeteR DoNAhue

SoutheRN DIStRIct

lINDA GueRRette

WeSteRN SloPe

BRIAN DuNFey

MeMBeR At lARGe

I hope this letter finds everyone enjoying some spring slush. As we have all seen, this season was a bit different with the current state of the economy. However

with every bad situation, there are always opportunities to grow. We are continuing to explore new educational offerings to help you to become a more marketable instruc-tor. You may notice that next season some of the schools will be a bit more selective with their staffing. Therefore, those of you that have your qualifications may have more opportunities than those that do not.

Look to make yourself a more market-able instructor by taking advantage of all of AASI’s offerings. This will help to make you stand out in a larger school of other cer-

tified instructors. This is also a great time to begin to develop some new clientele. The question we should all be asking ourselves is “What is the perceived value of the les-sons we give?”

People expect more value for their dol-lar these days. Make sure each lesson you give is at your highest potential. Clients are booking private lessons based on which instructor they feel gives them the most value. The better your lesson, the more valuable you will be to your clients. Often as instructors, we start to feel burned-out by this time in the season. Stay on your game to ensure you remain a valuable instructor to not only your ski and snowboard school, but also your clients. A

The Snowboard WorldBy Tony Macri, PSIA-RM Snowboard Committee Chair

Congratulations to the Successful

Candidates for the Board of

Directors!

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heRe ARe the DetAIlS:

u Certified, active members must attend at least two days of clinics for credit every other year.

u Inactive members must attend at least two days of clinics for credit every four years. Credits must be up-to-date at time of request to change to inactive status.

u 25-year members have five years to accu-mulate their two days of clinic credit.

u 35-year members and members 70 years of age or older are not required to attend clinics to keep their membership current.

u Emeritus members are not required to attend clinics, however, clinic credits must be up-to-date at time of request to change to emeritus status.

If for some unforeseen reason you become delinquent in your clinic credits you are required to attend the appropriate amount of clinics to become up-to-date. A member may make a request for a clinic waiver. Such request must be submitted in writing to the office with explanation of rea-son for request. There is no fee for the first

clinic waiver. If there is a second request the fee is 50% of the regular two-day clinic fee. A third request would have a fee of 100% of the regular two-day clinic fee. If the request for a clinic waiver is for a medical reason a fee will not be assessed as long as there is medical verification. It is expected that the member will attend the required amount of clinics in the next season. If a member is delinquent in clinic cred-

its a $35.00 deposit will be assessed. If the member registers and attends a clinic, the $35.00 will be applied to the event regis-tration fee. If the member does not attend clinics to become current, the deposit is forfeited.

Additionally, any member who is not up-to-date with clinic credits is in jeopardy of losing certification. Please contact the office if you have questions about your status. A

By Patti Banks, Nordic Chairperson

Since you are reading this, I am going to assume you are a PSIA member. I am also going to assume that since you are a member, you are receiving benefits that make it worthwhile to stay a mem-ber. I need your help in coming up with further inducements to encourage other XC instructors and XC schools to want to become members and attend clinics as well. I would appreciate any thoughts or ideas you may have. Please contact me at [email protected]. A

Confused About Clinic Credits to Keep Your Membership Current?By Carolyn Krueger, Office Manager

Cross Country Instructors I need Your Help!


We’re all familiar with the dictum: “maintain a tall stance”. But, like other examples of technical jargon (e.g. “alignment”), it can be diffi-

cult to interpret. What exactly does it mean? Before getting to that, it may be useful to ask why a skier would not normally maintain a tall stance. A tall stance is, after all, a nor-mal stance —the way you would stand, say, at a bar, drinking a beer. Or the way you would stand when walking, or dancing, or standing in a river, fly-fishing. People don’t normally crouch, do they? But when on skis, people do often crouch, and I don’t believe I’ll be

the first to suggest that some skiers crouch because it keeps them closer to the ground. If one fears falling, then it makes sense to fall from a lesser height. My boss calls it “cower-ing”, which pretty well sums it up. So, the very best reason for maintaining a tall stance is that it is a normal stance, and an immediate advantage of a normal stance is that it is less fatiguing than a contrived stance. A case in point comes from a recent intermediate lesson. It was Charlie’s first day, and he soon began to complain of thigh burn. He was skiing in a crouch, making tight “Z” turns. I encouraged him to initiate a longer

turn by standing fully erect, patiently “glid-ing” into the turn. I said it would relieve his thigh burn, and he tried it and it worked. When we speak of being “tall”, we are, of course, referring most particularly to the extension phase that begins every turn. A properly aimed extension (diagonally for-ward and downhill) flattens the skis and, if you’re not in a hurry to get to your other set of edges, it allows the skis to seek the fall-line. I experience this as a “glide”, and from this glide I can choose when and how much to tip my skis and enter the flexion phase of the turn. This glide, moreover, is a relaxed and pleasurable moment, which enables me to start the turn without “doing” anything. It’s especially fun to execute up against a bank, which feels more secure to the student, and one can integrate a carving conclusion to the turn if one wishes. Note, also, that I’ve referred to two phases of a turn, the exten-sion and flexion phases, which correlate to the part of the turn that takes you to the fall-line, and the part that takes you away from the fall-line. This is, for me, the most logical way to parse a turn. I’ve never been able to “get” the four-phases of a turn. Now, let’s turn to a completely different kind of skiing, to see the value of standing up. In bump skiing, the acceleration into the fall-line (and quick arrival at the next bump) can be intimidating, and one feels instinc-tively that there is no time to stand tall at the top of the turn. But, surprisingly, standing tall seems to “buy time.” It seems to slow things down, rather than speed them up. Why is this? One tactic for achieving speed control in the bumps is to end the turn with a pivot and skid—almost a hockey stop. Executing a full pivot and skid requires a deep flexing of the knees and ankles, and one can’t do this if one is already flexed. Only by standing tall at the top of the turn can one have available sufficient range to flex fully at the end of the turn. And the same holds true if one needs to absorb a kicker at the end of the turn. I particularly enjoy being able to slow down so much at the end of a bump turn that I can then leisurely (or so it seems) stand erect and tip deliberately forward into the awaiting trough. I don’t offer the above as a comprehensive examination of why a skier should maintain a tall stance, but simply my recent thoughts on the subject. Ask your clinic leader, and you’ll probably get an earfull. A

Stand Up!By Steve Miller, Ernie Blake Ski School, Taos

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The Jim Riley Memorial Fund endow-ment to the RMSIA Educational Foun-dation has run its course. This is a sad time for those of us who were his

friends. It is sure that Jim is happy with the help he made available to PSIA-RM mem-bers desiring to improve their skills as Ski Instructors and Teachers. Perhaps some of those who received grants did not know Jim or had the great experience of skiing with him. He is gone now, but here is a short introduction to Gentleman James R. Riley. Jim Riley was a graduate of St. Thomas Military Academy, the University of Min-nesota, and the University of Minnesota Law School. He was a Major in the Army Reserves and served a tour as Tank commander in Ger-many. He moved to Colorado in the 50’s, began his skiing career as a ‘ski bum’ and began a law practice. He later served on the Colorado Attorney General Staff. He served on the Arapahoe Basin Ski Patrol and is one

of the few honorary patrolmen cited in the history of the area. He became a member of PSIA-RM in 1965, passed his full certification in 1968 and was granted lifetime membership in 1975 in recognition of his contributions to the association. Jim was a main figure in founding and organizing the Rocky Mountain Division of Professional Ski Instructors of America. He was instrumental in creating the bylaws and articles of incorporation for the PSIA-RM, served on the Board of Directors for many years and volunteered his legal expertise as well. Jim also served on the Board of Direc-tors for the Colorado Ski Museum. The North American Ski Instructors Con-gress (NASIC) was the dream and con-cept originated by Jim Riley. Jim served as President of NASIC and was the primary organizer of NASIC I and NASIC II at Vail, Colorado in 1970 and 1971. He was the ‘on the hill’ voice of NASIC for these events. He

believed that these events provided a forum for instructors from all countries to discuss, compare and freely develop concepts of ski technique, teaching methods, ski mechanics and biomechanics. The NASIC programs were a great success with participation of a great number of instructors, demo-teams and sponsors from several countries including Canada, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Aus-tria and the United States. The Jim Riley Fund was an endowment fund created by James R. Riley Jr. and given by the instrument of his Will to the Rocky Mountain Ski Instructors Educational Foun-dation for the benefit of ski instructors being registered or certified members of PSIA-RM and residents of Colorado or New Mexico. Its purpose was to assist instructors in pursuing a special interest in ski teach-ing and to advance ski teaching skills and organizational presentation. It was because of Jim’s love and dedication to ski teaching that this program was available to members of PSIA-RM. It is dedicated to his memory and to his contributions to ski instruction. Thanks, Jim! A

Practicing Dolphin Turns on the beginner hill while your class is linking turns? Perfecting your Pivot Slips when no one is looking? Prac-

ticing Toe to Toes’ while your students are down trail from you? Waking up on Satur-day mornings making excuses why no go backcountry riding today when the truth is you are headed to the hill to do laps on the nastiest bump run you can find? Changing your jacket and pant combo so your peers will not recognize you as you fumble while riding bumps switch? This was my life, and if this sounds like yours then you must be preparing for the Cert III exam. The Cert III process asks many strange things from us and brings even stranger things to light. Understanding biomechan-ics and observation tactics helps me help others. Riding the chair lifts becomes an

opportunity to observe my fellow riders which yields another perspective for Move-ment Analysis and develops new bonds with my trainers and peers. Attempting new tricks or riding maneuvers provides greater insights so I am better equipped to break down the maneuver into pieces to

learn it and teach it. The overall process results in coaching skills and thus more to offer students and friends. And lastly, my personal riding has jumped through the roof and believe it or not I actually enjoy riding bumps now! Exams are an expensive gamble [it is an investment in yourself]. There is a level of uncertainty about passing the entire test, and retesting is another expense in addition to travel, lodging, etc. There is a little help out there and I am thankful to the Jim Riley Foundation for their support in granting me the Jim Riley Scholarship for my Cert III Exam. Without this generous donation I would find “living the dream” much harder to obtain and sustain. Call it what you will, but it worked and fortunately I passed the Cert III exam, first time through and I wish you good luck with yours! A

Jim Riley Memorial FundBy HD Lewis

Preparing for the Level III examBy Tim Kenney

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First published in the Vail Trail, March 15, 2006.

You may have aspirations to soar out of the halfpipe like Simon Dumont, but piddle around far below the top of the wall each time you try. Take some time

to learn the secrets to halfpipe height. More height per hit is all about manag-ing speed and pressure. To get higher up in the walls in the halfpipe, you can do three things: 1) Travel down-pipe longer between hits. Instead of completing 10-12 hits during your halfpipe run, space them out more and only do eight. More distance between each hit means you will pick up more speed, which you can use to launch yourself higher. The pros get five or six hits for their competition runs. 2) Add more carve to your turns. Carving speeds you up, skidding slows you down. So get on your edge and let your sidecuts carve a turn across the flats and up the wall. Ulti-mately, when you are trying to get as high as possible out of the pipe, your skis should carve the whole time. 3) Build up the pressure. As you go up the wall, the pressure build-up wants to make you crouch smaller. By giving in and bending your joints (ankle, knees, and hips), you’re

releasing that pressure and slowing down. If you prevent your joints from absorbing the pressure, the energy has nowhere to go but propel you up the wall. Think mannequin-

stiff and you’ll find yourself easily getting higher than ever before. Eventually, you can play with it so that you extend your joints while riding up the wall … actually creat-ing more pressure that will shoot you even higher. This extending move takes a lot of practice to do well. You need the right touch of timing, intensity, and duration to get it just right. Play with all three of these tactics during your halfpipe runs. You will get a much bet-ter feel for how to boost out as high as you can. Height in the halfpipe requires a lot of technical skill, so plan on spending plenty of time earning mileage up and down the walls. Develop the feel, and you will be spending more time above the lip than you thought possible. Kelly Coffey is a freestyle trainer at the Vail Snowsports School. He is PSIA trainers’ accredited advanced-freestyle-accredited. View past freestyle tips articles by searching “Freestyle Freebies” on vailtrail.com. A

Freestyle Skiing: Getting Above the Lip in the HalfpipeBy Kelly Coffey

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It’s amazing how effortless deep snow skiing can be if you are balancing well on your skis. The paradox to the bliss and ease of powder skiing however, lays in

the ability to make continuous, dynamic bal-ancing adjustments.

Like most sports, skiing requires that we operate through several planes of balance. As in most conditions, deep snow requires that we are constantly regulating the four main planes of balance involved in skiing: vertical balance, lateral balance, rotational balance and fore aft balance.

Of these, fore/aft and vertical balance duly test our willingness and ability in deep snow to adapt, recover and rebalance ourselves, particularly as conditions change from ultra-low-density Alta bubbly to Sierra Cement. In one careening hurtle of ourselves from mountaintop to base, we descend from the high cool temped elevations to the low valley heat that bakes snow moist. In such a short time we can move from feeling Heroic and passionate to unworthy and frustrated!

There are some simple ways of shifting your skills from being reactive to proactive while skiing the deep.

In the plane of fore/aft balance, the bal-ance of your center of mass and the position of your feet need to play in unison. It is often more efficient and effective to reposition your feet moving them fore or aft as the situ-ation requires to recapture balance. Moving the hips and upper body back over the feet to again establish order is often slow and can be tiring.

Realize that momentum and rhythm are your allies. Added resistance given by the depth of the snow to your feet can be fatigu-ing. In flatter terrain elongate your turn and allow your skis more time in the fall line to maintain your momentum. As the pitch increases, deal with speed control by gradu-ally adding more shape to your turn decreas-ing the radius. Quick over steering of the skis can kill your momentum and destroy your rhythm.

Fluid execution of a well-timed pole plant can make your run amazing. It is a great elixir to balance and timing issues. If your

feet get slowed down for any reason and your body gets pitched forward, a solid pole touch will stabilize things and get you back into balance. If you get caught back, a pole plant can force you to re-center the feet under the center of mass.

A key in achieving optimal balance is to keep the pole baskets moving, if your poles stop your turns will feel erratic, rushed and awkward. If the baskets are moving your feet are generally on the move too.

When training your skills or that of your

students, consider that the learning process takes time! Variable, deep all mountain snow can be some of the most challenging of all conditions causing you to feel like an Expert on one turn and a beginner on the next!!

Enjoy the way of progress and rip it up! AMatt WylieCanadian Ski Instructor’s Alliance Level IVCanadian Ski Guide Association Level IICanadian Ski Coaches Federation Level II

Balance and the Zen of Deep Snow SkiingBy Matt Wylie


Next time you wonder about the ski-ers on the hill or in your class,

consider this. Here’s a little peek at what began as an overcast Sat-

urday on the hill, and the unexpected sur-prises a day can bring....

Caught the first chair ride of the day with a member of the British National Disabled Ski Team. He and two other team members were in sit-skis, all without the use of their legs. All three couldn’t fit on one chair, so

I rode with one of the guys when he asked for a bit of help loading and getting the bar down enough so he wouldn’t slide out of the chair. “Very slick new apparatus”, he said, “and I nearly fell out the other day...”

We chatted a bit after I asked if he was in town for the Ski Spectacular, the annual week-long event the resort hosts for the US Disabled Team and instructors. There’s lots of training for instructors and racing for

team members. He told me it turned out as a big coincidence - the British Team was in the area for two other races, one at Cop-per, one at Winter Park.

I asked his name and his specialty. “GS and downhill because I have no use of my core muscles and can’t turn fast enough for slalom, plus I love the speed.” I asked how fast he usually goes and he told me 65mph in a typical GS course. Then he described some wild crashes he’s had with his sitski at full speed, breaking all sorts of body parts along the way(neck, leg, arm...). None of these crashes though, were anything really compared to his original accident. He broke his back(in two places) in a motor-cycle crash, which he said wasn’t too bad to start with, until he realized he was sliding into traffic and then got run over.

He went on, telling me the doctors had told him he’d be in the hospital for at least two years, and how he really was quite depressed in the beginning, until he decided one day to set a goal. “I decided I was going to ski for my country one day, and from then on I found the motivation to go on. The power of the mind is really amaz-ing and I left the hospital in 7 months, and became an example the doctors used for the

patients who came after me. I was asked to do some motivational speaking for awhile, and always told people you have to grieve for what you’ve lost, not stuff the pain, fear, or anger away because it’ll come back to haunt you.” He kept on talking, about acceptance, forgiveness, and how he’d learned to create a new and brighter version of his future, being grateful for whatever he could be each day. I knew I’d be grateful for this chair ride today as we high-fived each other, and he said, “So Jane, wanna race?!” Good thing I had to get down to meet a class and his teammates had gone the other way, or he would have smoked me!

Part two of my day was spent helping a 250lb. man who was struggling in a begin-ner class. My supervisor asked me to see if I could help him since the instructor with him had a class of 7 and the other six were doing ok. I met Michael while he was flat out on the ground, sweating, and say-ing he’d had too much to drink last night, and kept leaning backwards with his arms behind him and just couldn’t figure it out.

Meanwhile I’m looking at his size 14 feet as he attempts to get back up and notice he’s really knock-kneed.

He was smiling through his frustration, so I jokingly bet him he could be success-ful in five minutes or less, to which he says, “No way.” I tell his buddy who’s watch-ing to start his watch and I tell Michael to take off his skis to get up and then asked him to feel his shins against the front of his boots. Then I had him feel his calves on the back of his boots, rest his arms behind him, and I nearly knocked him over with one finger.

“See? Just feel your shins on the front, and are you a golfer?” He says he’s played, so I added his rounding his spine like he does as he prepares to hit the ball and attempt to push him over again. He’s not budging. We get our skis on and slide down to a flat area. “Holy crap, I didn’t fall back-wards,” he says. “Time?”, I ask his friend. “2 minutes.”

In the next two, I held his hand, got him to open and turn his legs and we skied in

a wedge for 150 yards to the lift. He rode the Poma lift up, skied down in control by himself with a little bit more coaching on how to compensate for a leg strength dif-ference. I used my favorite technical lan-guage -”Hey Michael, move your left butt cheek over your left heel while you open and turn your legs....” “I’m doing it!”, he says. What’s left for me to say but, “Ok then, guess I won the bet!” We talked a bit while he rested and I thought he was pretty young looking and asked if he was in school or worked. He worked, hav-ing a job for the last four years as a nurs-ing home administrator. I wondered how he’d gotten into the field and he told me he used to be an institutional parole officer. He worked with inmates and interviewed them prior to their parole hearings, but he said he felt his clients didn’t really seem to care about improving their situations, and his efforts weren’t really appreciated.

He had a friend in the nursing home business and so Michael got involved and said, “You know, it’s not just that it’s more rewarding financially, it’s more reward-ing in here” as he tapped his hand over his heart. I guessed he enjoyed older people and he said he always had a close relation-ship with his grandmother and thinks he transferred that to his patients. We took one more run and agreed that if he wasn’t too tired or in pain after lunch, I’d get him up on the chairlift and down the mountain once. An hour later, we get on the lift and have a great run down. Michael’s grinning at the bottom as he says he’s totally ready to sit down and collapse. He couldn’t believe he’d actually done it and liked it, and I told him that sometimes skiing can be rewarding in here as I tapped my hand over my heart, especially after feeling like a failure and being able to end up a success. We agreed he’d earned the hot tub, shared a quick hug, and that ended my day.

So, I only got paid for a couple of hours of teaching that day, but I learned a lot from these unexpected encounters with people and their stories...and you? This is more than a great job...it’s a lifetime learning adventure. A

A Lifetime Learning Adventure By Jane Tarlow, Breckenridge Ski School PSIA Alpine Level 3


INStRuctoR to INStRuctoR NeWSletteR

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:

ISSue SuBMISSIoN DelIVeRy

DeADlINeFall August 10 SeptemberWinter November 10 DecemberSpring February 10 MarchSummer May 10 June

clASSIFIeD AD RAteS• Classifiedrateformembersis$15forupto200 characters, and $2.00 for each additional 50 characters. Maximum ad length is 400 characters.• Classifiedratefornon-membersis$30forup to 200 characters, and $4.00 for each addi-tional 50 characters. Maximum ad length is 400 characters.

DISPlAy ADVeRtISING RAteS• Adssubmittedmustbecamerareadyorindigital format.• Alladswillbeprintedinblackandwhiteonly.• Noadcancellationswillbeacceptedafterthe submission deadline.

SIze PRIce WIDth x heIGht1/12 page $60.00 2.5” x 2.5”1/8 page $90.00 2.5” x 3.75” or 3.75” x 2.5”1/6 page $115.00 2.5” x 5.0” or 5.0” x 2.5”¼ page $175.00 2.5” x 7.5” or 7.5” x 2.5” or 3.75” x 5.0”1/3 page $220.00 2.5” x 10.0” or 5.0” x 5.0” or 7.5” x 3.35”½ page $330.00 5.0” x 7.5” or 7.5” x 5.0” or 3.75” x 10.0”2/3 page $420.00 5.0” x 10.0” or 7.5” x 6.67”¾ page $475.00 7.5” x 7.5”Full page $600.00 7.5” x 10.0”

* Inserts, colors and special arrangements quoted upon request.* All ad prices are quoted per issue.

EMPlOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Angel Fire Ski and Snowboard Schools are currently accepting applications for the fol-

lowing positions:PSIA Level 1, 2, and 3 certified

Ski Instructors AASI Level 1, 2, and 3 certified

Snowboard Instructors New Ski and Snowboard Instructors

Angel Fire offers competitive pay, great training opportunities, and limited employee housing. Please fill out an online application

at www.angelfireresort.com or mail your resume to: Angel Fire Resort,

Attn: Ski and Snowboard SchoolPO Box 130, Angel Fire, NM 87710

505-377-4287

Ski, Ride & Teach above all at the Basin!Have a passion for skiing & riding?

A-Basin Snowsports School is for you.•LongestseasoninColorado;October to June• Montezuma Bowl: 400 acres of new bowl skiing/riding• Competitivewages;Incentiveprogram,Reimbursement for certification exams, Health, Vision and Dental Benefits.• Trainingin-housefromPSIAEducationStaff• Skiingat14ColoradoResortsincludingVail, Beaver Creek, Keystone & Breckenridge.• Directhiringpossiblethroughinterviewforqualified candidates.• A Small Mountain that Rides Big; with the opportunity to make an immediate impact!Arapahoe Basin —The Legend!

Become part of the Legend call:800-272-7246

Burt SkallSnowsports [email protected]

970-513-5707Courtney Whitman

Human Resources [email protected]

970-513-5732


Monarch Ski and Ride School is recruiting a fun loving staff for the winter of 2009-2010.

Qualified instructors can build schedules that vary from ten to ninety days of commit-ment. Our 100% natural snow base and 350+

inches of snowfall provide for memorable guest and instructor experiences.

Send resume to: Jack Sciacca

Director of Instruction #1 Powder Place

Monarch , CO 81227 [email protected]

Telluride Ski and Snowboard School is now accepting application for

Part-time Certified Ski and Snowboard Instructors

PSIA & AASI Level 1, 2 and 3 Dates of Employment: November 17 th, 2008

- April 13th, 2008For more information visit our website at

www.TellurideSkiResort.com and look under employment

or call 970.728.7507 OrE-mail Fred Rumford Executive Director at

[email protected]

Vail Spring Fling!APRIL 18 & 19 2009

Registration Deadline is Friday, March 27Spring Fling is a stand-alone event that celebrates a great season,

good skiing and riding, friends, and our 25, 35 & 45 year members. This event hosts a party, awards and food for participants.

Prerequisites: PSIA/AASI membership, prerequisite level depending onchoice of specific clinic. Complete prerequisite listings for each clinic located

in Elective Course sections of the Curriculum Guide.Credits: 2 Days: 2 Fee: $85.00 per day

Kids Masters 8 & 9X Discipline

Alpine ClinicsStrength Based Learning

All Mtn PerformanceBrilliant Skiing

Teach Beginner BumpsWomen’s Clinics

Contemporary Movements25 Year Anniversary35 Year Anniversary45 Year Anniversary

Alpine FreestyleFreestyle Fiesta

Snowboard ClinicsRide Improvement 301Ride Improvement 401

Intro to FreestyleSnowboard Bumps

Women’s ClinicTelemark Clinics

Tele Ski ImprovementLearn to Tele

Tele Women’s ClinicAdaptive ClinicsAdaptive Mania


PSIA/AASI Rocky Mountain Division

P.O. Box 775143

Steamboat Springs, CO 80477

970.879.8335 / Fax 970.879.6760

www.psia-rm.org

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Please contact thePSIA-Rocky Mountain-

AASIoffice in Steamboat Springs.

970-879-8335 phone970-879-6760 fax

[email protected]

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Steamboat Springs,CO

Kid’s ConnectionBy Dusty Dyar,

PSIA-RM Children’s Committee Chair

hello from your new Children’s Chair, I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself. My name is Dustin Dyar, most people call me Dusty. I

am an instructor at Crested Butte Mountain Resort where I started my skiing career 13 years ago. I am a Colorado native, born and raised in Colorado Springs where I drove from on Saturdays to ski at various resorts across Colorado. At Western State College in Gunnison I studied Kinesiology and Art, and then continued on to get a Colorado Teaching License. After graduating I returned to Colo-rado Springs where I taught High School, but I had this problem - a passion to share ski-ing with others. I had started teaching ski-ing while in school at Western. After a year in Colorado Springs I moved back to CB to continue teaching skiing full time. Over the years I have been very involved with chil-dren’s training and curriculum development. Three years ago I joined the Children’s Edu-cation Training Team and the Alpine Educa-

tion Staff. Now here we are and I have the opportunity to help steer and build our Chil-dren’s Education materials. I am excited for this opportunity and look forward to working with different members of PSIA . I would like to take this moment to thank Shawn McDermott for his years of hard work leading the Children’s Team. Shawn donated a great deal of his time to build quality chil-dren’s products. Thanks Shawn!

QuIck tIP:When working with a child skiing with a locked edge (or dominant leg), try playing games that get them to stand tall by straight-ening their joints. I like to ask the child to reach up and try to touch the clouds. Hopefully both legs straighten equally flattening the skis.Use a description specific to your students: Pick the lollipops off the top of the lollipop tree. A

Documents

PSIA-RM Spring 2009