2015

In the 2014/15 season PSIA released a long planned and welcome update to the National Standards.  This update altered the way we look at and use the national standards and, for the first time in recent history, was the result of collaboration from key players in every division.  At the heart of the skiing portion of the standards is Alpine Skiing Fundamentals.

·         Control the relationship of the Center of Mass to the base of support to direct pressure along the length of the skis

·         Control pressure from ski to ski and direct pressure toward the outside ski

·         Control edge angles through a combination of inclination and angulation

·         Control the skis rotation (turning, pivoting, steering) with leg rotation, separate from the upper body

·         Regulate the magnitude of pressure created through ski/snow interaction

 

These five points are a result of the PSIA Alpine Team asking the question “as a nation of skiers, what do we value as ‘great’ skiing?”

PSIA has used the Skills concept as its technical framework since the mid 1970’s, and will continue to use this timeless model for the foreseeable future. Simply put, a skier is constantly changing, adapting and managing three things:

·         The direction of the skis (Rotational Control)

·         The angle of the skis to the snow (Edge Control)

·         The pressure created through turning and terrain (Pressure Control)

 

The Skills Concept serves as a way of inventorying all that we can do to affect these simple outcomes of the skis or, the ‘skills’ of skiing.

As a technical framework this is very effective. This model dose not value or discriminate against any particular technique or mechanic, it simply categorizes them.   Therefore, while this model can help us to organize the enormous amount of information that is available about how skiing works, it does not answer the question “as a nation of skiers, what do we value as ‘great’ skiing?”

Intro the Alpine Fundamentals.   These five points, while written in a specifically vague manner, have just enough specificity to say “this is what we see as ‘great’ in almost all the varying interpretations and styles of skiing that we value.”   What is most important to understand as an instructor pursuing certification, or a trainer helping those with that goal, is that the Skiing Fundamentals are derived directly from the skills concept.

In short, the Skills Concept inventories and categorizes everything we can do that effects going left and right on a pair of skis. The Skiing Fundamentals filters that information into what we see as mechanical imperatives for great skiing.

Jonathan Ballou
Alpine Committee Chair
PSIA-Rocky Mountain-AASI

 

 

RM members:

I am often asked what the Affiliation Agreement process was about and what exactly PSIA-RM-ASIA accomplished with the agreement we signed?  Here is a brief, yet hopefully clear explanation.

The ASEA (American Snowsports Education Association) originally provided their version of an Affiliation Agreement to PSIA-RM-AASI in 2011. They requested we sign it immediately as a condition of using the ASEA’s trademarked logos.  While we saw the value in using the ASEA’s logos, we felt we could not sign the agreement, as written, because it specified a transfer of our ownership rights in many key intellectual properties.  The most troublesome provisions were the first WHEREAS paragraph, and Section 3.2.5.  The first WHEREAS paragraph noted that the ASEA owned an undefined group of properties labeled the “ASEA Properties.”  Paragraph 3.2.5 then required we acknowledge the ASEA owned the “ASEA Properties” exclusively.

RM sought counsel to clarify exactly what those two paragraphs meant.  We were subsequently advised there was a real risk that the two provisions, taken together, could allow the ASEA to argue at some later date, that it (the ASEA) controlled exclusively all the books, pamphlets, training guides, and other materials necessary for RM to operate and control its operations.  Our position was (and remains) that many of those materials are in fact jointly owned between RM, other divisions, the ASEA, and perhaps individuals who have contributed for many years. We simply could not agree to the Affiliation Agreement’s language asking us to cede total ownership to the ASEA.  Our primary concern was that the ASEA’s original Affiliation Agreement would have given the ASEA total control over how RM operates because if the ASEA owned all the properties outright, it could simply pull use of the materials unless RM complied with all/some of the ASEA’s requests, and/or demands.

With those concerns in mind, we negotiated and debated with the ASEA for nearly three years on the meaning of the Affiliation Agreement.  The ASEA refused to change any of its key terms.  In particular, the ASEA refused to define the term “ASEA Properties.”  It consistently argued, through their attorney(s), that RM was merely a division/subsidiary of the ASEA, that the ASEA owned all the training materials and intellectual properties, and that it did have the right to control RM.

Eventually, we hired a law firm (Holland-Hart) to evaluate the situation.  After months of negotiations the ASEA finally agreed to insert Section 7.4 into the agreement.  That paragraph acknowledges that nothing in the Affiliation Agreement is meant to transfer ownership of any properties, including any with partial ownership.  In effect, Section 7.4 prevents the ASEA from ever arguing that RM has ceded ownership of all the properties necessary for running RM operations.  Additionally, we inserted Paragraph 7.1.  This Paragraph acknowledges that the ASEA, and RM, are completely separate entities. PSIA-RM-AASI is not a subsidiary of the ASEA, and the ASEA neither owns, nor controls RM.

Ultimately, the effect of the changes we made, and therefore the final document we signed with the ASEA, ensures that PSIA-RM-AASI continues to have control over the ownership rights it has in the various intellectual properties.  If, in the years to come, the ASEA should contend that the Affiliation Agreement gives the ASEA exclusive ownership of the various properties required to operate our business, RM can, and should argue, that Sections 7.4, and 7.1 refute that contention.

It is our belief that with the Affiliation Agreement we have signed with the ASEA, PSIA-RM-AASI is positioned to control our own materials and operate our business as we see fit.  While the ASEA may argue it owns outright the properties RM needs to run its operation, the Affiliation Agreement no longer supports that contention.

Joel Munn Pres. PSIA-RM-AASI

 

Equivalent Events to the Certification Update Clinic: (Any of these clinics will also give you credit for completing the Cert Update clinic regardless of the clinic’s discipline or your discipline)

Alpine:

·         Level 1 Exam Prep

·         Level 1 Exam

·         201 MA Indoor

·         201 MA On-Snow

·         201 Precision Skiing

·         201 Teaching Practice

·         Level 2 Exam

·         301 MA Indoor

·         301 MA On-snow

·         301 Precision Skiing

·         301 Teaching Practice

·         Level 3 Exam

·         401 Clinic Leading Skills

·         401 Indoor Clinic Leading & Presentation Skills

·         401 Precision Skiing

·         401 Technical Foundations and MA

·         Rocky Mountain Trainer Exam

·         Technical Foundations

·         Boot Balancing and Alignment

 

Alpine Freestyle:

·         Freestyle Specialist 1

·         Freestyle Specialist 2

·         Freestyle Specialist 3

·         Freestyle Specialist RMT

 

Snowboard:

·         ITC Level 1 Exam

·         Level 2 Preview

·         Level 2 Exam

·         Level 3 Preview

·         Level 3 Exam

·         RMT Prep Clinic

·         RMT Exam

·         Freestyle Specialist Preview

·         Freestyle Specialist Exam

 

Children’s:

·         CS1

·         CS2

·         401 On Snow Children’s Clinic Leading

·         Children’s RMT

 

Adaptive:

·         Functional Skiing Prep

·         Functional Skiing Exam

·         Adaptive 3-Track, 4-Track and Slider Exam

·         Adaptive Bi-ski & Mono-ski Exam

·         Adaptive Cognitive & Visually Impaired Exam

·         Adaptive Alpine Level 3 Prep Clinic

·         Adaptive Level 3 Exam

·         Adaptive Alpine Rocky Mountain Trainer Prep

·         Adaptive RMT exam

 

Adaptive Snowboard:

·         ITC (Level 1)

·         ASB Physical Stand-Up Prep & Exam

·         Physical Sit-Down Prep & Exam

·         Cognitive/Visually Impaired Prep & Exam

·         Level 2 Exam

·         Level 3 Exam Prep

·         Level 3 Exam

 

Cross Country:

·         Level 1 Prep

·         Level 1 Exam

·         Level 2/3 Prep

·         Level 2/3 Exam

·         XC 401 Workshop

·         RMT Exam

 

Telemark:

·         Level 1 Exam

·         Telemark Blues and Beyond Clinic

·         Telemark Extreme Mountain Performance

·         Telemark 2/3 Exam

·         Telemark 401 Workshop

·         Telemark RMT Prep

·         Telemark RMT Exam

 

Multi Discipline Clinics –

·         Member School Management/RMT Fall Training

·         25yr, 35yr, 45yr Anniversary clinic (invite only)

·         PSIA/AASI National Academy (See www.thesnowpros.org for more info)

Alpenglow Ski Safari Ads New Dates in Jan 2016

By Tony Macri

This summer I had the pleasure of meeting up with some of my PSIA/AASI RM cohorts in a beautiful location they call the “Edge of the World.”  As some of you may have already read through the various social media outlets, Interski 2015 was held this summer in Ushuaia, Argentina.  I was in a unique situation with being on the AASI National Team as well as the New Zealand Demo Team.  This allowed me to be involved with both helping the US and NZ teams develop their educational message.  Similar to the last Interski in 2011, there was a main theme sent to all the cooperating nations to prepare both their on-snow workshops and their indoor evening lectures.  This theme of “Student Retention” is one in which we are all very aware of and continue to try to make an impact on.

Prior to leaving New Zealand to head over to Argentina for Interski, US teammate Scott Anfang and I were able to put some final tweaks into the on-snow workshop that the US team was going to present.  When your audience is of such a high caliber, you really want to make sure to engage them without boring them.  We wanted to make sure our clinic was built around real time situations versus imaginary or hypothetical scenarios.  The cool thing about this clinic was that the information wasn’t new as we have already been working on a Personal Connection Model from the last team training.  It was really about putting it into a format that we can illustrate to our audience the importance of the four elements of this model to create that student connection.  More about this clinic and model can be found by clicking on this link.

http://www.thesnowpros.org/NewsInformation/NewsAnnouncements/tabid/117/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/802/Interski-2015-PSIA-AASI-Team-Puts-the-Learning-Connection-Show-on-Snow.aspx

I was also quite busy putting together the on-snow workshop and indoor lecture that I was helping present at Interski from the New Zealand team.  It was cool that we were dealing with the same overall theme of student retention but utilizing some slightly different approaches.  From New Zealand, we were more focused on Learning vs. Achievement.  This has become such a focus in the system and methodology in New Zealand that we changed the motto from Safety/Fun/Learning to Safety/Fun/Achievement.  So our clinic was based on this concept.  To read more on this workshop click on this link

http://interski.nzsia.net/sbinz-safety-fun-achievement/

As you can see, Interski is a lot more than just about synchro.  It has actually become more about the education sharing and learning from the different methodologies and concepts that are being practiced all over the world.  Therefore during the day when workshops are being delivered, it is important that we spread out our resources and try to get to every nation’s workshop.  This again meant that the US team could benefit without having to send someone to watch the clinic that I helped present for New Zealand, as I was able to share that later with my teammates on the US team.  I was so proud to have the unique perspective of seeing the US team present from outside the group looking in and hearing what my New Zealand teammates were saying about how dialed the message was and interesting the approach PSIA/AASI were taking towards student retention.

The most important piece to this whole experience is getting the information and experiences that we all were able to receive at Interski and bring it back to our membership.  It was great seeing not only all my US teammates over in Argentina but also my Rocky Mountain Division teammates.  I look forward to being able to share these experiences and concepts with you all as we continue to grow and challenge ourselves with the thirst for more education.

 

PSIA – Rocky Mountain- AASI
Board of Directors Meeting
October 14, 2015

Board Briefs
Roll call:  Dana Forbes, Joel Munn, Rick Hinckley, Rick Rodd, Jane Tarlow, John Kirschner, Erik Mogensen, Jenny Cooper, Donnie Mechalke, Andy Docken, Robin May

Absent: Alicia Heckel

Others present: Dave Gregory, Director of Education; Carissa Eggers, minute taker

• Discussion on recording the meetings of the board
• July meeting minutes approved
• No questions from members as none were present
• Conference call with Larimer Capitol our investment firm to discuss the long term goals and strategies for EF and RM investments
• Guy Sedillo hired as Training Manager for RM
• Annual scholarships awarded to 62 applicants
• 60 New membership scholarships for RM approved granting free membership to NEW members selected by their school
• Board approved a $2500 scholarship for NSCD to support special a Olympic training camp at Mt Hood
• Telemark is changing their RMT process, allowing candidates to have a checklist they can get checked off by examiners instead of attending a 3-day RMT Exam.
• Snowboard is developing an e-learning module for their Snowboard ITC to be implemented at the start of the 15-16 season
• Clinician Staffing Tool developed by Tyler Barnes is up and running.
• RM is holding some Level 1 and Level 2 clinics and exams with China Magic Ski School this fall and winter
• Board approved the signing of Eastern Division’s version of the Affiliation Agreement with the exception of term length
• Committee and Task Force updates on the History Project, Proportionate Voting, Budget and Finance and Scholarship. Technology Task Force formed
• Discussion on Executive Director Contract
• Next Meeting proposed for January 14th in Vail

 

For more information or a copy of the full minutes contact dana@psia-rm.org

 

 

 

Click here to view the MSM Fall Training Flyer:

MSM Fall Training Invite

To complete the e-learning module, please click this link: https://members.psia-rm.org/rm-lms

*Please use a browser other than Mozilla Firefox, videos will not play properly if using Firefox*

*The LMS must be completed from a laptop or computer, it does not work from a cell phone or most tablets*

Once there, you will need to log in using your log-in credentials for the PSIA RM Member Portal you set up when you joined as a new member. Once logged in, please click the “Then go to the RM LMS here: https:lms.psia-rm.org” link below the red “Login Over Here!” lettering in red.

Once logged in to the LMS, there will be a dashboard with the “Snowboard Level 1 Course” available, you will need to click that and subscribe to the group. You will get an access denied screen if you do not subscribe first! Once you have subscribed, you can click on the lessons button at the bottom. There are two lessons that need to be completed before you attend the on-snow exam:

• Introduction to AASI
• Snowboard Teaching System

 

You will need to complete a quiz at the end of each section (please only click the green “Next” button to navigate through the quizzes, if you click this button at the start of the presentation it will skip all the information). Make sure you click the green “Finish” button when you are finished with each quiz.  We will be monitoring the completion of your LMS, it must be completed at least 72 hours before the start of the on-snow exam. You do not have to complete it all at once, you can complete 1 lesson a day until they are all complete.

You must score at least 80% on each quiz in order to pass, if you do not score 80% or higher, you will need to retake that module again until you receive a passing score.

History Project Announcement & Guidelines CLICK HERE

Dear PSIA Instructors,

I’m writing from the Kees Brenninkmeyer Foundation and would like to touch base with you and your organization.  Our mission is to financially assist alpine guides, patrollers or instructors who require surgery in order to continue their careers.  Since our inception in 2011, we have financially supported just under 100 candidates with career-threatening injuries worldwide.

This year, it is our goal to increase mission outreach and awareness within PSIA/AASI.   In a profession such as ski and snowboard instructing, there is much risk and loss of income if unable to perform the mandatory duties involved within this career.  We as a foundation would like to financially support candidates who meet our key criteria with any surgical procedures and associated rehabilitation that would enable a limitless career return.

Key Criteria

1.     Career threatening injury (chronic or acute).

2.    Documentation supporting career and/or career intent within the guiding, patrolling, or instructing organization.

3.     Medical expenses related to injury would present a considerable financial hardship.

To find more information, please visit our website www.keesbfoundation.org, our Facebook Page (please “like” us too), or email me directly at Joanna@keesbfoundation.org.

Thank you for your time.

Warm Regards,

Joanna Greenwalt
Executive Director
Kees Brenninkmeyer Foundation

Dirt is the New Snow

Quarterly meeting of the Rocky Mountain Board of Directors Steamboat Springs CO July 14^th 2015

For those of you who were unable to attend last week’s board meeting below is a “cliff notes” version of the minutes. For a full copy of the minutes please email carolyn@psia-rm.org.

In attendance: Board members; Joel Munn, Rick Hinckley, Rick Rodd, Jane Tarlow, Robin May, Andy Docken, Jenny Cooper, Erik Mogensen, Donnie Mechalke.

Those absent: Alicia Houchen, John Kirschner, Bob Lemley

Others present: Patti Banks, Jim Shaw, Chris Rogers, Barbara Szwebel, Jonathan Ballou, Dana Forbes, Dave Gregory, Carolyn Krueger

Meeting was called to order at 9:10

• April and May meeting minutes approved
• No one from membership in attendance
• Education update Dave Gregory; recapped Examiner exchange, Regional Team Selection, Learn to be a Ski instructor classes held through Red Rocks Community College and NM University for Alpine Level 1, summer clinic offerings, new Children’s Chair Stacy Gerrish.
• Children’s, Freestyle, Alpine,  Snowboard, Adaptive, Cross Country and Telemark reports
• John Kirschner History of RM proposal project; board approved $5000 to the project
• ASEA Rep update: Joel Munn; Mark Dorsey has resigned and they will be forming a CEO search committee. Interski is expected to be fully funded through donations so the whole team will be attending
• Erik Mogenson: Updated the board that ASEA may be offering iTrainSnowsports, his company, a contract to provide a clinician staffing tool to ASEA
• Budget and Finance Committee briefly discussed the investment income encouraging that we have Larimer Capital present at our next meeting. Dana suggested that 1-3% of total operating income should be donated towards this fund
• Executive Director Update: Membership increased 5.6%, event revenue increased 5%, moving forward to the proposed FY 15/16 budget; no dues increase recommended, event fee increase of $5 per event day, $30,000 in education projects proposed. The addition of a new 8-month position of Training Manger also added to budget. Both the RM and EF proposed budgets were approved.
• New Board Committees: Technology, Proportional voting exploration, Task force to establish process for replacement of office personnel in the future and recruitment of board members

Rudi and Dottie Schnackenberg Scholarship Recipient:

Highlights from National Academy

Kevin Jordan

5-10-2015

Thank you to PSIA-Rocky Mountain and the scholarship committee for granting me the Rudi and Dottie Schnackenberg Scholarship which allowed me to attend the National Academy in Snowbird, UT this past April 22-27.  If you have not been to a National Academy, I would encourage you to attend one.  It is a ski and snowboard instructors’ conference…on steroids!  Snowbird is a challenging mountain and in late spring, the snow conditions can challenge even the best skier’s and rider’s abilities.  We had a variety of snow conditions including no snow, ice, slush, mashed potatoes, deep manky snow, powder, and everything in between.  Here are some highlights from the 2015 National Academy.

Sasha Rearick, the U.S. Ski Team’s Men’s Head Coach, gave an indoor presentation after skiing on day one.  Sasha made some great points about skiing and ski racing including, “skiing is simple; we are the ones who make it complicated.”  Rearick also demonstrated with the help of PSIA National Alpine Team Captain, Michael Rogan, the importance of pressure in the fall line.  Together they set up a table and created a slope.  Then Sasha rolled a ball that represented a skier’s center of mass.  Rogan held a drink tray vertically to exemplify skis in the fall line and Sasha made the point that as the ball hit the tray at a diagonal, the center of mass maintained its speed.  Next, Rogan held the drink tray at a 45 degree angle after the fall line.  This represents what many of us, instructors and recreational skiers do.  The pressure occurs after the fall line.  Sasha rolled the ball and it slowed down.  Thus, the center of mass did not maintain its speed.  The demonstration resonated for everyone in the audience and became a topic of conversation for the week of the Academy.

Another indoor topic was related to the 2015 Interski Congress happening in Ushuaia, Argentina.  Alpine Coach, Rob Sogard gave the presentation and unveiled what each of the different disciplines of the National Teams are currently working on for their Interski presentations.  He showed three distinct triangles: one for technical skills, one for people skills, and one for teaching skills.  These three triangles were encompassed in one larger triangle and together make up a guest centered experience.  For example, the snowboard team members are working on people skills while the Nordic team is focused on a new model that comprises its technical skills.  The Alpine team is focusing on teaching skills and people skills with an updated Core Concepts manual in the works.  Sogard pointed out that the Alpine team members have worked hard on the National Standards, the five skiing fundamentals, and the new Alpine Technical Manual.  Thus, Interski will be an opportunity for them to focus on teaching and people skills.  Interski is being held in a very remote place and while at the Academy, participants helped raise over $6000 to help send team members.  There is still more money to be raised to send each and every one of the team members to the end of the earth!  Click here for more information: http://www.thesnowpros.org/Interski2015.aspx

Dean Cardinale was also a guest speaker on another evening.  He works with the Snowbird Snow Safety office and is an avalanche forecaster, as well as an experienced mountaineer.  His presentation gave an introduction into the history of Snowbird and the snow science behind avalanches.  He had many stories about avalanches and explained how ski patrol trains and operates in the event of an emergency.  The timing of his presentation was quite relevant since Snowbird saw over 14 inches of new snow and could not open some of its terrain due to poor visibility.  Dean was able to explain how avalanche dogs are used to assist in the search and rescue of skiers, snowboarders, snowmobilers, and other recreational enthusiasts.  Cardinale is incredibly knowledgeable and it was helpful to have a local expert explain snow science and snow safety to the Academy participants, many of whom come from smaller areas with not much avalanche risk or exposure.

The on-snow portion of Academy was excellent as well.  How Academy works, is that you ski with the same group leader each morning and then have a chance to sign up for electives in the afternoon.  One day is an elective day and it snowed, so we formed a group to rip around the terrain that Snowbird had to offer.  It became a powder posse very quickly with Vail’s Bobby Murphy trying his best to rein us in.  But we all know, “there are no friends on a powder day.”  Especially, when we haven’t seen much powder this season!  The National Team members work with you on your skiing by doing drills and giving you tips.  In the afternoon, you have an opportunity to ski with other team members and continue to hone your skiing focus.

If you have never been to a National Academy, it is calling your name.  Take advantage of the Rudi and Dottie Schnackenberg Scholarship.  Your skiing will improve and you will have an opportunity to take advantage of the mountain playground that is Snowbird, UT.  Plus, you will learn about the cutting edge information about instruction, such as Interski and PSIA-AASI’s partnership with USSA.  There is also some fun to be had.  Leki ski poles sponsored an après ski party on the Tram Plaza on the last day of Academy.  Participants celebrated in the warm Utah sun while drinking beer.  Need I say more?  It is an event that is not to be missed and you will get more out of it than what you put into attending.  I cannot thank PSIA-RM and the scholarship committee enough for helping me attend the National Academy.

 

 

 

Skating Efficiently – A Game of Inches (Centimeters, Actually)

A Special Technique N-Mail by Jim Sanders

I wonder if you had the chance to watch the 2015 Cross Country Skiing World Championships which took place in Falun, Sweden this winter.  The difference between Gold and Silver, Silver and Bronze, or podium and no podium was so often just tenths of a second.  Take the Men’s Skiathlon as an example.  After 30 kilometers of skiing—15k Classic, a transition of equipment, then 15k Skate (just over 1 hour and 16 minutes!) — Russia’s Maxim Vlegzhanin out-sprinted and out-leg-extended Switzerland’s Super Dario Cologna to take Gold by four tenths of a second.  Four tenths of a second? This is a difference of one out-stretched big toe! It was a game of centimeters.

Skating efficiently is a game of centimeters as well.  In this case, I refer to where your hips are, fore and aft, in relation to your feet.  When you are able to skate with your core/center of mass consistently over and just ahead of your base of support, you are able to ski farther and faster with less effort.  Allow your hips to move aft of the “sweet spot,” even a centimeter or two, and your effort increases dramatically. The difference is that small.  So how do we win the game of centimeters?

One way to win the game of weight-forward skiing is to focus on landing on a fully flexed ankle at the beginning of the glide phase.  Instead of trying to move your body ahead of your new glide ski foot, you will be maintaining an effective fore/aft relationship between your hips and feet by keeping your new glide ski foot under your body as it lands with ankle flexed, your whole body moving down the track.

Let me describe this more clearly.  As you complete a skate push-off, which moves your core and transfers your weight onto your new gliding ski, the gliding ski should land on the snow smoothly with your ankle fully flexed directly underneath you.  You can check that your weight is centered and forward by feeling the bottom of the foot of the new gliding ski.  You should feel you have landed on your whole foot, but with the most weight or pressure on the back of the ball of your foot.  It’s important that the new gliding ski does not set straight down onto the snow.  Instead, it should land smoothly moving forward on the snow, gliding in the direction the ski’s tip is pointing, down the track.  A good visualization is to imagine your foot and ski are an airplane landing with a smooth touch-down, rolling down a runway.  Remember, you are landing on a fully flexed ankle that is underneath your core, so the implication is that your core, new glide leg, and new glide ski are all moving as a unit down the track.

Here’s a simple progression to integrate this into your skating:

1)    Stand in an athletic stance without skis on and balance on one leg, facing and about an arm’s length from a wall.  Flex your ankle as much as you can by pushing your knee forward and closer to your toes.  At the same time, open or extend your hip joint.  This should keep your pelvis level and your weight centered over your foot.  If you look down, you will see your knee, but not your toes.  Wiggle your toes to reaffirm you are standing and centered on your whole foot.  Now experiment.  Remain balanced on your whole foot, but move your weight slightly forward and back by moving your level pelvis slightly fore and aft.  See and feel how short a distance your hips travel to change the location of the pressure on the bottom of your foot.  This is the game of centimeters.  Now shift your weight forward so it’s centered over the back of the ball of your foot by slightly increasing the flexion in your ankle and the extension in your hip joint.  Your pelvis should still be level and forward enough that you are balanced or just falling forward.  This is the place.  Feel this position, the flexion in your ankle, the increased pressure on the back of the ball of your foot.  Remember it.

2)    Go out on flat groomed snow and put on one ski.  Stand in skating position (feet in a V), and push off of your non-ski leg to move your core laterally and slightly forward on to and over your ski.  When you do this, land your foot and ski on the snow smoothly and quietly, sliding forward, with your body in the position you discovered in the static drill above.  This would be with a fully flexed ankle directly underneath you, balancing on your whole foot, with your weight centered on the back of the ball of your foot.  You should be gliding on the ski at this point. Don’t panic.  Repeat many times, than switch the ski to the other leg and repeat even more.  You might call this a skating version of a scooter drill.

3)     Put on both skis and skate without poles on flat groomed terrain.  Duplicate the feelings, position, and movements you have developed in the first two steps.  Make sure to land your gliding ski on the snow smoothly and quietly, your ankle fully flexed, foot underneath you with weight forward.  Try skating a few small hills, always initiating the glide phase with your ankle flexed and underneath you.

4)    Now integrate this move/position at the initiation of your glide phase first in V2, then V1.  Keep practicing at low intensity, focusing on accuracy.  Beware of feeling your skis “chop” into hills as you ski them.  This indicates you have started bending your knees more than your ankles, and your core is now no longer ahead of your base of support.  Your gliding ski should land quietly, sliding forward and underneath you, your ankle fully flexed as the glide phase begins, even as you take on steeper hills.

I hope these ideas make sense and are helpful to you.  Even though we travel long distances, gliding over the snow joyfully for miles and kilometers, through beautiful forests, mountains, and valleys, Cross Country skiing can truly be a game of centimeters.  Get out there and keep winning the game by keeping your core forward!

As I’m writing this update, it’s currently snowing hard here in Steamboat.  I hope it’s doing the same at your resort and it leads to some great conditions for you before Spring Break business hits all of us in March.  Here are some highlights from this season so far from my desk:

 

Certification Update Mandatory Clinic: We are excited for our new clinic that will be required for all certified alpine and snowboard membership to complete every four years.  We started offering this Certification Update (also called What’s New Cert Review) clinic this season.  The focus of this clinic will change each year in order to highlight any current changes or approaches in the industry.  This year’s focus is on skiing and the new National Standards. If you are in the process of furthering your certification (example: taking exam pre-requisites and/or an exam) then you are not required to take this.

 

Alpine Level 3 and the Children’s Specialist 2 requirements: When the CS2 requirement for alpine Level 3 was put in place, those members who had successfully passed their MA and Teach days were given three years to complete their ski day without the CS2 requirement.  This three year window closed last spring.  Starting this season, those pros who did not complete the process during the three year window will now need to complete their CS2 as well as successfully pass the Level 3 exam. So to be clear, anyone who is not currently certified alpine Level 3 must now have their CS2. If this is not clear then please call the office 970-879-8335.

 

Discipline committee positions open: Calling all volunteers! If you are certified level 2 or above and are interested in sitting on the alpine or snowboard committee please send a letter of intent to dgregory@psia-rm.org by March 1^st at 5:00. The commitment is for a three year term. Committees meet 2-6 times a year and work on educational projects is ongoing. For a description of committee policy and procedures go to http://www.psia-rm.org/membership/organizational-chart/by-laws.

 

Hiring New Education Staff: The alpine and snowboard staff is currently in the process of hiring new staff for the 2015/16 season.  We have had many qualified candidates apply and we are all excited to see how they progress through the rest of the hiring process.  Both alpine and snowboard have their final interview on snow in April.

 

2016 PSIA/AASI National Team selection: RM has started looking forward to the 2016 PSIA National Team selection.  Based off of National’s discussions, RM has decided to hold a tryout this season for those who are going to the National tryout.  The pros that are chosen through this process will be given a divisional endorsement to be included in their application for the National tryout.  Alpine had 38 pros attend the first part of the tryout and 22 were chosen to move on to the late spring final selection.  Snowboard is still taking applications and will be holding their selection in April.  Best of luck to everyone involved!

-Dave Gregory, Director of Education

At the April meeting of the Rocky Mountain Division Board of Directors we will be appointing by election a representative to the ASEA Board of Directors for a three-year term beginning July 1, 2015 – June 30, 2018.

 

Below is the description of the position with Rocky Mountain and the Eligibility statement from the ASEA Bylaws.

 

A.S.E.A REPRESENTATIVE

 

The Board of Directors shall appoint a representative to serve on the American Snowsports Education Association (ASEA) Board of Directors. His(her) term of office and duties shall be as provided by PSIA (ASEA) bylaws. (S)he shall maintain liaison between the Association and PSIA and make regular reports relating thereto to the Board.

 

ASEA Bylaws; Section 7.4

Board of Directors

Eligibility. No person shall be eligible to serve as an ASEA Director unless such person is a Certified Level II or Certified Level III member in good standing in an affiliated division of ASEA, and has had broad, divisional responsibility at a procedural and policy-making level.

It is important to note that any existing PSIA-RM-AASI Board members would need to step down from his/her post as you cannot be a voting member of the division board and serve on the ASEA board. Additionally any persons employed by RM as an employee or independent contractor are not eligible for this position.

 

If you are interested in being considered to serve in the next term as the Rocky Mountain Division rep on the ASEA BOD, please submit a letter of intent along with a resume to dana@psia-rm.org or PO Box 775143 Steamboat Springs CO 80487 no later than 5PM March 20^th 2015. These items will be shared with the voting RM board members and a vote will take place at our April meeting.

 

Thank you for your consideration of this very important role and responsibility. Below is a Job Description and list responsibilities from ASEA

 

 

 

ASEA Policy 2.2 Board Job Products

Date of adoption / Last revision:  February 2, 2014

                                                                                                                                                                                                         

 

On behalf of PSIA-AASI’s membership, the Board’s job is to define and ensure appropriate organizational performance.  The Board’s specific job products are unique to its trusteeship role and necessary for proper governance and management.

 

To fulfill this role, the Board will perform three pivotal governance functions:

1. Linkage:  Connect the interests of PSIA-AASI’s membership and of the Divisions represented with operational performance.
   1. A.       Needs Assessment: The Board will assess needs and trends affecting the membership and the Divisions as they relate to PSIA-AASI’s activities and scope of influence, and will develop and maintain Ends policies identifying and prioritizing intended organizational outcomes to address those needs.
   2. B.      Advocacy: The Board will inform the members and Divisions of the Association’s achievements on their behalf and of its expected future results.

 

1. Performance Standards: The Board will maintain written performance standards, as set forth in these governing policies, addressing the broadest, and, as appropriate, more defined levels of organizational decisions and situations.
   1. A.      Ends: Strategic directives/results priorities pertaining to organizational impacts, benefits, outcomes, recipients and their relative worth (what results, for which recipients, at what cost/priority).
   2. B.      Management Parameters: Constraints on executive authority defining the boundaries of prudence and ethics within which all executive activity and decisions must take place.
   3. C.      Board Process: Specification of how the Board defines, carries out, and assesses its own work.
   4. D.      Board/Management Delegation: How authority is delegated to management, and its proper use monitored; the CEO role, authority and accountability.

 

1. Assurance of Organizational Performance: The Board will ensure Ends fulfillment, financial solvency and organizational integrity by holding itself accountable for effective governance as defined in these policies, and holding the CEO accountable for successful achievement of Ends and adherence to Management Parameters.

 

In addition, the Board maintains direct responsibility for:

1. A.      Determinations regarding membership dues and late fees.
2. B.      Determinations regarding changes to National Standards. The board will act on recommendations from National Standards Committee/Task Force, with input from Division leadership prior to Board action.
3. C.      Determinations regarding the recipients of PSIA-AASI’s Appreciation and Recognition Awards.
4. D.      Decisions outside the boundaries of authority delegated to the CEO (as proscribed in Management Parameters policies).

Policy 2.3 Board Work Plan and Agenda Preparation

Date of adoption / Last revision:  February 2, 2014

                                                                                                                                                                                                         

 

To fulfill its role, the Board will prepare and follow an annual work plan that: (1) re-explores Ends policies and (2) continually improves Board performance through Board education, interactions with staff, customers, members, and outside experts.

 

Accordingly,

1. Annual Cycle: The Board’s annual planning cycle will conclude each year at its late January/early February meeting, so that administrative planning and budgeting for the next fiscal year can be focused on addressing both long and short-term Ends.

 

1. Work Plan Development: At its late January/early February meeting, the board will also begin development of its work plan for the next year. At that time, the Chair will prepare and present for the Board’s consideration and approval a suggested work plan for the following year’s meetings. Considerations should include:
   1. Board Education: Identification of topics that will elevate the board’s understanding, primarily of external issues and trends that impact Ends, and to a lesser extent key areas of operations.
   2. Orientation/Training for New Board Members.
   3. Membership Linkage: How the Board will connect with PSIA-AASI’s membership and the Divisions (e.g., through surveys, focus groups, presentations at Division events, and other methods of gaining membership input).
   4. Policy Review: How the Board will systematically review all of its policies, with emphasis on Ends over the course of the year, (e.g., by priority, by topic, or by an emphasis of the Board’s choosing).
   5. Assessment/Evaluation of CEO Performance: Reviewing the schedule of planned monitoring activities to assure performance on Ends and Management Parameters policies.
   6. Self-Assessment: Methods and timeline for periodic and objective evaluation of how well the Board is fulfilling its role (i.e., in accordance with its Board Process and Board/Management Delegation policies) and open discussion of how the Board’s performance can be improved.
   7. Meeting Schedule: Update/reassess the multiple-year planning calendar for Board meetings to maximize Board member attendance and participation.

 

1. Meeting Agendas: The Chair will determine the agenda for any particular meeting, although Board members and the CEO may request or recommend any appropriate matters for Board consideration.
   1. A Board member or the CEO may recommend or request a matter for Board discussion by submitting the item to the Chair at least 30 days prior to the regularly scheduled Board meeting.
   2. To ensure Board member preparation and informed participation (and that Division leadership are informed of Board developments), meeting agendas and packets are to be received by Board members at least 21 days prior to the scheduled Board meeting.
   3. By an affirmative vote of a majority of those present, additional matters may be added to the agenda of any regular Board meeting.

 

1. CEO Monitoring: The Board will act on the CEO’s monitoring reports received prior to the meeting, determining by majority vote whether the report:
   1. Conveys a reasonable interpretation of the respective policy.
   2. Provides reasonable substantiation of compliance with the policy, as interpreted.

 

1. CEO Annual Compensation Review: Each year, at the Spring (June) meeting,  the Board will summarize and review its judgments of monitoring activities (monitoring reports, audits, etc.) received during the last year and will determine any adjustments to CEO’s compensation and benefits, to be effective July 1^st.

 

Policy 2.4 Member Input to Governance

Date of adoption / Last revision:  February 2, 2014

                                                                                                                                                                                                         

 

In addition to each board member’s role as an appointed representative from a Division, the Board as a whole represents all members in the governance of PSIA-AASI. As “member-representative,” the Board will commit to hearing from a representative sampling of members.

 

Ocular Dominance in Snowboarding by Nathaniel Hammerli

 

How often do we, as snowboard instructors, witness riders turning down the mountain with their front shoulder and hips opened toward their heel edge, front leg extended and back leg more flexed, just to see down the hill?  I see riders of all ability levels, of every age, and in every type of terrain that ride this way, but why?   I have always heard the explanation that this riding style comes from a skiing background, and skiers are accustomed to looking down the fall line.  If this were the case, wouldn’t they have the same tendencies in their switch stance?  I have taught people to snowboard who have never seen snow prior to their lesson, and they still demonstrate these tendencies. Students have learned to ride in a nice aligned switch stance, in the same day that they began to turn out of alignment in their dominant stance.  There must be a more in depth explanation for this phenomenon.

According to Schmidt and Wiseberg, “Visual dominance is the tendency for visual information to supersede information coming from other senses during the process of perception.”  When your eyes are open, they are the most dominant sensory system.  Ocular dominance is the tendency to prefer visual input from one eye over the other.  The more trusted eye is referred to as the dominant eye.  The dominant eye, with its ability to process information milliseconds faster than its neighbor, plays a large roll in balance.  The brain relies on both the dominant eye and dominant side inner ear to make subtle adjustments in balance.  The information delivered to the central nervous system is used to coordinate, regulate, and control our bodily functions in response to various stimuli.  Neurological maturity is complete by late childhood and eyedness is fixed at that point.

In most cases, left or right-handedness (or left or right footedness) coincides with left or right eyedness, but this doesn’t always hold true.  Cross-dominance is when the opposite hand and eye are dominant (right hand and left eye or left hand and right eye). This combination seems to be advantageous in sports requiring side-on stances such as baseball, cricket, golf, and potentially snowboarding.  Approximately two-thirds of the population is right-eye dominant, and one-third is left-eye dominant.  Interestingly enough, these statistics hold true for all mammals.  Eyedness affects our gait pattern as well as our handedness.   The dominant eye makes minute adjustments in our line of travel. We take a slightly larger step with our dominant foot, and the toes of the dominant foot point more directly down the line of travel.  The difference in step or gait often causes a slight difference in muscle development.  The dominant side calf is often slightly larger, and the thigh of the opposite leg is slightly larger.  In addition, the shoulder on the dominant eye side tends to rest a little lower.  The later trait is very noticeable in many riders: rear shoulder slightly lower and head tilted to position the dominant eye to better take in the terrain.  These tendencies tend to disappear when the rider rides in a switch stance with the dominant eye closer to the action.  A cross-dominant rider’s dominant eye would be the lead eye in their stance; therefore, the tilting of the head and the shoulder should be less noticeable.  These physical differences are less noticeable in athletes who spend a lot of time training to overcome these dissimilarities.

Determining eyedness early in lesson can aid the instructors by making them aware of possible physical tendencies and preferences the rider may have. There are several simple tests that can determine which eye is the dominant if you are not yet aware.  The most popular is to form a triangle with both hands by overlapping your thumbs and crossing the knuckles of your index (pointer) fingers.  Choose an object in the near distance to focus on through your triangle.  Make sure that both eyes are open when focusing, then once you have the object centered in the middle of your triangle, take turns closing each eye, if when you close your right eye the object miraculously disappears, then you are right eye dominant.  If the opposite holds true, then you are left eye dominant.  Using the same hand made triangle, focus on an object in the near distance with both eyes.  Slowly bring your hands toward your face, remaining focused on the object the entire time.  Whichever eye your hands land on is your dominant eye.

We cannot change our dominant eye, but we can train our less dominant eye to be stronger.  There are many aspects of our vision that can be improved by exercising them. Peripheral vision can be improved with exercises that force the eye to focus on an object in front of you while trying to take in the sights around you.   As snowboarders, we are constantly looking over our shoulders to gather information from our blind sides.  Peripheral vision allows us to take in more information.  One simple exercise to improve peripheral vision involves holding your arm fully extended in front of you with your thumb sticking up.  Focus on your thumb while trying to decipher colors, objects, and actions going on around you.  A similar task can be done using your computer or television.  Focus on a spot in the distance slightly above the screen, or your thumb, while at the same time trying to describe to yourself what you see happening on the screen out of the corner of your eye.  Get creative; come up with some new exercises using what’s around you.

Contrast sensitivity, the ability to see differences in shading, is very important in the snow sports world, and improving your non-dominant eye can improve your contrast sensitivity.  There are studies that say playing video games can improve contrast vision as well.  Playing video games with your dominant eye closed could improve contrast sensitivity in your less dominant eye.  Simply closing the dominant eye while performing a task, such as snowboarding, can improve the less dominant eye.  Be careful with this one; remember the dominant eye plays a large part in taking in the information that aids in balance. Be sure that you are comfortable in your athlete’s ability; this exercise can be very intimidating to most.

Our body and mind can be trained to learn new things.  The more knowledge we have    as snowboard instructors the more successful we will be instructing others in the sport of snowboarding. Ocular dominance is not the only cause of how we behave on snowboards, but I believe it can be an important factor, and being aware of the effects will only enhance our ability to help others improve their riding.

 

 

 

Bibliography

Blakeley, Peter. “Understanding Eye Dominance.” Texas Parks and Wildlife. Nov.2006.
4 April 2011. www.tpwmagazine.com/archive/2006/nov/skillbuilder.

Griffiths, Geraint .”Eye Dominance in Sport.” 15 Aug. 2003.  6 April 2011.
www.teambath.com/wp-content/uploads/articleeyedominance.pdf.

Schmidt, Richard, and Craig Wriseberg. Motor Learning and Performance. Champaign: Human Kinetics, 2004.

Vallandigham, Paul H. “Eye Dominance and Your Body”. Wild Wood Tracking. 1994. 1 April 2011.
www.wildwoodtracking.com/limbdominance/pveyedominance.

“Video games’ can improve vision”. 29 March 2009. 6 April 2011.
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7967381.stm

 

 

To complete the e-learning module, please click this link: https://members.psia-rm.org/rm-lms

*Please use a browser other than Mozilla Firefox, videos will not play properly if using Firefox*

*The LMS must be completed from a laptop or computer, it does not work from a cell phone or most tablets*

Once there, you will need to log in using your log-in credentials for the PSIA RM Member Portal you set up when you joined as a new member. Once logged in, please click the “Then go to the RM LMS here: https:lms.psia-rm.org” link below the red “Login Over Here!” lettering in red.

Once logged in to the LMS, there will be a dashboard with the “Level 1 Online Course” available, you will need to click that and subscribe to the group. You will get an access denied screen if you do not subscribe first! Once you have subscribed, you can click on the lessons button at the bottom. There are three lessons that need to be completed before you attend the on-snow exam:

• Introduction to PSIA
• The Skills Concept
• Movement Analysis & Teaching

 

There will be several sections within the each module, you will need to complete a quiz at the end of each section (please only click the green “Next” button to navigate through the quizzes, if you click this button at the start of the presentation it will skip all the information). Make sure you click the green “Finish” button when you are finished with each quiz.  We will be monitoring the completion of your LMS, it must be completed at least 72 hours before the start of the on-snow exam. You do not have to complete it all at once, you can complete 1 lesson a day until they are all complete.

You must score at least 80% on each quiz in order to pass, if you do not score 80% or higher, you will need to retake that module again until you receive a passing score.