PSIA-AASI

Professional Ski Instructors of America
American Association of Snowboard Instructors

The Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA) and American Association of Snowboard Instructors (AASI) are nonprofit associations dedicated to promoting the sports of skiing and snowboarding through instruction. With more than 28,500 members, PSIA-AASI establishes credentialling standards for snowsports instructors and develops education materials to be used as the core components of instructor training.

With its large membership base, PSIA-AASI is a significant grassroots organization whose members spend more time with the skiing and snowboarding public than any other snowsports area employee. PSIA-AASI supports snowsports area management through research and development of instructional programs in alpine skiing, nordic skiing, and snowboarding. The association also develops education materials and programs to serve specific snowsports populations, such as children and adaptive skiers and riders.

Vision: Inspiring lifelong passion for the mountain experience

Mission: We support our members, as a part of the snowsports industry, to:
           • Develop personally and professionally
           • Create positive learning experiences
           • Have more fun

Some History

PSIA has evolved into a sophisticated and influential entity since its fledgling beginnings nearly 50 years ago. The early days of ski instruction in the United States were typified by a variety of programs and techniques, many of which were brought to this country by European ski instructors. Teaching principles varied across the country as did the process of instructor certification—bestowed in those early years by an assortment of regional associations.

Initially there was no set of standards for what was taught. Instructors could choose to teach Austrian, French, or Swiss methods, to name just a few. That, plus the fact that the certification standards were so different from one part of the country to another, was what drove the formation of a national organization for ski instruction.

PSIA was incorporated in the fall of 1961 by a group of seven committed instructors—Bill Lash, Jimmy Johnston, Paul Valar, Doug Pfeiffer, Don Rhinehart, Max Dercum, and Curt Chase—who hailed from various parts of the country. By 1964 a truly American ski technique had taken shape, described in PSIA’s first manual, The Official American Ski Technique. Finally there existed a standard for what American ski instructors taught. As time went on, the American Ski Technique (AST) evolved into the American Teaching Method (ATM) and finally to what is currently called the American Teaching System (ATS).

As snowboarding hit the snowsports scene and gained popularity, PSIA saw the need to do for snowboard instruction what it had done for ski instruction. The first training and education programs were developed—by PSIA—in 1987, and in 1989 the association published its first snowboard-oriented education resource, the Snowboard Ski Instruction Manual. In 1997 PSIA formed the American Association of Snowboard Instructors (AASI) as an affiliate association.

PSIA-AASI Today

Today, PSIA-AASI represent one entity dedicated to quality instruction as a means to promote the sports of skiing and snowboarding. The association establishes certification standards for ski and snowboard instructors and develops education materials to be used as the core components of most snowsports school training. PSIA-AASI supports snowsports area management through research and development of instructional programs for adults, children, and the adaptive community in alpine skiing, nordic skiing, and snowboarding.

PSIA-AASI enables its members and partners to increase their versatility, effectiveness, value, and professional advancement through: broad-based informational and educational materials and programs; continuous training that anticipates and responds to industry demands in a timely manner; cross-training that develops flexibility in relationship to disciplines, populations, and seasons; strategic partnership with key alliances; and promotion, awareness, and understanding of the value of our members.

Certification is available for teaching alpine skiing, nordic track, nordic downhill, snowboarding, and adaptive skiing and snowboarding. PSIA and AASI have several levels of membership. Registered members must have completed a training program offered by their snowsports school. With time, experience, and additional training, they can become qualified to seek certification, progressively working from Level I to Level II and then to Level III (also referred to as full certification). It may take an instructor a number of years to achieve Level III certification because of the depth of knowledge and skill proficiency this performance level requires. Several members hold multiple teaching certifications, reflecting instructional proficiency in snowboarding, alpine skiing, nordic skiing, and adaptive snowsports.

The association is represented regionally in the United States by nine geographic divisions. These divisions operate autonomously to handle membership registration, conduct training and examinations, and inform the members in their region of important association updates and events.

Teachers of the Teachers

Every four years PSIA and AASI form national teams that help deliver educational information to the individual member. These “teachers of the teachers” are top-flight snowsports instructors who lead programs and offer training for other instructors across the country. Established teams include the PSIA Alpine Team, the PSIA Nordic Team, the AASI Snowboard Team, and—new in 2008—the PSIA-AASI Adaptive Team.