2024 PSIA-AASI National Team Selection Opens Jan. 12

PSIA-AASI officially announced the 2024 National Team Selection process will open Jan. 12, 2024, with guidelines explaining the endorsement process, including the application process and requirements, schedule, location, logistics, team makeup, and endorsement requirements.

The 2024 selection will be a comprehensive process enabling PSIA-AASI to select the nation’s best educators to represent the association at the highest level. The outcome of this process will be a team that embodies attributes highlighted in the Learning ConnectionSM.

“The PSIA-AASI National Team consists of up to 37 of the nation’s most talented snowsports educators, representing the eight national certification standards of Adaptive Alpine and Snowboard, Alpine, Children’s Specialist, Cross Country, Freestyle Specialist, Snowboard, and Telemark,” said PSIA-AASI Director of Education Dave Schuiling. “These exceptional educators are selected from a rigorous multi-day event to serve a four-year term representing the association.”

The term of a National Team member coincides with INTERSKI, a worldwide snowsports congress where snowsports educators collaborate on pedagogy best practices, research, methodology, and learning theory related to the growth and health of the snowsports industry, with a focus on increasing ski and snowboard participation. The PSIA-AASI National Team shares association perspectives and learns from other country’s presentations, driving advancement in the United States snowsports industry.

“The team’s mission is to support our membership and member schools as part of the snowsports industry, while they develop personally and professionally, create and nurture positive learning experiences, and grow enthusiasm and excitement for our profession,” said PSIA-AASI National Team Coach Jeb Boyd. “The team embodies the association’s vision to ‘create lifelong adventures through education.’”

The national selection process is represented by the eight regions of PSIA-AASI. During a three- to four-day process, aspiring candidates are evaluated in their ability to demonstrate and model high standards in interpersonal (people) skills that help bring people closer together, modern teaching/learning facilitation (teaching) skills, and contemporary skiing/riding performance (technical) skills.

“These three main skill set domains are the foundation to the Learning Connection Model, and the basis for the PSIA-AASI pedagogy, methodology, and industry best practices, aligning the association’s ideals with team member attributes and position functions,” said Schuiling. “The team is known for outstanding skiing and riding, exceptional teaching and fun-loving people who thrive in the winter environment. Being a team member is a fantastic opportunity to represent the association, travel, meet new people, and to present yourself as a resource to the industry.”

The focus for 2024-28 National Team, across all disciplines, is to provide content, expertise, and experiences relevant to association membership, industry stakeholders, and the current strategic alignment initiatives. Successful team members have a strong sense of self-motivation allowing them to utilize their unique skill sets to help advance the institution of the PSIA-AASI National Team, making it a significant resource to the association, its members, and stakeholders.

The selection process will be conducted in three (3) stages:

  1. Regional Nomination Process
  • All candidates will need a regional nomination letter to register for the selection process. Nominations are due by January 12, 2024.
  • Based on the review and success of the nomination processes, the goal of the selection is to invite all nominated candidates to the on-snow event.
  • Regional Nomination recommendations are defined in Section 2.
  1. Registration and Application
  • Registration will open January 12, 2024. Registration will be through the www.TheSnowPros.org Events portal.
  • Once registered, applicants will receive further directions for submitting application packets. Applicants will submit an electronic application packet. Application packets will be due by 5 p.m. MT, Feb. 1, 2024
  • Application review
    • All elements of each candidate’s application packet and regional nomination will be assessed and carried forward to the on-site selection event.
    • Incumbent team members will be assessed through the same application process as new candidates. Incumbent team members are not required to participate in the regional nomination process, however, are highly encouraged to participate.
  1. Selection Event
  • Candidates will demonstrate and be assessed, in a variety of formats, to the attributes of the Learning Connection Model. Included will be individual, group, indoor, and on-snow situations.
    1. All candidates invited to the selection event are expected to be present for all assessment activities.
    2. The on-snow, in-person selection event will take place at Big Sky, Montana, April 21-25 (Alpine and Snowboard) and April 22-25 (Adaptive, Cross Country, Telemark)

Find out more about PSIA-AASI National Team selection.