PSIA-AASI

09/03/2026

There's been a lot of talk about the upcoming winter and how the Super El Niño will impact mountainous areas but what does your local winter folklore say?!

Woolly worms in North Carolina. Skunk cabbage in Colorado. Persimmon seeds, acorns, pinecones, squirrels, hornet nests...

Mountain regions are full of traditions that supposedly tell us what's coming before the first flakes even fly.

What's the winter folklore where you live? And more importantly — what is it predicting for this winter?!

09/01/2026

Balance on skis isn’t a position you find — it’s something you’re constantly creating in motion.

In a recent First Chair podcast episode, PSIA-AASI National Team member Peter Novom shares why thinking about skiing as a series of perfect “snapshots” can send the wrong message, and how learning to balance in motion can change the way we think about stability on snow.

Peter digs deeper into these ideas in his article, “Stacked in Your Favor,” from the Spring 2026 issue of 32 Degrees.

Watch the full First Chair episode to hear Peter and host George Thomas explore balancing in motion, practical on-snow exercises, and how experimentation can lead to those important “aha” moments.

08/31/2026

At 95 years old, Ralph Perlberger is still doing what he loves: skiing, teaching, and inspiring everyone around him. After surviving the Holocaust, building a life in the U.S., and spending 24 seasons as an instructor at Hunter Mountain, Ralph’s story is an incredible reminder of the power of persistence, optimism, and never giving up.

Meet Ralph and discover the story behind one of the snowsports community’s most inspiring instructors.

Read more: https://thesnowpros.org/2026/07/persistence-optimism-and-luck-the-story-of-beloved-hunter-mountain-instructor-ralph-perlberger/

At 95 years old, Hunter Mountain's Ralph Perlberger has no plans to stop doing what he loves--teaching people how to ski.

08/28/2026

08/26/2026

Great teaching isn’t about bringing the same energy to every lesson. It’s about recognizing what the person in front of you actually needs.

In this clip from First Chair, Melodie Buell talks about attunement — understanding when enthusiasm will motivate a guest and when a more thoughtful, discerning approach will create a stronger connection.

By asking questions, encouraging sharing, and practicing what Melodie calls “professional vulnerability,” instructors can build relationships that help them recognize when to celebrate progress and when more honest feedback can lead to meaningful development.

Hear more from Melodie in the full First Chair conversation, then read her 32 Degrees article, “The Space Between Skills and Connection,” for a deeper look at the role connection plays in great teaching.

08/23/2026

Reading about skiing is one thing. Putting it to work on snow is where the learning really happens.

In a recent episode of First Chair, Peter Novom talks with host George Thomas about his 32 Degrees article and the idea behind it: use the concepts, try the exercises, explore the parameters, and make the learning your own.

As Peter puts it, doing something with a coach once isn’t nearly as powerful as taking those ideas out on your own and discovering what they can do for your skiing.

Listen to the full First Chair conversation to hear Peter dig deeper into the thinking behind the article. Then read Peter’s article in 32 Degrees and take those ideas with you the next time you’re on snow.

08/20/2026

A certification assessment should never feel like a performance staged purely for an examiner.

When we treat exams as a strict checklist of rehearsed progressions, we completely miss the point of professional development. In his latest feature, PSIA-AASI Director of Education & Credentialing Dave Schuiling breaks down how education, professional development, and credentialing must work together to reflect the actual, real-world value of a snowsports professional.

At the center of this pipeline is a simple progression: learning sparks curiosity, curiosity drives purposeful growth, and growth prepares us to build trust with our guests. When a student trusts you, they are far more willing to experiment, take risks, and truly engage in the learning process.

Earning a credential isn’t about proving something to a panel—it’s about validating the technical, teaching, and people skills you already deliver on the snow every single day. The best exam prep is simply doing the work.

Swipe through to explore how we are reframing the certification journey around real impact, trust, and continuous learning.

Read the full educational insight: https://thesnowpros.org/2026/06/trust-learning-and-impact-how-education-professional-development-and-credentialing-work-together/

08/18/2026

Scholarship season is here!

Have a certification goal on your list? Ready to take the next step in your professional development? Looking for an opportunity to learn, grow, and bring even more back to your guests and your ski and ride school?

PSIA-AASI scholarship applications are now open! Applications are due before 11:50 p.m. MT on Sunday, November 1, 2026.

There are opportunities designed to support members at different stages of their journey — from certification and specialist credentials to professional development and more.

Take a look at what’s available, find the opportunity that fits your goals, and apply!

Explore scholarships -> https://thesnowpros.org/for-members/scholarships/

08/17/2026

What if success isn’t just about the credential you walk away with — but what you learned getting there?

In this clip from First Chair, Melodie Buell shares an important reminder for instructors, candidates, and examiners alike: every lesson, assessment, and experience is an opportunity to learn, regardless of the outcome.

It’s an idea Melodie explores even further in her 32 Degrees article, “The Space Between Skills and Connection,” looking beyond technical skills to the human side of learning, teaching, and growth.

Listen to the full First Chair conversation to hear more from Melodie, then read “The Space Between Skills and Connection” to dig deeper into how we can create more meaningful learning experiences — for our guests and for each other.

Because sometimes the most valuable thing you leave with isn’t the credential. It’s what you learned along the way.

08/13/2026

Do you ever feel like you have a massive inventory of drills and games, but you're not entirely sure which one will move the needle most for the student standing right in front of you?

We have all been there. While we often view lesson design as a strict linear line, a dynamic look at the SSCA framework (Static, Simple, Complex, Applied) can completely transform your teaching. Instead of treating these four phases as a fixed checklist, look at them as adaptable building blocks that can be rearranged to fit real-time student goals.

For example, try flipping your workflow by starting with the Applied phase. By conducting your movement analysis while a student is making their normal turns in their preferred terrain, you ensure your feedback directly matches why they took a lesson in the first place. From there, you can drop back to Static or Simple steps to isolate specific body mechanics before building back up to linked turns.

Swipe through to see how rearranging the SSCA framework can help you design more intentional, student-centered lessons.

Read the full educational breakdown from the PSIA-AASI archive: https://thesnowpros.org/2026/06/designing-student-centered-teaching-progressions/