Snow Skills

When going on a ski vacation, a good ski or snowboard instructor can help make the difference between a good and great time! And one of the best ways to know in advance if an instructor is good is to ask for one who is certified by a professional skiing and riding organization. Almost every country with winter recreation sports has such an organization: in the United States, the professional organization of snowsports instructors is the Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA) and the American Association of Snowboard Instructors (AASI).

These two organizations are really one entity with parallel structures based around the specifics of skiing and riding, respectively. These organizations help support your local ski school by providing a structured path for professional development in addition to ski school-specific training by the individual ski areas. Instructors can join PSIA (pronounced P-S-I-A) and AASI (pronounced “awsey”) and reach levels of certification based upon their skills in skiing/riding and teaching. An instructor who’s become certified has committed to becoming a true professional of the sport through learning a high degree of skiing/riding skills, developing excellent coaching skills, and participating in a professional organization.

Certified instructors tend to be committed students of the sports and stay in the profession for a long time (sometimes decades). It can take a number of seasons to reach certification and there are three levels of certification: Level I, Level II, and Level III. A Level I instructor is typically an accomplished skiing and riding coach, a Level II is a more experienced instructor and capable of coaching up to an expert terrain level, and a Level III is the most experienced instructor and capable of coaching anywhere on the mountain in any conditions. There are also specialties within certification including children’s coaching, adaptive (handicapped) coaching, and other special needs. You can better meet your coaching needs during a vacation by explaining your needs to the ski school staff and asking for a certified coach for your lesson.

While good instructors aren’t necessarily certified, you’ll be likely to have a great experience in a private or group lesson if you request a PSIA or AASI-certified instructor.