PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with multi-term National Team member Chris Rogers. Chris is on the snowboard team and spends most of his year on snow. George and Chris chat about what the offseason looks like for a snowsports instructor or at least what his and his friend's experiences are. Burnout is real and having ways to combat fatigue is important to making yourself the best instructor you can be. Listen in for real-life experiences on how to prepare your mind and body in the offseason for another winter ahead. Chris mentions stand-up paddle boarding, wake surfing, and wake foiling are great activities to do to maintain some of those stability muscles used in the winter. What are you doing to stay prepared for winter?

PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with Angelo Ross again. Angelo is the Education Development Manager at PSIA-AASI and is a wealth of knowledge on many topics. George and Thomas talk about the "Expert Trap" and how it impacts lessons and how you can be more aware that you're doing it. The Expert Trap is when students get or feel trapped by their expert instructors as they share all the knowledge they know. As explained, instructors sometimes feel they should give all the information at once rather than in more bite-sized pieces. George and Angelo discuss some examples of this, some reasons why this happens, and some practical ways to avoid being too overwhelming as a teacher. As it often does, it comes down to student-centered teaching and adapting to the needs of the learner. The tools to learn this and apply it can all be found in PSIA-AASI education materials. Head to shop.thesnowpros.org to find the right tools for your lessons.

PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with Ben Potts. Ben has made the National Team for another term and reflects on what this experience was like compared to other selections. George and Ben talk about what the planning looked like leading up to the 2024-28 team selection and what's ahead as this next term begins. Ben is working at Woodward Copper in Colorado on snow with summer camps and students. Later this summer he'll be heading to New Zealand to focus on instructor training before he comes back to the states for next winter!

Ever thought about going for a certification in another discipline? Listen in on this episode with First Chair host George Thomas and PSIA-AASI Education Development Manager, Angelo Ross, about why you might consider this approach. "I've quit thinking of everything I do as separate disciplines ... I have reframed them all into trying to figure out how my body works. When I started taking that approach to skateboarding, telemarking ... that was the thing that tied all these disciplines together in my mind."

Meet Stacy Garcia, a college student who went from never skiing to taking her first lesson to becoming a certified PSIA-AASI Level 1 Alpine instructor in just 14 months. Listen in on her conversation with First Chair host George Thomas as she tells the story of her rapid rise after falling completely in love with skiing as an adult.

Join First Chair Host George Thomas and Angelo Ross, PSIA-AASI's education development manager and a former high school teacher for a deep dive into that what, how, and why of play and experiential learning. Play is a key component of PSIA-AASI's teaching skills fundamentals and not exclusive to children's lessons.

If you've ever been stuck in your teaching style, want to grow your skills and adaptability, or are looking to better connect with a wider variety of students, give this episode a listen for education, inspiration, and examples!

PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas introduces us to Brian Donovan, a second-term PSIA-AASI National Team snowboard member based in Vermont. Brian is driven by possibilities and opportunities, and is inspired by the immense talent of the Team. His preparation was all about connecting the work done on-snow with members to the educational foundations that back up our materials.

PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with National Team member Kevin Jordan. Kevin was just re-selected as a member of the Alpine Team this past April in Big Sky, MT. George and Thomas chat about the nerves re-trying out for the National Team brings and what brought on the most anxiety in the process. Kevin tried out for the team three times before he was eventually selected in 2021. He talks about how this experience has given him a bit more insight into the process and what to expect. With that, Kevin mentions that there are always still unknowns in every selection. George questions Kevin and what was the hardest and the most rewarding task he had to do during selection week. George and Kevin chat about future plans and Interski 2027 in Vail, CO. Learn more about snowsports education and the National Team by heading to thesnowpros.org.

PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with National Team member Chris Rogers. Chris was just selected for his third term on the PSIA-AASI National Snowboard Team. Hear why Chris decided to re-tryout for the team and what his entire career on the team has looked like. George talks to Chris about some of the exciting things coming up and how that played a role in Chris's decision to go for a third team. They also talk about some of the more difficult tasks that stood out during the selection process. To learn more about the National Team and the entire process, visit thesnowpros.org.

PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with Melodie Buell, a newly selected member of the 2024-28 PSIA-AASI National Team. George and Melodie talk about the journey of trying out for the team and the obstacles that presented themselves along the way. Melodie was named a new member of the PSIA National Adaptive Team in Big Sky at the recent selection event that took place. A notable takeaway from the process that Melodie mentioned was the importance of mindset and adapting to what you're dealt and how that goes a long way in persevering. George asks about the feelings of actually going through the selection process and what some of the tasks were that needed to be done. Tune in to hear more about the selection process and the emotions that come from making the team. For more, head to thesnowpros.org.