First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with Alpine Team member Ryan Christofferson. George and Rayn catch up at Team Training which took place in late October at Keystone Lodge in Colorado. Ryan chats about his time on the team and what he's looking forward to in the future. He chats about his freestyle specialty and what it means to him and how to prepare for your Freestyle Specialist certificate. Ryan has been on the National Team for 12 years and reflects on what has happened since he joined. Learn more about Freestyle Academy in Solitude, UT at the end of January. https://thesnowpros.org/events/event-calendar/?cal-month=1&cal-year=2024&divisions=5/#psia-calendar #snowpros

PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with Henrik Lampert from Factions Skis to chat all things new this year. The new skis this year are the very colorful Dancer series. An all-mountain ski that will surely make you slide nicer on snow. PSIA-AASI members get a very special rate off of these skis. Check out the pro offers at https://members.thesnowpros.org/products/pro-offers. You can also head to factions.com/psia.

First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with Mike Ma who is a PSIA Adaptive Team member. Mike talks about his week at Team Training and what the adaptive team is looking forward to this season. Adaptive guides and educational resources that are new for this season are ready for you! Mike also talks about his time on the team and how he can serve the membership after this term ends. Mike's focus for the upcoming season will be focused on professional development and helping the Eastern Region with more events.

First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with Brenna Kelleher. Brenna is on the PSIA National Team and talks about her time on the team and what the future looks look. Brenna dives into how she's grown over the last few years and what started her path into teaching. Brenna has continued her education and became a real estate agent and is continuing to grow professionally each year. Brenna chats about why she is trying ut again for a third term. As a total technical junky, Brenna wants to see technical skills grow for everyone and wants to stay fit and healthy for the season ahead.

First Chair podcast host George Thomas catches up with Jeb Boyd who is the Head Coach for the PSIA-AASI National Team. George and Jeb talk about Team Training 2023 and what the focus is. There has been a lack of snow which led to more inside training than on-snow training. In all, the team was able to focus on this year's messaging and what each member's own professional development plans are. Each day, the schedule kept getting pushed and pushed but the team was able to make the most of the entire week with great conversation and planning. They also talk about the final year of the term and what that looks like.

First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with Sue Kramer. Sue has created and hosts a webinar that is available to PSIA-AASI members. (see link that you can copy and paste below ) Participants will learn multiple exercises for developing core stability, agility, balance, and strength specific to skiing. These exercises can be practiced throughout the fall to develop ski-specific movement patterns. Sue and George chat about how in-season training is just as important as off-season training. Restorative training is an great way to stay loose and relaxed during the on-snow season.

Webinar link:

https://thesnowpros.org/events/event-calendar/?cal-month=10&cal-year=2023&divisions=11&event=9766#psia-calendar

PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with Andy Stein who is the Digital Marketing Manager for PSIA-AASI. Andy is also a degreed meteorologist with a decade of experience on local and national television. George and Andy talk about the upcoming El Niño winter and last winter's La Nina. They also go in-depth about what it's like to forecast and how far meteorology has come in recent decades. Andy wrote an article that you'll see in the Fall Issue of 32 Degrees magazine this fall.

PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with Dana Forbes who is the CEO for the Rocky Mountain region. Dana and George chat about the upcoming season and how to prepare for the incoming winter. Pre-season strength training is very important to help, as well as, joining clinics and utilizing the education opportunities right now will help kick-start your season. The Rocky Mountain region has a season kick-off event that helps get your body and brain in tune. It's a great event that allows you to get your feet on snow and connect with others in the industry. Learn more about this event and many other events that are coming up in the coming months. Use our Event Calendar to find the perfect event for you: https://thesnowpros.org/events/

PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with Peggy Hiller, CEO of PSIA-AASI. Peggy and Thomas discuss more details of the member survey that was conducted earlier in 2023. Peggy shares insight from member schools and what values being a member school brings. Find out why members are a part of PSIA-AASI and how the organization can add value. PSIA-AASI is constantly working to improve the member experience and provide consistency for everyone. This includes unified assessment criteria and processes. Having national consistency in our education processes is a goal of the organization in the coming years.

First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with PSIA Cross Country Team Coach Emily Lovett. George and Emily chat about their summers and the upcoming Cross Country academy which happens in November. This year's Cross Country Academy is in West Yellowstone, Montana, and will include 3 days of classic and skate skiing with current and former PSIA Cross Country Team members. Get the inside track on innovations shaping the future of instruction. Network with and learn new ways of teaching from fellow cross-country professionals who share your passion for the experience. Take your game up a notch with personalized coaching and improvement. Any member of PSIA-AASI can attend this academy regardless of their main discipline. Learn more or register for Cross Country Academy by heading to this link: https://thesnowpros.org/events/cross-country-academy/.