Level 1 Psia certified

**pivot slip** · 01-11-2011, 10:27 AM

A group of us potential level 1's went through the PSIA process this past weekend at a wisconsin ski hill. Can we please have a drum roll please....of course we all passed, it was a great experience while making us all better skiers and instructors. Our group consisted of 6 candidates, making it a lot easier on our examiner and for us bambies as well. He made the process exciting, fulfilling, and conveyed a great sense professionalism. For anyone who is considering progressing to Level 1, I strongly recommend it..

One thing that sticks out however from the weekend was our first chair lift up the hill on Saturday. Our examiner pointed out the other level 2 groups and with a direct point he said.." see those level 2 groups?, they will not be having a good time this weekend". The shame or the sham of it is is that he was correct. Whenever we came in from break I could see the look of despair, frustration and overall exhaustion on their faces. Don't get me wrong, we oner's also were a bit nervous. With all the hours of bookwork, lessons and clinics that we all attended at our hill we did not want let any of our fellow 1's or our ski school director down.

I was stunned to learn that three of my favorite mentors at the hill did not pass their level 2. How did this happen? Is it that they could not ski, teach or clinic? ..When the on the snow portion ended on Sunday we had big to-do in the bar area. The Psia folks, Ski school people and just about all the event attendees were present. They called it the awards ceremony. So there you are waiting to see if you passed the certification process. From what i understand, you don't know until your name is called or not called if you are in or out. That is when I learned that my mentors were not accepted into the "elite level two realm of Psia certification"..the look on their faces is what makes me not want to go through the grind of lev 2. These poor folks put two years of skiing, teaching, and mentoring all us newbs and in the end, they have to sit, watch and wait if their name is called in front of fellow instructors and family to receive the pin and certificate.

I thought the whole "awards ceremony" was creepy. If your examiner feels that you dont have the mettle for the next level, then for god sakes have the balls to tell the candidate in private or on the chair during your last day. Don't just hand the failed candidate the yellow piece of paper with all the F's and the comments of what " you failed to do"..

In the end, I will continue my own personal progression with skiing and instruction and be more than happy to receive mentoring from any failed lev2 or lev3 candidate.

**Hutch** · 01-11-2011, 10:32 AM

**Tunco** · 01-11-2011, 10:33 AM

Put Stick In Ass
Perfect Stance Inadequate Angulation
Probably Stay Inside Anyway

**DropCliffsNotBombs** · 01-11-2011, 10:33 AM

Being a ski instructor only appeals to certain personality types. Sounds like you are not cut out for it.
Me either.

**Diamond Joe** · 01-11-2011, 10:37 AM

Sweet blog, douchebag.

take it to www.alpinezone.com

or www.epicski.com

**powder_prophet** · 01-11-2011, 10:43 AM

hehehe, classic

**sftc** · 01-11-2011, 10:43 AM

Congrats on your level 1, but being involved with the PSIA is a great way to ruin a good day on the hill.

Short radius turns or
Med. radius turns or
Long radius turns

BUT NEVER, EVER MIX THESE THINGS, IT'S AGAINST THE RULES!

As Shane said "Just ski down there and jump off of something for crying out loud!"

**Captain Anal** · 01-11-2011, 10:51 AM

PSIA style skiing is the most boring, bullshit, repetitive thing you can do on a ski hill. There are a few worthwhile things you can learn, but most of it is a waste of time, IMO. Also, anyone who can't pass their level 1 shouldn't be allowed to ski on anything more difficult than a blue square, let alone teach anybody how to ski. Doesn't take much to pass a level 2 exam either.

Also, nobody on TGR turns anyway.

**Edgnar** · 01-11-2011, 10:59 AM

Sweet blog bro.

If you can breathe you can get a level 1. TGR is not the place for you. PSIA/AASI is a scam and the level one just gets you in the door.

**Ed el Loco** · 01-11-2011, 11:08 AM

Originally Posted by tief schnee

Put Stick In Ass
Perfect Stance Inadequate Angulation
Probably Stay Inside Anyway

thanks for that, it sums it up well.

**djspookman** · 01-11-2011, 11:14 AM

What kind of pay raise does PSIA cert get you? NOT MUCH for how much time and $$ you spend on it.. that's why I never got certified. when I was making my 6 bux an hour teaching.

congrats though. My mom has level 2 PSIA cert and it only got her about 20 cents more an hour...

**Wolfmansbro** · 01-11-2011, 11:24 AM

the discounted lift tickets at most ski hills is worth the certification card. Try to find a resort that will pay for you to get the cert

**Crock** · 01-11-2011, 11:27 AM

Originally Posted by djspookman

What kind of pay raise does PSIA cert get you? NOT MUCH for how much time and $$ you spend on it.. that's why I never got certified. when I was making my 6 bux an hour teaching.

congrats though. My mom has level 2 PSIA cert and it only got her about 20 cents more an hour...

that's odd. When I was teaching I was never able to get certified, but my friends who did got bumped from $8.13/hr to over $10. Pretty significant raise, but still shit pay considering what the customer is paying for the lesson.

**digitaldeath** · 01-11-2011, 11:36 AM

lets get some counterfeit cards circulating up on herrrr.

i like discounts!!!

**djspookman** · 01-11-2011, 11:38 AM

Originally Posted by Wolfmansbro

the discounted lift tickets at most ski hills is worth the certification card. Try to find a resort that will pay for you to get the cert

we got letters from our mountain to bring to other mountains for reciprocal skiing, regardless of PSIA or not. Not sure how it is now, that was 11 years ago...

**backcountry1pr** · 01-11-2011, 11:40 AM

I'm gayer for reading about how gay ski instructing and PSIA is. Gay.

**djspookman** · 01-11-2011, 11:41 AM

Originally Posted by Crock

that's odd. When I was teaching I was never able to get certified, but my friends who did got bumped from $8.13/hr to over $10. Pretty significant raise, but still shit pay considering what the customer is paying for the lesson.

yah, it might have been a "mountian-based" thing too. I never bothered to work anywhere else instructing. Besides, I never worked as an instructor to make money, just for the benes.... free pass, discounts at other areas, discounts on food and gear, pro-forms etc....

plus it was FUN!!!

**djspookman** · 01-11-2011, 11:43 AM

Originally Posted by backcountry1pr

I'm gayer for reading about how gay ski instructing and PSIA is. Gay.

Well, for 6 years I got payed to ski. Have you?

**nogophers** · 01-11-2011, 11:51 AM

Originally Posted by Wolfmansbro

the discounted lift tickets at most ski hills is worth the certification card. Try to find a resort that will pay for you to get the cert

The most worthwhile benefit is access to proform for super cheap equipment. Just don't order a faggy instructor jacket for your faggy psia patch.

**backcountry1pr** · 01-11-2011, 12:07 PM

Originally Posted by djspookman

Well, for 6 years I got payed to ski. Have you?

My opinion, to each their own.

BUT

Ski instructing does not = skiing. I know one ski instructor who actually gets to ski while instructing, and thats because he's an "extreems" guide, and has a client list made up entirely of requests and refferals. No lessons.

I would rather do long division than teaching a ski lesson and "skiing".

Instructing skiing, and skiing are two differnt things 99% of the time. (based on what my deffinition of skiing is)

And yes, I get paid to ski.

**Bunion 2020** · 01-11-2011, 12:14 PM

What a bunch of wanking assholes.

To the OP, you seem stoked, congrats.

**rather ripped** · 01-11-2011, 12:18 PM

Originally Posted by pivot slip

A group of us potential level 1's went through the PSIA process this past weekend at a wisconsin ski hill. Can we please have a drum roll please....of course we all passed, it was a great experience while making us all better skiers and instructors. Our group consisted of 6 candidates, making it a lot easier on our examiner and for us bambies as well. He made the process exciting, fulfilling, and conveyed a great sense professionalism. For anyone who is considering progressing to Level 1, I strongly recommend it..
our fellow 1's or our ski school director down.

Congratulations Pivot slip. It should be a good experience and it's too bad there has to be dick heads with big egos involved in the testing. PSIA has too much of that bullshit.

It's true PSIA attracts alot of anal personalities, but it's also a good way to become a great skier, if you don't let it hold you back. With all that technical advice you still have to get out there and rip it up. If it helps your skiing then go for it. You can quit any time.

Take this over to Epic and let's see what they have so say.