Miscellaneous

AZE_Misc1998

Spring/Summer 1998 VOLUME 19 NUMBER 4 The Professional Ski Instructors of America The American Association of Snowboard Instructors Intermountain PSIA Central Division Adaptive Examiner Dave Henderson discusses biski setup during the Level II Adapted certification assessment June 30 at Snowbird. Adapted Cerl Finishes Second Year in PSIA-I For the second year running, adap­tive certification wrapped up the exam season in PSIA-I . Congratula­tions to those of you who partici­pated in Level I and Level II clinics and to Doug Dusenberry and Larry Riches, who completed their Level II Adapted Certification with excep­tional demonstrations of their skills and knowledge. More educational opportunities will be available in 1998-99 based on the needs of members. Contact your adapted ski school representa­tive if a training or assessment need is not being met. As a reminder, Level I workbooks are available through the Division office and Level II information will be showing up in next season's calendar. • Golf TourneYI Sign Up NOW. A great time. so sign up quickly. . .. 2 Employment Opportunities. . . . Check out the classifieds and other advertisers. Spring Clinic Revisited . . . Photos from Solitude. Inside . 8 Adapting Across Oceans . . . . . . . . . . 12 Fulfilling dreams in Spain. Level II Cert Changes Big For 98-99 Dog and pony show heads into Intermountain sunset. By Rodger Renstrom Changes to the Level II Alpine assess­ment have been discussed and ru­mored for over a year, those rumors are scheduled to become reality this fall. Although many details remain to be developed, the basic structure of the new exam process emphasizes an edu­cational approach to fulfill teaching requirements and a traditional assess­ment approach to meet skiing require­ments. Here are the key points to the new process: • A comprehensive written test re­mains to assess knowledge of basic teaching, skiing and other PSIA concepts. • Ski schools will be asked to validate the communication and people skills of instructors before complet­ing the assessment process. In­structors can track their progress in a personal portfolio. • The on-hill teaching assessment and required prerequisite exam-continued on 4 PROFESSIONAL SKI AND SNOWBOARD INSTRUCTION IN THE INTERMOUNTAIN WEST Spring/Summer 1998 VOLUME 19 NUMBER 4 The Professional Ski Instructors of America The American Association of Snowboard Instructors Intermountain PSIA Central Division Adaptive Examiner Dave Henderson discusses biski setup during the Level II Adapted certification assessment June 30 at Snowbird. Adapted Cerl Finishes Second Year in PSIA-I For the second year running, adap­tive certification wrapped up the exam season in PSIA-I . Congratula­tions to those of you who partici­pated in Level I and Level II clinics and to Doug Dusenberry and Larry Riches, who completed their Level II Adapted Certification with excep­tional demonstrations of their skills and knowledge. More educational opportunities will be available in 1998-99 based on the needs of members. Contact your adapted ski school representa­tive if a training or assessment need is not being met. As a reminder, Level I workbooks are available through the Division office and Level II information will be showing up in next season's calendar. • Golf TourneYI Sign Up NOW . . . . . . . . . 2 A great time, so sign up quickly. Employment Opportunities. . . . . . . Inside Check out the classifieds and other advertisers. Spring Clinic Revisited. . Photos from Solitude. ...... 8 Adapting Across Oceans . . . . . . . . . . 12 Fulfilling dreams in Spain. Level II Cerl Changes Big For 98-99 Dog and pony show heads into Intermountain sunset. By Rodger Renstrom Changes to the Level II Alpine assess­ment have been discussed and ru­mored for over a year, those rumors are scheduled to become reality this fall. Although many details remain to be developed, the basic structure of the new exam process emphasizes an edu­cational approach to fulfill teaching requirements and a traditional assess­ment approach to meet skiing require­ments. Here are the key points to the new process: • A comprehensive written test re­mains to assess knowledge of basic teaching, skiing and other PSIA concepts. • Ski schools will be asked to validate the communication and people skills of instructors before complet­ing the assessment process. In­structors can track their progress in a personal portfolio. • The on-hill teaching assessment and required prerequisite exam-continued on 4 PROFESSIONAL SKI AND SNOWBOARD INSTRUCTION IN THE INTERMOUNTAIN WEST Up and Coming PSIAlAASI Golf Tournament Intermountain Education Foundation Round Valley Golf Course 1875 E Round Valley Road, Morgan, UT 17 August 1998, Starting at 10:00 AM Cost: $50 Per Person This will be a four-person scramble. You do not need to be a member to participate, so invite your wives, friends, coworkers, etc. to participate. Teams will be assigned by the golf committee-by handicap/avgerage score you shoot if you don't have a handicap. Men will play from the white tees, women from the red tees. There will be prizes for the Longest Drive and Closest to the Hole. We will also have mulligans available-$5 for five mulligans. Payoff places will be determined by the amount of teams that we have. The purpose of the tournament is to get together and have a good time and to raise some money for the PSIA/ MSI - I Education Fund. Entries need to be in to Nancy at the office by 3 August. The earlier that we receive them will even be better. We need to have a head count for the golf course. If we have at least 100 participants we can have a shotgun start-which will start at 8:00 AM. If we have less than 100 participants we will have to go by tee times-which will start at 10:00 AM. Get your entries in NOW. And let's have a great time. Golf Tournament Entry Form Name: __________________________________ __ Address: ________________ _ Phone Number: ____________________________ _ Handicap/Avg. Score:. _______ _ Send entry form and $50 to PSIA/ MSI -I, 2855 Pamela Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84121. If you have any questions call Dick Mulder at [phone]. PAGE 2 The Instructors EDGE The Instructors EDGE, the official publication of the Profes­sional Ski Instructors of America Intermountain Division and the American Association of Snowboard Instructors Inter­mountain Division, is scheduled to be published four times a year at a nonmember subscription rate of $15, subscriptions available through the Division Office. PSIA-I Division, MSI Division Office: 2855 Pamela Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84121, [phone]. Editorial and Advertising Office: 4664 Clearview Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84117 [phone], Rodger Renstrom, Editor. PSIA/AASllntermountain Division Officers and Chairs: President, Steve Bills; Administrative V. P., Mike Thurgood; Communications V.P., Danny Edwards; PSIA Board Representative, Stew Marsh; Adaptive Chair, Brooke Schaefermeyer; Certification Chair, Rodger Renstrom; Children's Co-Chairs, Bill Batt, Christine Katzenberger, Patti Olsen; Education Chair, Jo Garuccio; Nordic Chair, Shirley Kin­sey; Seniors Chair, Junior Bounous; SIRC Chair, Scott Warr; Ski School Management Chair, Jim Kercher; Snowboard Co­Chairs, Lane Clegg, Alan Titensor; Executive Secretary, Nancy Perkins Current Board Members: 1996-1999. Steve Bills, Kim May­hew, Alan Titensor. 1997-2000, Nathan Emerson, Carolyn Fushimi, Stew Marsh, Chris Searle; 1998-2001, Danny Edwards. R. Richard Mulder. Mike Thurgood Ski Instructor Representative Committee Members: Alta: Jeff Hessler, Brian Head: Mark Wilder 801 586-9603; Brighton: Arthur Traiger, Chris Searle; Deer Valley: Cheryl Fox, 801 649-1383; Elk Meadows: Greg Solberg, 801 438-2303; Grand Targhee: Kurt Eidam; Jackson Hole: Nathan Emerson 307 733-7969, Terry Smith 307 733-3715; Park City: Karl Walker, 801 649-8780; Pebble Creek: Rudy Milsted, 208 233-3424, Sheri Whitmore, 208 785-7578; Pow­der Mountain: John Kilian, 801 745-6123, Paul Swaner, 801 745-2442; Snowbasin: Paul Perkin, 801 546-4104, Pam Mitchell, 801 745-4506; Solitude: Earl Lewis, 801 463-1179; Sundance: Lynn H. Suksdorf, 801 253-2355, Scott Warr, 801 785-6544; The Canyons: Robb Adams, 801 944-4359 Next EDGE Deadline, Sept 5 INSTRUCTORS EDGE/SPRING. SUMMER 98 Are i. R MINDED be Challenged We Offer ... Excellent In-House Trainin9 & Clinics ~ ~ ;! ProgreSSiv:\{~rganizatiOn Now Recruiting ... Ski Instructors to teach alpine skiing to children and adults in group and private lessons. Full- and part-time positions available. Salary $13.22 to $21.50 per hour, based on qualifications and experience. Minimum Requirements: Must be an advanced skier and have strong communication skills. Knowledge of P.SJ.A., LSJ.A. requirements or equivalent ski teaching methods. Children's Program Instructon needed to supervise young children in a variety of indoor and outdoor activities which include skiing and serving lunch. Salary $7.25 to $12.91 per hour. Minimum Requirements: Must be an advanced intermediate skier, possess strong communication skills and have the desire and aptitude to work with young children. "A Commitment to Excellence" 1'.0. Box SSY I'.uk City, U I S-10hO (SOO) -1 Ski Job 07~-q~h2) INSTRUCTORS EDGE/SPRING. SUMMER 98 Utah Ski Archives Thanks PSIA Intermountain By Joseph Arave The University of Utah Marriott Library Ski Archives grate­fully acknowledges the support of PSIA -I and many of its in­dividual members. With support from the S. J. and J. E. Quinney Foundation, the Utah Ski Archives was established in 1989 to document the history of skiing in Utah and the In­termountain region. Nearing its tenth anniversary, the Ski Archives has been able to accomplish much toward its mis­sion. These accomplishments have come with a great deal of support from many organizations and individuals, including PSIA -I and many of its instructors. The Utah Ski Archives documents the history of Inter­mountain skiing through donated collections of scrapbooks, film, photographs, organizational records, and personal continued on 5 Be a part of prestigious Park City Mountain Resort Park City Mountain Resort Ski and Snowboard School is accepting applications for full-time seasonal, certified Level II and III instructors. Please send resume to: PCMR Craig Pearson, School Director P.O. Box 39 Park City, UT 84060 fax [phone]. phone [phone] PAGE 3 CERTIFICATION continued from 7 prep clinic will be replaced by a new series of clinics that will cover basic teaching concepts, move­ment analysis and personal skiing. • The on-hill skiing and movement analysis assessment will remain in place and fundamentally un­changed. PSIA certification serves the instructor, customer and employer as an independent verification of ski instructor knowledge and skill. How­ever, examiner and ski school concerns over the validity of the Level II Alpine assessment have long been debated. The primary issue involves how we have assessed Level II teaching knowl­edge and skills. Traditionally, Level II teaching has been primarily assessed during a 15 to 20 minute presentation to a small group of peers. The appropriateness of this process as an evaluation tool is questionable for several reasons: • The process is not true to life. Can­didates are required to teach peers who are generally much more skilled than most of the students they actually teach. • In an effort to gear teaching content toward level 1 through 7 students, candidates are required to teach a hypothetical topic rather than teach what their "student" candi­dates may actually need. • The assessment teaching topic is conducted more as a description of how to teach than as a real lesson. After several years of struggling with this" dog and pony" show, the new exam format acknowledges that it is very difficult for examiners to assess Level II knowledge and skills in an arti­ficial situation. (Level 3 candidates actually teach to the needs of their peers at a skill level they may actually face in high-level classes.) The new PAGE 4 Administrative Report By Mike Thurgood, PSIA Intermountain Administrative VP As I write this there are several things happening. Most obvious is that our winter season is finishing and summer (weather permitting) is upon us, officially on June 21st. You, the members, have elected me to serve you on the Board of Directors for another three-year term and the Board confirmed my appointment by Steve Bills to serve again this next year as administrative vice president. I would like to thank you for your vote and Steve for asking me to work with him as his VP. I am just returning from the National summer work session where 1 filled in for Steve on the Divisional Presidents Council. The two days of meetings I attended were very informative and the week-long event is not only a very positive benefit for the members of the Intermountain division but also the industry as a whole. The sharing of ideas and happenings between divisions keeps us on the leading edge of the snow-sports industry. You will be hearing more about this event from the individual committee chairs that attended. I would like to thank everyone who attended for freely giving of their own time out of a love and dedication to the sport and this Division. All of these people work very diligently for the members of this division. I would like to thank all of the Board members for their time and efforts at the recent Board meeting. I am happy to report that we passed a budget for the upcoming year that once again does not include any fee increases to our members. This is in part due to the efficiency hard work and support of our Secretary Nancy Perkins. I would like to thank Nancy for all her work for the members and the Division as will as her hard work training me in my role and duties as administrative VP. I believe that starting with last summer and continuing beyond the 2002 Winter Olympics that the resorts within this division will lead the nation in development, expansion and upgrades. Every summer will bring new and exciting changes at resorts from the North to the South. I would encourage anyone involved or abreast of resort changes to submit an article to the EDGE to help keep us all informed and up to date. In closing, I wish everyone a very safe and injury-free summer filled with fun and activity to prepare you for the season ahead. ENJOy! exam format will validate adherence to Level 2 knowledge and skills in the fol­lowing manner: • Each ski school validates-through observation and in-house train­ing- that candidates have demon­strated communication and class handling skills consistent with re­quired standards. • PSIA-I validates-through written tests and clinics-that candidates have received and possess specific knowledge concerning teaching and skiing concepts consistent with required standards. • PSIA-I validates-through on-hill evaluation-that candidates pos­sess skiing skills and understanding consistent with required standards. INSTRUCTORS EDGE/SPRING, SUMMER 98 Education Corner By)o Garuccio, PSIA Intermountain Education Chairperson It's finally summer in Utah. Time to enjoy the activities that make you strong for the winter. Remember, all those months on skis can take their toll on your legs. Use the summer to build endurance, strength and power and 98-99 will be a healthy and productive season. If you are wondering about your fitness program for the next few months and need a bit of advice, give me a call. I will be glad to talk with you. Don't worry! I promise that my advice is sane, whether I follow it myself or not. (I can't say that two triathlons in a row at temperatures of 100 plus degrees can be considered intelligent but...). Next season will bring about a few changes, especially at Level II. Be sure to read the article about it in this issue of the EDGE. We believe that the new format will offer candidates more usable information and increase the actual value of becoming a Level II certified instructor. We are also looking forward to a new movement analysis video being produced by the national body. It is scheduled to be ready by ski season and offers a slightly different approach to analysis that should be beneficial to all instructors regardless of their skill level. In fact, we are all really excited about the fact that it will give a more accurate and Simplified way to evaluate skiing. And for those of you who have been around for a while, don't be con­cerned with changing your outlook on skiing completely. This information should only clarify what we have all been trying to explain for years. Watch for information in the future. Have a great summer and remember, if anyone has a clinic or event idea, send it to me ASAP. The calendar is being formulated as we speak. To those of you who have taken the time to send me your thoughts, thank you. We are lOOking at them as we decide on the schedule for next season. Although many details of the new process must still be completed, the preparation for Level 2 Alpine certifica­tion should not change significantly. Preparation should include: Obtain, and thoroughly study all required reading material: • PSIA Intermountain Education and Certification Master Plan • PSIA Children's Manual • PSIAAlpine Manual • PSIA Level 2 Study Guide. All of these items are available through the Division office. Prepare yourself physically this summer to improve your skiing next INSTRUCTORS EDGE/SPRING, SUMMER 98 winter. Key to the decision to revise the Level 2 certification process is an affirmation by divisions across the nation that personal skiing skill and understanding is basic to successful ski instruction. The on-hill skiing assess­ment will continue to be a cornerstone of Level 2 certification. Complete details of the new Level 2 Alpine certification process will be published in the fall issue ofthe EDGE. During the interim, questions or com­ments may be directed to PSIA-I Certi­fication Chairperson Rodger Renstrom or forwarded to the office. • ARCHIVES continued from 3 documents. Some of the earliest and most significant collections included several volumes of minutes from early PSIA-I board meetings donated by Bill Lash, the scrapbooks ofthe late Alf En­gen, and personal scrapbooks and memorabilia donated by Earl and Gladdis Miller. Oral history interviews conducted with many of the region's skiing pio­neers have become the foundation of the Archives. On file in the Archives are interviews with Bill Lash, Earl Miller, Earl A. Miller, Junior Bounous, K. Smith, Phil Jones, Lou Lorenz, Mel Fletcher, Suzy Rytting, Zane Doyle, Harold Goodro, Max Lundberg, Dean Roberts and others. In recent years the collections of the Ski Archives have been used extensively by people researching the history of local skiing. In October 1991 the Utah Ski Archives began hosting an annual fundraiser now known as the Ski Affair. The Ski Affair has grown to an event attended by nearly 600 ski enthusi­asts. Each year the program centers around a different aspect of skiing his­tory and highlights people who have made significant contributions in that area. In 1991, the evening focused on ski instruction and PSIA Hall ofFamers Bill Lash, Junior Bounous, Earl Miller, and K. Smith. Other Ski Affairs have highlighted early ski area developers, competitors, Tenth Mountain Division veterans, early Olympic organizers, and ski patrollers. The 1997 Ski Affair, honored the Deseret News and spon­sorship of the Deseret News Ski School. Ski Affair 1998 is scheduled for October 22, at the Little America Hotel. There much to be done in docu­menting the rich and colorful story of skiing's past. Contact Joseph Arave at 581-8864 with questions or contribu­tions of clippings, scrapbooks, photo­graphs, film, or other items that will help us document the history of Inter­mountain skiing. • PAGE 5 Children and PSIA National By Patti Olsen Here is information from the from National Children's Committee Work Session held at Copper Mountain June 14. The National Children's Commit­tee will not be a separate committee, effective July, 1998. The JET represen­tative from each division will also be the National Committee person. We will continue to have our divisional committee. This committee will be more important than ever. This com­mittee will work closely with Bill Batt our JET on the team. Another major decision was to eliminate the stand alone Women's and Children's Symposiums. There will be women's and children's events at the PSlA National Academy this year. The days and electives are being worked out. Our Division children's symposium will be one of the main divisional chil­dren's education events this coming season. We will invite some of the other close divisions to participate, making it more of a regional symposium. Please make note of this symposium and save that last week in January. The Ski Wee program that many areas across the US have used for their children's ski programs has been dis­solved. Ski Wee has 3 regional coordi­nators. Our coordinator is Jani Sutherland in the Northwest. Areas may continue to use Ski Wee programs. There are still Ski Wee clinicians avail­able. Chris Katzenberger and Bill Batt are the two Ski Wee clinicians in this division. There will also be Ski Wee report cards, bibs, etc. available, how­ever they will not have any sponsor logos on them. Ski Wee has been a very good program, especially for some of PAGE 6 the smaller areas starting children's programs. The JETS are also available for consultation and clinics at your area. Mike Porter, Ski School Director, from Vail/Beaver Creek, joined our meetings. Some of the items addressed were alpine alternatives for kids, making sure the kids have a blast, cre­ating environments for teens, policies and procedures. The Committee and the JETS addressed the recent propos­als for certification. We will supply chil­dren's information for new formats. One suggestion for a new format is to create your own portfolio. Each time you participate or complete a certifica­tion, accreditation, coaches clinic, or other related ski educational event you would record this in your portfolio. Each year you would have new addi­tions to this portfolio. I will end this here and let Rodger explain more about the certification proposal. The National meeting also included time with Adrian Crook, flexibility and strength specialist. He has worked with many NFL and NHL teams. He works with various golfers and has been working with the PSlA National Dem­onstration Team, the Nordic Team and the JETS this past year. Even in a short amount of time one can benefit greatly from some of Adrian's exercises. Patti Olsen is cochair of the PSIA-I Children's Committee. ACE in Cards For PSIA-I By Patti Olsen The purpose of this report is to describe the current success and discuss the future of divisional educational programs designed specifically for children's instructors. On Jan. 23,1998 the PSlA-I Board of Directors approved the first stage of the Accredited Children's Educator pro­gram or "ACE I". Instructors with a minimum qualification of PSlA -I Level I certification may participate. Candi­dates must complete twelve hours of indoor and outdoor clinics and suc­cessfully complete a comprehensive written test. The program content cov­ers childhood development (physical and mental) and teaching methodol­ogy which is successful with children. Over 50 people (directors, supervi­sors, and instructors) have completed the six-hour outdoor portion of this program. Over 30 people have gone on to successfully complete the entire program. More completions are antici­pated as results continue to come in. This is remarkable considering the information didn't go to the ski schools until March, due to an exhaustive review of the written test. Congratula­tions to all those who are ACE Is. Looking forward, the Children's Committee will continue to refine the first stage of this program and begin development of a more advanced pro­gram, ACE II. We have received support from the membership and will appreci­ate input from the Board of Directors. Next season we will offer a clinic in November, location and date TBA, dedicated to area trainers interested in administering the indoor portion of the program at their areas. We encourage continued on 76 INSTRUCTORS EDGE/SPRING, SUMMER 98 We are here to celebrate and honor our friend Joseph Robert Smith, affectionately known as Bob or Pepi. His youth was spent in Twin Falls Idaho and Salt Lake, and his main career began with his brother, Chet, selling at SL Knit, a woman's clothing store, on Main Street. As SLC began to grow and change, many of the familiar stores and cafes, such as Whipple's, the Uptown Thea­ter, Montgomery Wards, Keeley's, Adrian & Emilie's, the Grabateria and SL Knit closed, so Bob went to work in the Banking and Financial profession and continued until his retirement. #" He married Renee when they were about 19 and his first son, Pete was born the following year, later Jon arrived and Bob was again a proud and loving father, Eleven years later, Chris­topher was born, the pleasant surprise. So many of our good friends have left us these past couple of years, but dying is part of life and the one who ends life is the same one who created life in the first place. Bob, like many of us, loved skiing and was drawn into winter sports by friends. He began teaching skiing in the 40s and learned the Swiss method from Martin Fopp. He moved to Brighton to help his cousin "K" Smith start the Brighton Ski School. Then on to Alta in 1954 where he remained active for 40 years. He was inducted into the Alf Engen Ski School Hall of Fame when he retired from active teaching-an award he was very proud of and it hung on his wall at the care center for all to see. #" Bob contributed to the success of the Intermountain Ski Instructors Association by serving on the Board of Directors and as secretary/treasurer. He, Rex Ames, and Dick Fry had a per­manent job at the Annual Spring Clinic and one that everyone coveted. They were in charge of the refreshments. What a pleasure they got out of prepar­ing and tasting the punch to ensure it was perfectly blended and was safe for consumption for the membership to INSTRUCTORS EDGE/SPRING, SUMMER 98 Joseph Robert Smith "Pepi" Keith Lange shared his memories at Pepi Smith's funeral this spring. enjoy. Bob was one of the smallest ski teachers around and soon picked up a second nickname "the runt." You could barely see him loathing through the powder doing the Dipsy-Doodle and the K-Smith special powder technique "Heel Toe Bow and around you go." His sense of humor was infectious and he always had a story to tell. He was a giant in ski teaching and made many long, lasting friendships. #" Pepi and Uncle Wayne took own­ership of the teaching on the Albion side of the area. Both were always ready to take beginners and herd them down the hill. Bob also taught the kids in the Cottonwood Ski program for over 30 years and each new group enjoyed the special treatment they received and especially the nicknames he gave every one describing their personality or ability. Stem, Dopey. Sleepy. Scary, Speed-they loved it! He was like an old mother hen making sure each was safe from harms way, wiping noses, and dusting them off when they fell. Remember the Davos Duster Hats? It was his fedora of choice. He must of had a whole drawer full. He looked silly, but "that was what all the great instruc­tors wore." Bob had a special formula for cold weather ski days, it consisted of special English Twining tea, Demierra 100 proof rum and best Mormon honey served at least three or four times a day on the hill with his friends. #" Bob had a quirk about the water in their home. When he was downtown he would haul water from the artesian well at Eighth South and Fifth East and when he could, he would bring water from #10 Springs at Alta. In the sum­mer, to stay in shape, he would pedal his bike up to Alta to get a couple of jugs of pure mountain spring water. I would like to read a letter to Alan Engan by Bob's dear friend Bill Lash. Dear Alan, I was saddened by the news of the passing of our friend Pepi. Your dad used to refer to him as "the Big Shot," but it was with affection. We all knew him as Pepi, and that name came from John Clement who also laid Whiskey upon me, Herr Otto on Keith, and Uncle Alf on your dad. I guess it was an honor, for it sure stuck with Pepi. Pepi wasn't his name, of course. It was Joseph Robert "Bob" Smith, but I first knew him as Little Bobbie Kaplan. It was sixty years ago this April in Twin Falls Idaho I moved into a house on Tenth Avenue North in April 1938. Three houses down the street lived Bob Kaplan and his little dog Pal. Bob took the name Kaplan from his step- father, Sol Kaplan. Sol ran the Alexander's store in Twin Falls. Bob use to take us down to Alexander's Saturday night in the summer to watch the farmers come in to buy a suit. A guy would try on a suit, say a green one, and old Sol would turn on a green light to show up the color. A brown suit would get a brown light. Pep found humor in such things. Bob was well schooled with relig­ion. He was raised a Mormon. His Smith name came from the Hyrum Smith side of Joseph's Smiths family. And Bob was born on July 24"'. He was raised with many Jewish traditions. He liked Kosher Food. One of his delights was to go down to Lou Dornbusch's Deli on Broadway to get the pickles out of the big barrel. Bob being married to a Catholic girl gave Bob a well -rounded exposure to religion. I guess one could consider that Bob had his own. continued on 15 PAGE 7 Instructors of the Year Doing it Right Steve Johnson (FT) Ryan Grant (pn Paul Wright Jennifer Gilmore John Dobroski (A) Dave Carlson (SB) Kristin Egan Frank Moran Russell Ferris Darin Martens Kris Lunde (A) D.j. Donahue (SB) Jason Wright Jesse Farnes Bob La Moure Bill Hensley James E. Quimby Junior Bounous Heidi Enferadi Jessie Whitmore Past Presidents and Old Timers PAGE 8 Alf Engen Alf Engen Beaver Mountain Brighton The Canyons The Canyons Deer Valley Elk Meadows Grand Targhee Great American Jackson Hole Jackson Hote Kelly Canyon Nordic Valley Park City Powder Mountain Snowbasin Snowbird Solitude Sundance Katz's "Chicks" Spring Clinic Solitude!! '998 Photographs by Brian Oakden Past Pres Stylish Skiers Stamp Collector Recognizing Commitment 'Sporting a New Hat Twenty Year Pins Howard Adams Cert. III Alp. Perrine Anderson Cert. II Alp. H. Chris Auman Cert. III Alp. Beverly Beasley Cert. III Alp. Linda Lea Bertrand Cert. II Alp. Steve Bills Cert. III Alp. Thomas "Mike" Bowcutt Cert. II Alp. Russ Burton Cert. III Alp. Val Casper (Retired) Cert. III Alp. Don Craig Cert. III Alp. Lee Crowton Cert. III Alp. Callie Davidson Cert. II Alp. William Dziezyc Cert. III Alp. Terry Edgett Cert.1I1 Alp./Cert.1I Nordic Drew Ferwerda Cert. III Alp. Arthur Henriksen Cert. III Alp. Peter Larsen Cert. III Alp. Randy Macdonald Cert. II Alp. Barbara Marsh Cert. II Alp. Kathy McCarthy Cert. III Alp./Cert. III Nordic Marianne McGrath Cert. II Alp. Rod Metcalf Cert. II Alp./Cert. I Nordic Jane Miller Cert. III Alp. Vernon Peterson Cert. III Alp./Cert. I SB Thomas Prosek Cert. III Alp. Rodger Renstrom Cert. III Alp. Jack Schirman Cert. II Alp. Donald Sears Cert. III Alp. Arthur Shierry Cert. III Alp. Scott Singleton Cert. III Alp. Robert Stiger Cert. II Alp. Dick Stoner Cert. III Alp. Keith Stratford, Jr. Cert. III Alp. Thirty Year Pins Janice Bovee Glenn Clark Susan Hedden Kristi Ivie Dale Miller Cert.1I1 Alp. Cert.IIIAlp. Cert.IIIAlp. Cert.IIIAlp. Cert.IIIAlp. Lynn "Nic" Nichol Cert.IIIAlp. Allen Titensor Duane Vigos Robert Wall Cert. III Alp./Cert. III SB Cert.IIIAlp. Cert.IIIAlp. Forty Year Pins Stein Eriksen Cert.1I1 Alp. PAGE 9 Monosyllable 58 Projects on Schedule Manual and movement analysis head projects list. By Lane Clegg I just returned from the national snowboard committee meeting and thought that I would jot down a few thoughts on what's happening nationally. The good news is that the manual is in shape for distribution this fall. It has been a bit of an effort, but thanks to some last minute hard work by a number of people, it should go into the final stages soon. Anyway, we spent the two days at committee meeting reading and doing last minute revisions on the manual, and selecting photos from the two shoots we did last season. We also watched the video and made sugges­tions on how to complete it. Both proj­ects look really good at this point and will be a great help to the membership when completed. To that end though, what should one expect from the manual and video? I know that many people are expecting all the answers to snowboarding and snowboard instruction, both for their own knowledge and for exams. Well, while it does contain a lot of informa­tion, it does not have all the answers. If we put in a lot of facts and formu­las for current snowboarding, then as the sport evolves the manual would quickly become obsolete. Instead we have chosen to include information which doesn't seem to change quickly, and have given the recipes for good snowboarding and teaching. With the information contained in the manual, it is hoped, the reader can understand PAGE 10 Allen Titensor, Lane Clegg and Chris Skelton show off new Snowboard DECL uniforms. New Duds Leave MSI-I DECLs Stoked Lane Clegg and Allen Titensor, co-chairs of AASI Intermountain Division, announced that Capital Distributors, manufacturers of Blond and Spare Snowboard apparel will be providing uniforms for the DECL staff. Royce Cansler, of Capital felt that this was a good partnership. "The DECLs are outside in the most extreme conditions and the widest range of weather. They need to stay warm while standing around and then be able to ride well and look good. Typically, they're the best riders on the mountain." Clegg, AASI National Team member and Snowbird snowboard supervi­sor, said, "Yes, we're stoked!" the mechanics of snowboarding for years to come. With this understand­ing, the reader should be able to formu­late current day lesson plans, even when the book has been out for a while. For the most part, I found the whole thing to be easy to read (it's written by snowboarders, so there are no multi­syllable words). It is also pretty easy to understand and put into practice so I hope you find it to be what you are looking for. In addition, the video will give current day examples of the riding we are doing and teaching. This will be very valuable to the members, espe­cially those who are without staff train­ers at their mountains. Another thing the committee worked on was recommendations for the next team tryouts which will be in the spring of 2000. While we have no final say in how the tryouts will actually be, we did give our recommendations, which will most likely be acceptable. Our recommendations were that the tryout be on a national scale, instead of divisional, and that each division can send up to 4 people tryout. The tryout would be based on riding skills in all terrain including halfpipe and the race course. In addition, there would be some sort of teaching component, and presentation, so the next member will need to be a really well rounded rider/teacher/presenter to make the team. As the actual tryout factors become more concrete I will relay them to you, but in the meantime, if you are interested, plan on some sort of divisional tryout early in 2000. All the divisional staff and myself will try to be available to help you prepare for this. And finally closer to home. We had a great season this year in the division. We had a lot of interest in certification, and had some really qualified candi­dates. We implemented a new system of certification at level 2 (for those that continued on 77 INSTRUCTORS EDGE/SPRING, SUMMER 98 Nordic Notes From Copper By Craig Panarisi I have just returned from Copper Mountain Resort and the 1998 PSIA Summer Work session. The National Nordic Committee is currently working on several projects that affect PSIA-I Nordic members. Now that there is no snow for distractions, I thought this would be a good opportunity to share what is going on Nationally. Divisional Reports All divisions report that Nordic membership is still growing very slowly. Apparently there is a national surge of Alpine instructors crossing over to telemark. The result is that PSIA Nordic is not generating new members but providing "continuing education" to current members. This is good news but I worry that track skiing will be left behind as these crossover instructors influence future programs. Certification PSIA is working to change all certifi­cations to a more Nordic friendly type of process. Although it may not be fully PROJECTS continued from 10 were interested) and so far the results from the candidates have been posi­tive. They really liked the opportunity to demonstrate their teaching ability in a more realistic setting, instead of on exam day. For me I was able to really look at my own instructors and see which ones really were the good in­structors, with the guest skills and the "IT" we are looking for in teaching. I hope to continue this system next sea­son, and get more people involved in the program. It is important though INSTRUCTORS EDGE/SPRING, SUMMER 98 in place this coming season, there are several key changes that will allow more Nordic skiers access to PSIA benefits. Noteworthy changes are that the public is allowed to participate and some clinics and assessments will be done in-house. Keep your eyes peeled for more on these positive changes. Demo Team Selection There are only 615 shopping days until the next D-Team selection. The PSIA Steering Committee has organ- " ... process does not create pass.io n. .." Mike Porter on certification ized a task force to help facilitate try- 01.).ts in the spring of 2000. The current National Nordic Committee made the following recommendations to the task force concerning team composition and requirements: • One member per division • Team member also acts as commit­tee member that you communicate with your school to find out if it is available at your school. I know that at some schools they did not have the training budget to allow staff DECLs to follow candidates in their lessons. The old sys­tem is still in place if the new system will not work for any reason. Well, that's about all for now. I hope you all have a good summer and come back next year ready to take snow­boarding and snowboard instruction to the next level. Lane Clegg is AASI Snowboard Committee co chair and a member of the AASI Snowboard Team. • Must be a DECL in one Nordic dis­cipline • Must be Level III in a second Nordic discipline • Annual commitment of a Novem­ber training, the June work session and 30 days of clinics • Divisional selection with National guidelines Friendship Tour In an effort to serve the member­ship and create a better pathway for the dissemination of information, PSIA will subsidize a 90 day "friendship tour." Basically each division will have the funding to bring in several D-team members to give clinics to the mem­bers, not to examiners or training. This is a great opportunity for you to take a clinic from a National Team Member. Video Project PSIA will be releasing a new video project aimed at telemark skiers. Scheduled for release sometime in 1999, this educational piece is going to be a look at telemark movement pat­terns. It will focus on intermediate to advanced skiers with lots of images and very few words. Utilizing new video technology and everyday skiers this project will prove to be a deviation from the norm. Craig Panarisi is the PSIA-I National Nordic Team member Share the Wealth The following individuals have gen­erously donated to the PSIA Inter­mountain Education Foundation: Carl Boyer Beverly Buckway-Rosales Arthur Henriksen ShaunaJacobs Stewart Marsh Enor Martinez Mark Murray Harry Reed William Selvage Jay Shortsleeve PAGE 11 Spain, Part II: Changing Lives Through Adaptive A/pine Skiing By Doug Dusenberry For the second year in a row the National Ability Center in Park City spearheaded an effort to spread the word about adaptive alpine skiing in Spain. A team of adaptive alpine instructors from three PSIA regions was invited. The team was led by Meeche White and included Neil Lundberg, Doug Dusenberry, Spencer Rhodes and Jen Franklin from the National Ability Cen­ter' Colleen Trout from the Telluride Adaptive Center, Dave Littman from the Tahoe Adaptive Ski School and Houston Cowan from Challenge Aspen in Colorado. The team's mission was to CANYON SERVICES Earn $50 for referrals Earn $50 when your guest referral books their vacation stay with Canyon Services. Canyon Services offers the finest accommodations in Little Cottonwood Canyon serving the Alta, Snowbird Resort area. Call 801.943.1842 PAGE 12 Two Spanish adaptive instructors and their student celebrate their new skills. continue the process that had been ini­tiated a year earlier: the planting of an adaptive alpine program in Sierra Nevada, Spain. The setting for the event, Sierra Nevada, is a medium sized resort in South Central Spain with a base eleva­tion of about 7000 feet and a summit elevation of nearly 10,000 feet. Unlike here in the Rockies, the whole resort is above tree line. Another marked differ­ence is the roughly ten independent ski schools at the mountain, three of which were considered to be official. It was our job to teach instructors from these three schools to work together toward the common goal of an accessible alpine skiing experience. Although the Spanish do not use ATS, their understanding and conception of good skiing was very similar. And then there was the language difference. No one who overheard our Spanish would have had the word "flu- ~ ent" leap to mind, but through a com­~ bination of broken Spanish, helpful c:: ~ bilingual Spanish instructors and pan- ~ to mime we were successful in articu­- g. lating our vision and teaching these a c instructors quite a bit about adaptive alp'ine skiing. After conducting two full days of clinics for the Spanish instructors we were ready to invite the participants up to the slopes. They came from all areas of Spain with great expectations and enthusiasm. They ranged in age from 8 to 55 and their disabilities included spi­nal cord injuries, developmental dis­abilities and amputations. It was our plan to empower the Spanish instruc­tors by having them set the equipment up and teach the lessons with our supervision, and it worked wonderfully! The Spanish instructors profes­sionally assessed the students, fit equipment, and safely conducted beginner adaptive skiing lessons. The instructors enjoyed the opportunity to try out their newfound skills with real participants and the students were safe, having a great time and learning how to ski! By the end of the week sev­eral skiers were skiing intermediate ter­rain and many of the instructors were anxious to learn more advanced skills. We concluded the week with an awards ceremony and diplomas for all participants and instructors. It had been a full week, with the Spanish instructors gaining prowess and confi­dence with their new skills and the par­ticipants having a door opened in their lives. As each person was called for­ward you could see the excitement and pride in his or her face; the energy in the room was incredible! It was evident as the cheers rose that we had accom­plished what we had come for. We had given the instructors the knowledge and confidence to teach adaptive ski­ing and they had changed the lives of the participants. - Doug Dusenberry, Park City Ski and Snowboard School and The National Ability Center, is PSIA-I Alpine and Adaptive Certified Level II. INSTRUCTORS EDGE/SPRING, SUMMER 98 Exam Results Heather Hedquist Solitude Ryan Ravinsky Jackson Hole Mason Helman Park City Jeremy Rawson Park City Alpine Certified I Robert Hill Park City Holly Richter Snowbasin Rebecca Holt Brian Head Patricia Richter Snowbasin Tyler Aldous Park City Jonah Howell Deer Valley Rikki Rock Park City Aisha Allen Alf Engen James Hubbs Powder Mountain Jordi Roses Park City Brinka Adcock Snowbird Andrew Humphrey Park City Kurt Salomon Brighton William Ashmore Park City Benjamin Jenkinson Snowbird Courtney Sawyer Sundance Matt Ashton Snowbasin Chris Jensen Brighton Karen Sawyer Park City George Ator Alf Engen Jordan Jeppson Deer Valey Steve Schaefer Brighton Brent Bain The Canyons Donald Jerolamon Brian Head Susan Schipper Deer Valley Mitch Baird The Canyons Michael Jewett Brian Head Douglas Schultz Jackson Hole Abigail Bartlett Jackson Emily Johnson Park City Cobi Shafe Park City Richard Baumhardt Brighton Jessi Johnson Deer Valley Richard Sniden The Canyons Matthew Belord Jackson Mark Johnson Jackson Hole Brenda Smith Pebble Creek Steve Benally Deer Valley J. Frank Joiner The Canyons Jackie Smith Kelly Canyon Mieke Biesheuvel Jackson Kathryn Jones Brighton Kip Smith The Canyons Ed Bobeff Jackson Timothy Jones Deer Valley Kirt Smith Kelly Canyon Joshua Boucher Powder Mountain Harold Jorgensen Kelly Canyon Julie Snell Park City Megan Boyer Sundance Fritz Kallin Snowbird Rodney Stallings The Canyons Todd Bryson Jackson John Karg Snowbird Scott Starley Snowbasin Genilyn Buckner Deer Valley Danny Kim Park City Sarah Steidel The Canyons Matt Buhler Brian Head Travis Kirtley Brian Head Souglas Stewart Park City Michael Cartee Beaver Mountain Hans Kloepfer Great American Adam Strachan Park City Lorraine Chadwell Deer Valley Wendy Lagerquist Solitude Bruce Stratford Snowbasin Blake Child Brian Head Peter Langley Park City Brandon Thomas Deer Valley Linda Christensen Beaver Mountain Joseph Laurenzi The Canyons Bryce Thornley Powder Mountain Luke Cockill Deer Valley Ciara Lindahl Park City Tim Thornton Brian Head Joell Collins Alf Engen Shawney Loris Snowbird Frances Trexler Brighton Colby Colonel Jackson Viki Lyngle Deer Valley John Van Arsdell Snowbird Dain Craig Brighton Schantie Mahalaha Jackson Hole Courtney Van Hooser Snowbasin Richard Daynes Brian Head Ryan Mahoney Park City Mark Viehweg The Canyons David Decker Kelly Canyon James Manwill Elk Meadows Douglas Wahlquist The Canyons Edward Desisto Park City Victoria Martell Park City Richard Weeks The Canyons David Duncan Snowbird Sonya Mcbride Park City Page Willard Nordic Valley Kelly Ebell Brian Head Mary McCauley Park City Kelli Williams Sundance Terry Eckersell Kelly Canyon Brett McCulloch Brian Head Daniel Willyerd Deer Valley David Edlund Snowbird Michael McFadden The Canyons Paul Wisniewski The Canyons David Ellerstein Jackson Hole Michael McFaughlin Powder Mountain Rose Woods The Canyons A. Michelle Elton Park City Logan Mickel Brian Head Everett Woody The Canyons Heidi Enferadi Solitude Alfred Millikan, Jr. The Canyons Jason Wright Kelly Canyon Sandra Eslinger Deer Valley Julie Minahan Park City Jeffrey Fergus Park City Mary Ford Park City Jason Mitchell The Canyons Alpine Certified II Jacob Moore Sundance Jennifer Franklin Park City Christopher Adams Solitude Cathy Moran Elk Meadows Jeff Fry Snowbasin Greg Anderson Alf Engen Patrea Mortensen Elk Meadows Glen Gabler Deer Valley Ciprian Arcalean Park City Christie Multon Park City Jayson Gaddis Snowbird Sarah Barnaby Park City Drake Munson Brighton Timothy Gatten Sundance Crystal Barton Deer Valley Kim Nakamura Park City Michelle Gedutis Deer Valley Steve Bayne Brighton Mindy Neilson Park City Patrick Gibbons Snowbird Monique Beeley Park City Dennis Nielsen Snowbasin Annabelle Gibson Jackson Hole H. Hieter Beger Deer Valley Ken Nielsen Snowbasin Alexis Gidley Sundance Matthew Belford Jackson Hole Jason Noble Brighton Brigham Graff The Canyons Jayson Bern Deer Valley Adam O'Loughlin Park City John Graubics Snowbird Sandra Bischoff Alf Engen Megan O'Neill Snowbird Rick Gray Kelly Canyon Matt Brooks Alf Engen Karen Oliver Deer Valley Shea Guevara Brighton Russell Brown Deer Valley Aaron Olson Park City Janna Gustafson Nordic Valley Holly Carlson Park City Amy Osborn Snowbird Gaer Gysel Jackson Hole John Carlson Park City Bob Osborne Jackson Hole Timothy Hall Sundance Stan Carper The Canyons Cyri Oswald Kelly Canyon Laura Hamilton Jackson Hole Shellie Cavazos Snowbird Nadege Pantet Deer Valley Ryan Hanley Park City Andrew Chapman Jackson Hole Shelley Parsons Powder Mountain Matthew Hanson Alf Engen Cali Cheminant Deer Valley Lynette Patterson Nordic Valley Andy Harmon Alf Engen Kipper Cluff Sundance Lindsay PittS-Kluger Park City Greg Heaps The Canyons Jeffrey Coleman Park City INSTRUCTORS EDGE/SPRING, SUMMER 98 PAGE 13 Julian Cordova Alf Engen Michael Janssen Jackson Hole Jessica Workman Solitude Cami Cusick Sundance Marta Joffs Deer Valley Paul D'Amours Jackson Hole Dana Johnson Deer Valley Nordic Downhill Certified III Mignon Dittmar Sundance Eric Kaiser Grand Targhee Brian Bush Deer Valley Douglas Dusenberry Park City Leslie Koch Park City C. Scott Cheney Alf Engen Corina Erzinger Birhgton Eddy Kolsky Jackson Hole Don Crandall Park City Jamie Fagedes The Canyons Hiroshi Kumazaki Brighton Nelson Reese Park City Seth Farmer Jackson Hole Marcel Kuonen Park City Jennifer Folk Snowbasin Christopher Laing Deer Valley Angie Galloway Snowbasin David Lundberg Park City Nordic Track II John Gray Non Affiliated Jennie Martin Deer Valley Neal Collins III Sundance John Hanks Deer Valley Art Mcneally Alf Engen Matthew Colonius Sundance Nephi Hawkes Deer Valley Shelagh Moore Deer Valley Shawn Paulsen Pocatello Rec Dep Rejmon Horo Park City Franz Penistan Snowbird Erik Johnson Jackson Hole Iris Schupp Deer Valley Snowboard Certified I Timothy Jones Deer Valley Darren Southcombe Deer Valley Anthony Allen Jackson Jayson Jorgensen Sundance Tennille Teakle Deer Valley Corbin Anderson Brian Head Lisa Kirchenheiter Park City Heidi Van Winkle Jackson Hole Mark Billeter The Canyons Marcel Kuonen Park City Michael Whitnall Deer Valley Brandon Bogar The Canyons Laura Lemke Solitude Karen Willoughby Jackson Hole Stephanie Bouckaert Park City Ryan Martell Alf Engen Cory Wright Solitude Megan Boyer Sundance Michael Mcdonald Sundance Joel Brown Pebble Creek Brett Mclay Park City Adapted Certified Levelll Christopher Byers Snowbird Echo Miller Jackson Hole Douglas Dusenberry Snowbird Benjamine Carlisle Brian Head James Mitchell Snowbasin Larry Riches Snowbird Kelsi Carlston Park City Thomas Mohr Deer Valley A. Tyler Dixon Park City Sharee Moser Snowbird Nordic Backcountry Certified Jay Dutton The Canyons Trindl Nebeker Snowbird Darryl Eddy Park City Whitney Nicholson Sundance Level II Angie Egbert Park City Rebecca Olsen Deer Valley Naheed Ahmed Jackson Hole Adrienne Evans Park City Reid Parrish Deer Valley Randy Anderson Snowbird Amy Evans Sundance Dianne Pauls Brighton Eric Henderson Jackson Mark Fallon Jackson Hole Peggy Philbrick Deer Valley Craig Panarisi Solitude Philip Fell Park City Robert Phillips Snowbird Loel York Snowbird Sarah Fillmore Snowbird Quentin Richards Nordic Valley Matthew Floyd Snowbird Larry Riches Snowbird Nordic Backcountry Certified Erinn Franzen Brian Head Evan Ricks Kelly Canyon Level III Gulie Galloway Brian Head Alexa Ross Park City Timothy Ganstrom Pebble Creek Aaron Sanders Jackson Hole J. Scott Mcgee Solitude Griffin Gillman Brian Head Jennifer Scaring Jackson Hole Karl Golts Park City Kristin Schnelten Snowbird Nordic Certified Level I Palo Gonzales The Canyons Debra Sebek Deer Valley Naheed Ahmed Jackson Hole Paal Grant Jackson Hole Neal Sorensen Alf Engen T. Jack Clearman Pocatello Rec Dep Marcela Griffith The Canyons Sheradawn Sullivan Powder Mountain Jamie Fagedes The Canyons Timothy Hall Sundance Julie Trachtenberg Jackson Hole Craig Frogh Snowbasin Christopher Hansen Brighton Allison Travers Jackson Hole Angie Galloway Snowbasin Joshua Harrower Park City Sylvia Turner Deer Valley Eric Henderson Jackson Hole Jeff Hedlund Jackson Hole Judy Vaughan Deer Valley Edward Jamison Snowbird James Heller Brian Head Zachary Williamson Deer Valley Betsy Olerud Jackson Hole Scott Holmgren Beaver Mountain Alton Winkelman The Canyons James E. Quimby Snowbasin Justin Huebscher Jackson Hole Paul Woodin Snowbasin Alex Tallant Pocatello Rec Dep David Hunter Park City Jody Anderson Snowbird Diane Verna Jackson Hole Jeremy Jolley Sundance Sloane Andrews Jackson Hole Heather Williams Snowbasin Jennifer Kerby Beaver Mountain Catherine Blais Park City Pam Young Sundance Craig Knott The Canyons Frank Brooke Park City Lucy Marcus Jackson Hole Theresa Carr Deer Valley Nordic Downhill Certified II John Mayer Pebble Creek E. Ryan Dittmar Sundance Christy Mcbride Park City Kerry Duncan Powder Mountain Julie Chanberlain Park City Angel Mcclain Park City Whitney Gardiner Jackson Hole Dustin Cooper Deer Valley Michael Mcdonald Sundance Robert Griffiths Deer Valley Angie Egan Alf Engen Michael Merlock The Canyons Meredith Hall Jackson Hole Nichole Quick Sundance Wendy Miller Snowbird Thomas Hanson Powder Mountain Jane Robinson Park City Torbin Moench The Canyons Andre' Heiber Park City Jean Roush Deer Valley Wayne Moore The Canyons Nick Hudson Deer Valley Tim Sattelmeier Park City David Morath Solitude PAGE 14 INSTRUCTORS EDGE/SPRING, SUMMER 98 Bradly Moss The Canyons Sheilley Nielson Jackson Hole Christian Nisonger Park City Christopher Parks The Canyons Virginia Perkins Jackson Hole Kimberly Reynolds The Canyons Junior Richard The Canyons Scott Rockwood Pebble Creek Heather Rysgaard Snowbird Josh Seerup The Canyons Roeshan Shadravan Jackson Hole Susannah Sharpe Jackson Hole Cathy Sonnenberg Park City Dirk Spangenberg Park City Camille Spor Snowbird Michael Stone The Canyons Jeffrey Swenson The Canyons Thaddeus VanDenBergh Brian Head Roseanne Werner Jackson Hole Emily White The Canyons Timothy White Brian Head Joshua Wood The Canyons Sundyn Woolf The Canyons Catherine Wright Sundance Robb Wruck Park City Matthew Young Brian Head Snowboard Certified II Paul Consiglio Jeremy Jolley Traci Vaughn Etgan Winter Snowbird Sundance Brighton Jackson Hole Snowboard Certified III Tomas Aguirre Snowbird Stephen Bigger Jackson Hole Billy Novak Jackson Hole Christopher Robinson Jackson Hole Accredited Children's Educator, ACE I Jennifer Arndt Deer Valley Crystal Barton Deer Valley Jayson Bern Deer Valley Marion Blaser Deer Valley Denise Boney Deer Valley Norm Burton Deer Valley Daria Christie Dear Valley Doni Dilworth Deer Valley Terri Hanrahan Snow Basin Jonell Karling Snow Basin Vicki Lyngle Deer Valley Jennifer McCarthy Deer Valley Amelia McGinnis Deer Valley George Mosher Grand Targhee Becky Olsen Deer Valley Nadege Pantet Deer Valley Leslie Pantone Snow Basin Peggy Philbrick Deer Valley Pat Richter Snow Basin Cheryl Tilaro Snow Basin Kat Torello Deer Valley Janine Whitney Deer Valley INSTRUCTORS EDGE/SPRING, SUMMER 98 PEPI continued from 7 As you know Bobbie loved skiing. He started his ski teaching at Jackson, Snow King, with Martin and Shirley Fopp. Martin was a little Swiss ski instructor married to Shirley McDon­ald a ski racer from Tacoma. Martin was well schooled in the Swiss fashion of ski teaching, and he passed it on to Bob. Bob and Jack Reddish helped K Smith start the Brighton Ski School in 1948. Oddly enough they were the first school to teach a system called the American Technique in 1948. Pepi took his certification at Brighton in 1949, moved to Alta in 1954, and taught with your dad for forty years. Pepi was a good ski teacher. His classes always had fun, for Pepi was full o humor. I guess that is why we all liked him so much. I regret not being able to attend his services. 1 am sending you this check as a donation to the Engen Ski Museum in the name 00. R. "Bob" Smith. Say good by to Pepi for me Alan. I loved him and shall miss him deeply. Alan, Bob had many friends. And Alan, I don't think he had any enemies. What more can one say about some­one. Say good bye for me. Rest in peace my little friend. Sincerely, Bill Lash We all had many memorable expe­riences we will treasure for a lifetime. I'd like to give a special blessing of understanding and comfort to Jon, Christopher and the other members of the family along with Pepi's many friends. Let us remember Pepi for the fun times we enjoyed and the joy brought into our lives, His wit and humor, his love for his fellow man, his friendships that were long and enduring. Let's remember that which was best in him and endures in our hearts today. May God bless him and give him peace at last. ~ Thank you. Keith Lange Classified Information SKI SCHOOL MANAGER/ASSISTANT DIREC­TOR- Be part of a dynamic management team in­volved in all aspects of ski school with a focus on adult programs and building business. Minimum PSIA Level III Certification with trainer level skills, ski school man­agement experience preferred. Excellent communica­tion, planning and organizational skills required. The ability to lead and motivate instructors, ability to teach both skiing and snowboarding a plus, and professional outlook and excellent management and guest relation skills. Fax or send letter of interest and resume to: Brian Head Resort, Attn: Henry Hornberger. PO Box 190008, Brian Head, UT 94761, fax: [phone]. SNOWBOARD INSTRUCTORITRAINER-Moti­vated. people-oriented, snowboard instructor, re­sponsible for training newly hired snowboard instruc­tors, as well as preparing instructors for certification. Advanced PSIA certification required. Fax or send let­ter of interest and resume to: Brian Head Resort, Attn: Henry Hornberger, PO Box 190008. Brian Head. UT 94761, fax: [phone]. SKI AND SNOWBOARD INSTRUCTORS-Full­time positions, require PSIA certification, professional style. and positive attitude. We are looking for highly motivated, professional instructors to teach skiing. snowboarding-children and adults. We are one of the West's most innovative ski schools and offer great training opportunities with PSIA examiners on staff. Our area has exceptional teaching terrain. and unsur­passed powder-averaging over 400 inches per year. Live in the unspoiled red rock country of Southern, Utah, only a short drive to 5 national parks. Lake Pow­ell, year-round golfing, and exciting Las Vegas enter­tainment. Join us and discover why people LOVE Brian Head. Fax or send letter of interest and resume to: Brian Head Resort, Attn: Henry Hornberger, PO Box 190008. Brian Head. UT 94761, fax: [phone]. SKIERS-want to work and play in North America's largest cross country ski resort? ROYAL GORGE is looking for ski instructors, guides, patrol and resort service assistants for the 1998/99 season. Call [phone], write PO Box 1100. Soda Springs, CA 95728, or email [e-mail]. Club Med Club Med International Ski School at Copper Mountain is now accepting resumes for Ski/Snowboard Instructors for Winter 98/99. Room, board, lift tickets and monthly salary provided. For more information call 561/398-5082 and visit our web site: www.cooljobs.com/clubmed EARN $50 FOR REFERRALS when your lead re­sults in a rental for Skiers Accommodations of Utah. We offer 2,3,4 and 5 bedroom Townhouses at the mouths of Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons. Con­tact Tom and Nancy Kronthaler, information [phone]. PAGE 15 Spring Clinic Contributors Thanks to the following people and businesses that contributed to the 1998 PSIA-I Spring Clinic. Remember those who support professional ski instruction. Dan Meldrum and Nordica John Bartlett 3700 E Ceres Dr Canyon Sports Holladay, UT 84124 1844 E Fort Union Blvd SLC, UT 84121 Craig Pearson Park City Bern and Greg Chisolm Mountain Resort Chisco Sports Park City, UT Accessories 2424 S 2570 W Tammy Weese SLC, UT 84119 Powder Mountain Jon Deboer Rocky Mountain Pizza 3977 S Wasatch Blvd Desert Horizons SLC, UT 84124 Mike Smith Pete Miller Scon Goggles Edgie Wedgie 1680 Navajo Sid Uyetake Ogden, Utah 84403 Sidsports, Inc 3025 E 3300 S Dr. Trent Harrison SLC, UT 84109 Harrison Chiropractic 2828 W 4700 S Garret Rose West Valley City, UT Smith Goggles 84119 Earl Middlemiss Gary Stevens Sport Loft The Instructors EDGE A publication of PSIA Intermountain and AASllntermountain 2855 Pamela Drive Salt Lake City, Utah 84121 Opinions presented in the EDGE are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the opinions or policies of the Professional Ski Instructors of America, Intermountain or the American Association of Snowboard Instructors, Intermountain. PAGE 16 4678 S Highland Dr SLC, UT 84107 Greg Black Sports Stalker Snowbird, UT Allen Titensor The Canyons Park City, UT Ernie The Bootworks Resort Center Plaza Level Park City, UT 84060 Dave Larsen The Lift House 3698 E 7000 S SLC, UT 84121 Mike Thurgood PSIA-I Administrative V.P. 04-000824 NORM BURTON 1376 KINGSTON DRIVE OGDEN, UT 84403 ACE continued from 6 qualified members of all ski schools to attend this session. This clinic will also identify and develop additional clini­cians and potential candidates for the upcoming JET tryouts. The future for children's instructors looks good. The ACE program has been accepted enthusiastically by the mem­bership. The ACE program has not only sustained itself financially, but gener­ated surplus revenue this season. We are counting on accessing this surplus to develop more child-centered pro­grams and support existing events. Deer Valley will host the Divisional Children's Educator Symposium the last week of January, 1999. We will be privileged to have former PSIA D-Team member, coach, author, and producer Ellen Post Foster as the featured pre­senter. Some of the JETS will also be presenters. Don't miss this one! Watch the EDGE for the schedule of ACE clin­ics and child-centered events. • BULK RATE US. POSTAGE PAID SLC,UTAH PERMIT NO. 4383 A5 IP lACE INSTRUCTORS EDGE/SPRING, SUMMER 98 WINTER Two 1997/98 VOLUME 19 NUMBER3 The Professional Ski Instructors of America The American Association of Snowboard Instructors Intermountain Keeping Seniors On TheSnow Resorts playa crucial role in encouraging senior skiing. By Junior Bounous We read and hear a great deal about the aging of our national population. This growth is connected to movement of the baby-boomer generation into their fifties. At present, ski resorts are experi­encing an increase in skiers who are in their 70s and 80s. These skiers want to increase the quality of their lives not just the quantity of their years. They give serious attention to their nutrition, as well as to their mental and physical activity levels. During the past ten years the senior skier has often improved his or her ski­ing- not simply maintained skill lev­els. The average 70-year-old of today is skiing better than a 50 or 60-year-old of the 1980s. Advances in ski technology have helped, but the largest factor comes from increased national aware­ness of the need for better nutrition and physical conditioning. Another very important factor is the example and influence of other older skiers who ski and have very active life styles. One question that has always inter­ested me is why some people quit ski­ing and others do not. It is easy to understand if there is a physical impairment or if a major or chronic ill- PSIAI AASI Spring Clinic . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Deep snowpack, sunshine, and Solitude. Push the envelope. Private Lesson. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Can you help this guy out? The Perfect Turn . The new kid on the block promotes methodolgy. Children First and Always. . Are parents putting their infants at risk? ...... 8 . . . . . 12 Fred Grimwald, center, will soon turn 80, years ahead of over-70 skiers Maxine and Junior Bounous. Fred has logged over 12 million vertical feet of helicopter-served powder skiing. Rodger Renstrom photo ness arises. But more often than not it seems to be from changing priorities or lack of interest. Priorities can and will change. Often older people will move to a warmer climate or move to be near other family members. On the other hand, others may move to be nearer to a ski resort. Skiing is a great family sport and an activity that is best enjoyed in the company of others. People bringing their friends to ski built skiing, like many other sports. However, if one person stops skiing, this can influence other friends and family members to stop. This is a major reason that ski resorts should actively promote Senior programs. Sometimes a skier's loss of interest comes with their decline in skiing abil­ity. This loss may not be from lack of physical conditioning, but from being lulled into skiing only where and when continued on 4 PROFESSIONAL SKI AND SNOWBOARD INSTRUCTION IN THE INTERMOUNTAIN WEST Up and CODling PSIA-I+ AASI Spring Clinic Solitude Resort, April 17, 18, 19 Ski 3 Days, Barbecue Saturday Children's Accreditation See the update in this EDGE Adapted Level 2 Clinic and Assessment Coming in April Spring Clinic Alpine Topic Descriptions If you are not sure what you are getting in to at the Spring Clinic, read the brief de­scriptions below. Also, if you are a strict vegetarian, please indicate meal requests on your application. (There is chicken on the barbecue menu) Ski Improvement: a great ski lesson! Choose your intensity level. Over the Hill Gang: another great ski lesson for the 40+ crew; although we missed him last year, Juniorwill be on hand to let you know what's in store for you as pass through the decades. And, we are bringing in extra help. Look for the likes of Gene Palmer, Max Lundberg and maybe a couple of DECL's who are nearing the half century mark themselves. Performance Ski Seminar: a high powered ski improvement clinic complete with video analysis and an expert to help evaluate any boot alignment problems; this clinic will not only focus on you and optimum performance but is also designed to help instructors learn to effectively evaluate their students and themselves for cant­ing/ a ignment problems; Steve Bagley from Superior Ski will be on hand for a brief indoor session then will spend time with each group on the hill. NOTE: ADD $5 TO THE COST OF THIS CLINIC - IT'S $35. Bumps: bet you can guess what these two cliniCS are about I Learn technique as well as tactics. Explore the Dark Side - living on the Edge: Lots of fun with the newest carv­ing toys; learn to snowboard in two hours via the "quick carve" method (all the rage in Park City) ; get on a set of Salomon Snow Blades; learn to free carve with the Carl's carving pole (and other props) on super shaped skis (note: you can play with the carving props on mid-shaped skis, but super shaped skis are better. Talk to Dan at Canyon Sports if you need to demo a super shaped ski. All other equipment will be provided. Kid's Accreditation: see info in Edge and letter to ski school directors Ladies Only: ski in a cooperative environment; turn heads on the chair and have a great day with a ladies group that fits your abilities. Guys Only: if we have a ladies only, guess we need a guys group! Exploring your Parallel Options: a mega-mileage day; lots of skiing with just enough feedback to make it worthwhile; be prepared to ski all terrain, even the piste if it's especially good. PAGE 2 The Instructors EDGE The Instructors EDGE, the official publication of the Profes­sional Ski Instructors of America Intermountain Division and the American Association of Snowboard Instructors Inter­mountain Division, is scheduled to be published four times a year at a non-member subscription rate of $15, subscriptions available through the Division Office. PSIA-I Division, ASSI Division Office: 2855 Pamela Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84121, [phone]. Editorial and Advertising Office: 4664 Clearview Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84117 [phone], Rodger Renstrom, Editor. PSIA/AASllntermountain Division Officers and Chairs: President, Steve Bills; Administrative V. P., Mike Thurgood; Communications V.P" Danny Edwards; PSIA Board Representative, Stew Marsh; Adaptive Chair, Brooke Schaefermeyer; Certification Chair, Rodger Renstrom; Children's Co-Chairs, Bill Batt, Christine Katzenberger, Patti Olsen; Education Chair, Jo Garuccio; Nordic Chair, Shirley Kin­sey; Seniors Chair, Junior Bounous; SIRC Chair, Scott Warr; Ski School Management Chair, Jim Kercher; Snowboard Co­Chairs, Lane Clegg, Alan Titensor; Executive Secretary, Nancy Perkins Current Board Members: 1995-98, Danny Edwards, R. Rich­ard Mulder, Mike Thurgood; 1996-1999, Steve Bills, Kim May­hew, Alan Titensor. 1997-2000, Nathan Emerson, Carolyn Fushimi, Stew Marsh, Chris Searle Ski Instructor Representative Committee Members: Alta: Jeff Hessler, Brian Head: Mark Wilder 801 586-9603; Brighton: Arthur Trialer, Chris Searle; Deer Valley: Cheryl Fox, 801 649-1383; Elk Meadows: Greg Solberg, 801 438-2303; Jackson Hole: Nathan Emerson 307 733-7969, Terry Smith 307 733-3715; Park City: Karl Walker, 801 649-8780; Pebble Creek: Rudy Milsted, 208 233-3424, Sheri Whitmore, 208 785-7578; Powder Mountain: John Kilian, 801 745-6123, Paul Swaner, 801 745-2442; Snowbasin: Paul Perkin, 801 546-4104, Pam Mitchell, 801 745-4506; Solitude: Earl Lewis, 801 463-1179; Sundance: Lynn H. Suksdorf, 801 253-2355, Scott Warr, 801 785-6544; The Canyons: Robb Adams, 801 944-4359 Next EDGE Deadline, April 30 INSTRUCTORS EDGE/WINTER TWO 97-98 PSIA-II AASI-I Spring Clinic 19911(, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, April 17, 18, 19 "Push Your Envelope" Lots of new options for fun at the Spring Clinic Broaden Your Horizons When You Play at Solitude Cost $85 includes two days of clinic, three days of skiing, Saturday dinner and a T-shirt Solitude Registration: 8:30 - 9:30 AM at the Moonbeam Learning Center at Entry Lodging: Call 1-800-536-5700 or 748-4754 at Solitude and identify yourself as PSIA; ask for the manager if there are any problems; rooms are $110 for two double beds. Banquet Barbecue: Sat., Last Chance Mining Camp General Meeting: Apres ski, 5:30 PM, cash beer bar Dinner at 6:30 PM there will be a short general membership meeting before dinner; awards to follow dinner. Topics See descriptions on page 2 FridayAl1 Disciplines Free Ski Race Arena Run gates all PM for $5,00; prizes for fastest male and female; fastest master's (40+) and grand master's (50+) male and female; traveling trophy for fastest ski school team of three skiers (any gender); Alpine DECLs will be on hand for fun and coaching, FridaySnowboard Learn to Snow board Improving the Carve INSTRUCTORS EDGE/WINTER TWO 97-98 SaturdayAlpine Ski Improvement Aggressive/Moderate Over the Hill Gang Moderate (40+) Performance Ski Seminar Brief indoor; on-hill alignment eval; video analysis (clinic cost will be an additional $5,00) Intro to Bumps Explore the Dark Side - Living on the edge Expanding Your Parallel Options Bumps, Crud, Packed - major mileage Kid's Accreditation Divisional accreditation day SaturdayNordic Track Classic Nordic Downhill Beg/lntlAdv SaturdaySnowboard Learn to Snowboard Variable Conditions SundayAlpine Ski Improvement Aggressive/Moderate Ladies Only Guys Only Over the Hill Gang Aggressive (40+) Advanced Bumps Expanding your Parallel Options Kid's Recap Re-cap ofthe National Children's Symposium SundayNordic Skate Nordic Downhill Beg/Inti Adv SundaySnowboard Teaching Freestyle Intermediate Snowboard PAGE 3 SENIORS continued from 7 they feel the most comfortable. We have watched many older skiers lose interest because they have allowed their skiing foundation (the range of terrain and snow conditions they choose to approach) to decrease in scope. The Challenges When we learned to ski we were stimulated by these challenges. We enjoyed skiing slow and fast, powder and packed, short and long turns, skid­ded and carved turns, steep and gentle terrain, bumps or groomed, trees or open terrain, and running gates. As we limit our exposure to variations we start to lose our interest in skiing. The old saying "use it or lose it" definitely applies. It is unavoidable that our capa­bilities will decrease as we age. Our goal is to slow down the rate of this decrease. Skiing is like many other things we do or do not do while aging. Limita­tions that develop with lack of use are not just in sports activities, but can be in everything we do. Decreased use of our other skills like driving, dancing, reading, hiking, and going up or down stairs limits our time of being comfort­able using these skills. Each activity we do helps to extend our capability of retaining our other skills. Skiing requires eye, hand, and foot coordina­tion. This practice will help retain our driving skills, walking in crowds, and going down stairways. Skiing will help retain a better quality oflife in our later years. The Market Some resorts are marketing for baby-boomers or beginners. They also target markets they feel will produce the most new customers. In many resorts, unfortunately, little is done to retain their senior skiers. Some resorts express the belief that all senior skiers are after is a discount. PAGE 4 PSIA Board Report Injury Facts By Stew Marsh, PSIA Board Representative In light of the sudden rash of ski injuries and deaths of some notable people, I came across an article from the SnowSports Industry of America dated January 11, 1998. I felt it might be of interest to share the statistics with the membership so that each of us might become more aware of injuries in our profession compared to others. • During the past 13 years, about 32 people per year, on average, have died skiing or snowboarding, a fatality rate of 0.69 per million skier!snow­boarder visits. • Serious injuries (paraplegic, quadriplegic, serious head injury, comas, spinal injuries occur at the rate of about 29 per year. In 1996-97, there were 45 serious injuries, 37 were male and nine were snowboarders. The rate of serious injury for skiers! snowboarders in 1997 -98 was .86 per mil­lion. A 1990 study concluded that 7.4 percent of injuries occurred when participants left the trail and hit a stationary object. Snowboarders and skiers suffer similar injury rates. • About 85 percent of ski! snowboard fatalities and injuries occur to males, 70 percent are in their late teens to early 20's. • Despite the high profile fatalities, the most significant trend remains the increase in ACL injuries. A skier's chance of ACL injury is about on par with that of a college football player, roughly 365 times greater than that of the general public. • The National Safety Council reports that in 1996 (most recent stats) there were 716 recreational boating deaths (7.1 deaths per million par­ticipants), and 4,500 drownings (17 per million participants). • Other stats (on average): 42,000 Americans die annually in automobile accidents, 22,000 are murdered, 13,000 fall to their deaths, including 300 in their bathtubs, 6,500 die from food poisoning. • The overall rate of skiing injuries has declined by 50 percent during the past 25 years, according to a study by Dr. Jasper Shealy of RIT. Most ski resorts offer some kind of senior discount; often about the same as for children. Many offer a larger dis­count after age 70. Sometimes these discounts are for the day or are for a low-rate season pass. Many large and small resorts offer free skiing beginning at age 70 or 80. In the early 1990s I did some check­ing in the records of Alta and Snowbird about senior skiing and I found some interesting comparisons: Both resorts sold about 400 thousand skier days. Alta gave free skiing to ages 80+ and issued about 80 passes per year. Snowbird did even more. Snowbird gave free skiing to age 70+ and issued 400 passes per year. Alta gave two free senior tickets for every ten thousand lift tickets. For Snowbird, it was ten free seniors for every 10 thou­sand tickets. Even for Snowbird's higher levels of issuance this still only meant that one tenth of one percent of its tick­ets were given to seniors. INSTRUCTORS EDGE/WINTER TWO 97-98 The Numbers These numbers also suggest that 80 percent of over-70 skiers stop skiing by age 80. By their late 70s there is a rapid decline in both the number of skiing days per year and the number of runs skied each day. Senior skiers are look­ing at the quality of a run not the quan­tity of runs per day. Resorts that market to seniors know the value of senior skiers. Today, the average senior skier has skied for 30 or 40 years and they are still a major influ­ence on our ski industry. They have § influence on family members and ~ E: friends with where to ski and even on 15 continuing to ski. Seniors often are the ~ major spenders related to lodging, res- & taurants, and clothing and equipment ~"'" for children or grandchildren. Our resorts should do what they can do to reduce senior skier losses. Leaders in marketing to senior ski­ers are groups like the 70+ Club, or the Over-the-Hill Gang, and the masters race programs. Seniors love the social aspect and the recognition of their efforts and praise for continuing to ski. Seniors are willing to take some risks of physical injury but want the risk as low as possible. (Being hit by a skier or snowboarder is one fear of seniors.) They enjoy groomed conditions, con­venient shelter, food, and restrooms. They like to be with others who are similar in age and ability and will share good feelings about their environment and share thoughts in conversation. The Bottom Line For many senior skiers the cost of a lift ticket is not a problem, but for oth­ers cost is a problem. Senior skiers pro­vide measurable benefits to the bottom line to any resort which will more than make up for lift pass discounts or other inducements. First, senior skiers ski far fewer vertical feet in an average ski day. They have a much smaller impact on ski-lift usage than a 30 or 40-year-old. Second, they usually patronize the hotel, restaurant, and equipment sales INSTRUCTORS EDGE/WINTER TWO 97-98 Fred Grimwald is one of a growing number of senior skiers frequenting America's slopes. facilities to the same degree as their younger counterparts and customarily without any discounts. Third, they exert a significant influence on extended family members regarding resort choices both in the near and in the distant future (intra-generationally and inter-generationally). Let's keep our senior skiers on the snow! -Junior Bounous is director of skiing at Snow­bird Resort and part ofthe over-70 crew. Just the Fax Now you can fax your clinic and as­sessment registrations to the Division office when you use your charge Visa or MasterCard as payment Just fill in the event registration form provided in the back of the EDGE and fax it with your credit card infor­mation to [phone]. Remember, all Division event regis­trations must be in the Division office at least two weeks prior to the event; postmark dates on mailed applications are not accepted as arrival dates. Call the office if you have questions. • Skiing Chronicle To be Released For the Love of Skiing is a chronicle of skiing, beginning with its primitive ori­gins depicted in ancient petro glyphs and leading right up to the selection of Salt Lake City to host the 2002 Winter Olympics. For the Love of Skiing is authored by Alan Engen, son of ski leg­end Alf Engen. This personal narrative featuring anecdotes from ski legends and other important figures in ski his­tory is scheduled for release this fall. In For the Love of Skiing, Engen chronicles not only the accomplish­ments of his father Alf, but also the story of an entire generation pioneers who brought competitive and recrea­tional skiing to America. For the Love of Skiing is also a pictorial history of the sport, with images from skiing's past. For the Love of Skiing discusses the rise of ski resorts in the West in the late 1940s and 1950s, focusing on Alta, Sun Valley, and Jackson Hole. Sun Valley was the first to gain national fame, attracting Hollywood stars and ski luminaries. For the Love of Skiing also features the growth of other Utah resorts, including Brighton, Park City, Deer Valley, Snowbird, Snow Basin, Solitude and The Canyons. For the Love of Skiing also features chapters on the history of ski schools and snow safety patrols, two modern developments that had their origins in Utah. The book includes many histori­cal facts and statistics on competitive skiin,g from ancient records of skiing to the sports current prominence. Alan Engen, a former all-american collegiate skier, is currently director of the Alf Engen Ski School at Alta, Utah. For additional information about For the Love of Skiing, contact Monica Millward, director of publicity at Gibbs Smith, Publisher, at [phone]. For ordering information, call [phone]. • PAGE 5 On Passing the First Time Around By Karen Me/eca Editor's Note: Karen Meleca recently re­ceived the highest score earned this sea­son on the Level 3 written test, 77 out of 80 points. She was asked to relate her preparation efforts to her success. I dislike tests-of any kind-because they remind me that I'm human and that I have the potential for failure. I be­lieve that failure can be a learning and a growth experience, to a point; and that second chances provide a "safety net," especially within the often stressful certification process. I also believe that if the desire to pass the exam on the first attempt is strong enough, the dis­cipline, dedication, and commitment necessary to adequately prepare will occur naturally. I take the process of studying for certification as seriously as I take my profession of ski teaching; because it is a profession ... that's meaningful to me. It's a priority. The actual process of studying is easy, but tedious. It takes time to break down all the required topics and reading materials outlined in The Instructors Edge and by staff examiners into a time line-how long it takes to read, to outline through note taking, and to review through group discussion and application. For everyone who has passed the written test, that time line is different. For me, it took about four weeks of daily review; sometimes over morning coffee, or during a break in my teaching day, or just before going to sleep at night. The point is whenever and wher­ever I could devote some time I did. I kept the concepts simple, and tried to relate them to my skiing and ski teach­ing experiences. It was my focus. I was tenacious. I wanted to pass! I know that we really learn from our suc- PAGE 6 Certification Corner Pride Through Association By Rodger Renstrom, PSIA Intermountain Certification Chairperson For certified instructors to benefit from PSIA and AASI membership, their skills must be recognized by the public and by employers as a source for fun and effective ski and snowboard experiences. That recognition is the real PSIAI AASI benefit and depends upon the efforts of individual members. "What do I get for my dues?" The best answer to that question-rarely given-is that membership qualifies us to promote our teaching credentials in association with a committed group of professional ski and snowboard instructors. That benefit, in and of its self, should be sufficient to quell any member's financial concerns. Every time a PSIAI AASI instructor gives a great lesson the credibility of the organizations improves and so does our professional status. Customers and employers alike are encouraged to seek out PSIAI AASI instructors. Association with PSIAI AASI then becomes an invaluable promotional tool and pride in the association grows. Unfortunately, every time a PSIAI AASI instructor provides a poor lesson experience, the value of the association suffers, and so does our organizational pride. Pride results from commitment and hard work. Pride in certification is no different. Some people seem to look upon certification as an after­thought. They scramble to prepare for assessments: I need a clinic, I didn't study, my application is late, I don't have my Levell workbook started and it's due tomorrow. Other people seriously weigh their efforts and have enough pride in their organization to take the time to plan and prepare. They try to do their very best. Not everyone who participates in an assessment will pass on their first attempt, even if they work hard and do their best. One category of people won't pass because they are just not ready: their skiing skills need time to grow, they need more experience teaching, or their understanding of skiing needs time to develop. No one should ever feel bad about falling into that category. It takes time to hone skills and acquire knowledge. Other people won't pass simply because they don't prepare: they don't read, they don't practice, or they don't take the time to seek help from others. Those people need to reevaluate their commitment to the certification process and ski instruction. One person who doesn't have to reevaluate her efforts concerning the results of her written test is Karen Meleca. Karen recently received the high­est score earned this season on the Level 3 written test. The story of her preparation is printed in this EDGE. She did her best, and it paid off. If membership in PSIAI AASI is important to us, if we want to be proud of the organization and its people, and most important, if we want our guests and employers to seek us out, then we must be serious enough about our efforts to do the best job we can. Anything less is unfair to the thousands of PSIA and AASI members across the nation who are depending upon us to make them look good. INSTRUCTORS EDGE/WINTER TWO 97-98 cesses; that we gain the most confi­dence and self esteem in this way. And it feels good ... to pass. Giving it your all sets you up for that success. It's all like skiing in a way; the feeling you get after a series of great turns ... a great run ... that epic day ... all represent suc­cesses that we build on, that we earned. As a skier and a ski teacher, I strive for excellence. I know what that is. I also strive for balance, recognizing when good is good enough. And pass­ing the first time around was good enough. • Private Lesson Private Lesson looks at real skiers with everyday coaching needs. Each EDGE will present a new skier. With good movement analysis and effective coaching, you can help each skier get more enjoyment out of their skiing ex­perience. And that's what teaching ski­ing is all about, less work and more fun! The skier in the photo is just start­ing a turn to his left. How would you respond to the following questions? Education Corner The Home Stretch By Jo Garuccio, PSIA Intermountain Education Chairperson 1 998 events in order of importance: Picabo Street wins an Olympic Super-G (then breaks her femur in the last race of the season), winter finally appears in the Intermountain West thanks to El Nino's record-setting snowfall, and Clinton makes it to Deer Valley. It's been quite a season so far! Guess we better keep it on track for at least two more months! If you have not seen a Spring Clinic flyer yet, check it out. We have a great program in store and Solitude will most likely have snow until July. It should be a super weekend. As most of you know, the clinic schedule ends (except for Spring Clinic) on March 22 with the Last Chance clinics. If you are thinking about any of the April exams, remember, this is YOUR LAST CHANCE TO FULFILL YOUR OBLIGATION. Between exams, Easter, and Spring Clinic, it will be hard to find a clinic leader after the end of March. Please plan ahead! Lecture tapes can be checked out from the office. Uyou need credit, the cost is $15.00 per lecture. We had hoped to be able to "clean up" this year's tapes. We ran into a few technical problems and both tapes are missing parts of the lectures. However, it is possible to glean most of the important points. Sorry about that! We will try to do a better job next time. On a final note: here's a thought to keep you sharp at the end of the sea­son and propel you into the next one. Be a student of your sport. Study and read everything you can get your hands on. Observe the most successful instructors at your ski school. listen to what they say and ask questions whenever you can. Why did they do what they did? What were they trying to accomplish with their students? Why did your students respond the way they did? What can you do to help them? Did you ask another instructor for their opinion? Study. Observe. listen. And question. Then do it again and again. Only then will you have a chance at becoming a master teacher, or even an adequate teacher. INSTRUCTORS EDGE/WINTER TWO 97-98 • Is the skier balanced appropriately on the outside foot and ski? • What mechanism is the skier using to guide his skis into the turn? • What focus will you give the skier to improve movements and use his skis more effectively? Is the skier balanced appropriately on the outside foot and ski? Not really. By looking at the alignment ofthe body to the feet, it is easy to see that the skier is leaning to his left and slightly back (look at his shoulders)-it is impossible for him to be well balanced on the out­side ski. What mechanism is the skier using to guide his skis into the turn? The ori­entation of the skier's shoulders indi­cates he is trying to turn his skis by twisting his body into the new turn. What focus will you give the skier to improve movements and use his skis more effectively? The skier's balance problem is directly related to a lack of understanding of how to use his feet and legs to guide his skis. Teach him to roll and guide both skis with his feet. His upper body rotation should begin to disappear and his balance over his outside ski should improve, enhancing his ability to use the skis. • PAGE 7 The Perfect Turn Dispelling the rumor mill 8ySue Skeen "They require the instructors to sell hard goods" "It's a direct competitor with PSIA. " "It's a gimmick." Most of you have heard rumors about what Perfect Turn is and there are a number of them still flying about. American Ski Company's purchase ofWolfMt.last July, has brought a great number of changes, along with five new lifts, a gondola and a new lodge, our "ski school" is now the "Perfect Turn program." The name "Perfect Turn" conjures up images of all the cli­ents skiing or boarding like the Demo team (which would be quite an accom­plishment on our part!). But as we all know, it is near impossible to get our clients that ride/ski five to ten days a year to that "Demo Team" level. All our clients do have a dream or idea of making their own "perfect turn." Less Otten, president and owner of American Ski Co., came up with the term, "perfect turn", from the movie "The Endless Summer." The story is about some die-hard surfers traveling the world in search of the "perfect wave." Our goal in Perfect Turn is to help the client find their "perfect turn." Perfect Turn uses different lan­guage as well. Instructors are "pros" or "coaches," which seems to put us on a more personable level instead of a superior level. A golf pro or tennis pro has more of a team/friendly sound than an instructor/student title. Ski School-who really wants to go back to school? Instead of "classes" our ses­sions are "clinics" or "workshops." PAGE 8 The cornerstone of Perfect Turn is Strength Identification and Enhancement. .. a positive approach to improving riding/skiing. The cornerstone of Perfect Turn is Strength Identification and Enhance­ment( SIDE), which is a very positive approach to improving riding/skiing. SIDE uses what the client can already do, working with that strength to improve the other skills or movements. One example, which is seen in a major­ity of intermediate snowboarders, is counter-rotation in their riding. Instead of saying, "You're doing it wrong, don't turn your shoulders that direction. A pro using SIDE would say to that client something similar to: "Wow, you have a real strong turn­ing movement with your upper body-let's try using that turning motion in a different direction. What happens to your turn if your front shoulder leads into the turn?" The student will find it smoother and easier to make their turns and vary the size and shape of their turns. The turns will be rounder because with the lead shoulder crossing over the front of the board the rider is able to pressure the tip of the board and engage the edge earlier. When a client starts the turn by pressuring the tip and engag­ing the edge early in the turn they will be using the actual design of the board to make turns. Counter-rotation is the action of generating torque by twisting the upper body one direction and the lower body in the opposite direction. That move causes the board to make a quick turn in the direction intended but it can throw the pressure toward the middle / rear of the board, making it hard to pressure the front of the board at the initiation of the turn. The board turns so fast that it is already crossing the fall-line before the rider is able to get their weight to the tip or get solidly against the edge. Unless the client can align their shoulders with the board, they will continue making quick ineffi­cient turns because of the torque cre­ated by counter-rotating. The rider looks to be fighting the board instead of looking like they are having a great time and riding with effi­ciently and rhythm. At that point you can explain how your client's turns will require less energy and will flow much easier from turn to turn. They will look better and feel the difference quickly in their riding. This will have a big impact on the kind of day the pros will have also. Would you rather come into the locker room complaining about how bad a client's bad snowboarding or come into the locker room praising your client's skills?-Sue Skeen submit­ted this article as part of the Snowboard DECL selection process. INSTRUCTORS EDGE/WINTER TWO 97-98 An Introduction To Turning Successful simplicity By Tom Mills People all over the world with a passion for snow seem to be intrigued by a platform that has added a new dimension on how to enjoy the white stuff. Over the years it has been criticized by many, yet has persevered to make its presence known in the ski industry and that platform is the snowboard. As snowboarding evolves, it is cru­cial that our teaching techniques evolve with it. Our goal as a teacher of a motor-skill-based topic is to examine body movements and determine which ones are the simplest and most efficient for successful maneuvering of a snowboard. What is to follow is an explanation of torsional flex and the ankle joint of the front foot and how it is related to turning a snowboard. Before discussing this any further, we must first realize the significance of a proper stance, which is demonstrated on flat terrain. Introducing and practic­ing basic snowboarding movements on flat terrain is an extremely valuable approach that creates a reference point for aspiring snowboarders regardless of their ability. One way to visualize stance is to do a jumping Jack and feel how the hip is centered, resulting in an even weight distribution on both legs, (This jump­ing Jack stance can be used for travers­ing but will not be covered in detail in this article.) Let your aspiring snow­boarders know that a good centered stance will allow them to manipulate their snowboard successfully. Then Introduce the straight glide (with the back foot free) on a slight pitch. Practice it, and after some mile­age, get ready to introduce a straight glide with a turn at the end. Put your students back on the flats in a centered stance and have them imagine that there is a cylinder peg about an inch in diameter underneath the center part of their front foot. This creates a see-saw sensation that allows the ankle joint to flex and control the direction of the see-saw, whether it be towards the toe or the heel edge of the board. Make sure the terrain selection is adequate for this task. The amount of speed and an ample area for turning are crucial at this stage. The speed should be just enough to get the board to turn and not any faster. Controlling a board with too much speed while the back foot is free is extremely difficult and is really not very healthy for the knee. The area for turning should be such that there are continued on 77 Daring Rescue by Patroller Reunites Boarder with Ride Okay, so it wasn't the Titanic, but when Aleisha "Daisy Duke" Garbett peered into the great abyss of Little Cottonwood Creek, her heart was all a flutter that her unblemished ride might end up little more than a splin­tered piece of driftwood. INSTRUCTORS EDGE/WINTER TWO 97-98 Fresh off the shelf, Alesia' s new board took itself for a spin down Snowbird's Chickadee run and launched into the cold rocky waters below. Snowbird patroller Matt Lutz, who is also a PSIA-I Certified Level 3 ski instructor, popped out from a nearby phone booth and rappelled to the rescue. Said he, "All in a day's work, ma'am." After stopping by the local board shop for a set of bindings, rider and board are reportedly doing well. • PAGE 9 Agro Stance Get aggressive, get agro By J. Scott McGee With spring on its way, and good snow cover on the Wasatch Peaks, many steep lines will call the back­country and resort skier. When you want to nail the most precise line through hairy terrain, you need a turn that will keep you in control, and let you stop on a dime, if need be. In icy conditions, a turn that gives you maximum balance and edge at the same time, will keep you in con­trol, where others ride their tails. Get Agro and you'll be ready! A skier in an Agro stance will be in a solid Telemark position at the end of a turn set up and ready to go for the next one. The eyes, shoulders, and torso Tele lifters If skiing with more angulation consti­tutes a higher level of dynamic skiing, and angulating without lifters causes booting out and falling, why would you want to ski around getting punished for good technique? Why Lifters? You may have seen alpine skiers on lifters, but telemark skiers in greater numbers are realizing the advantages that height off the ski offers, and the result is some truly amazing skiing. Aside from making you look taller, there are three main advantages to lift­ers. They are: • Lifters prevent binding deflection • Lifter provide more leverage in edg­ing the skis • Lifters elevate the bindings, reduc­ing drag, especially in heavy or stiff snow. PAGE 10 will all be facing downhill, providing maximum (aggressive) edge and anticipating the next turn. The pole (on the lead leg side) will have just planted directly downhill from the feet, and the opposite hand will be similarly in front of the body. Wound And Lifters aren't just for racers, resort skiers, extreme skiers, or back­country skiers. They offer unique advantages to each group, whilst add­ing versatility as well.-J. Scott McGee New Nord DEel's Nordic Divisional Examiner and Clinic Leader selection garnered a new crop of talented clinic ileader, adding vari­ety and vitality to a seasoned, but spir­ited crew. Grand Targhee hosted the tryouts and training for both Track and Nordic Downhill. New Clinic leaders are: Liz Davy, ofTeton Ridge Ranch, for Nordic Track. And for Nordic Downhill, Christopher Ulm and J enna Sall of Alta, and Chris Searle of Brighton. Jimmy Ludlow of Park City earned a place as Nordic Downhill examiner. Congratu­lations! We look forward to benefiting from your talents and energy. • Agro. That's short for aggressive. Bill Stevenson photo up like a spring, you are ready for the next turn. -J. Scott McGee is an active Telemark racer, a PSIA examiner and clinic leader for Track and Nordic Downhill, a Telemark and Alpine Instructor at Solitude Ski Resort and president of US Telemark. Track Tips Practice follow-through for maxi­mum efficiency. Whether you are skat­ing' striding, or climbing in the backcountry, increasing the length of your stride, or your pole push, ulti­mately increases the distance traveled. Follow-through means pushing back with the hands until arms and poles are in a straight line (beyond this point, no more push is available). Follow­through also relies on the polestraps to transfer energy from the hands to the pole, so proper adjustment is crucial. With the conclusion of each pole­push a "snap" from the wrist, like the cracking of a whip, can add more zip, momentum and distance to each glide phase. Though initially taxing, once practiced, this extra push adds to effi­ciency. So demand maximum efficiency, by pushing yourself to fully extend. And insist on a speedy recovery. • INSTRUCTORS EDGE/WINTER TWO 97-98 What We Learn From Children Enjoy your teaching more through utopic eyes. By Jared Schaalje The dictionary defines the word "utopia" as "a condition, place, or situation of social or political perfection." I thought about this idea recently while reading in my father's old book about an Indian tribe near the Schell Creek Mountains in Nevada. This tribe told the story of a cave near their camp, that long ago was explored by a very brave woman. After this woman had been traveling in the cave for a long time, she felt grass beneath her feet, and heard a stream running nearby. When she was tired and went to sleep, she looked up and noticed there were stars and clouds in the sky. When she awoke, it was morn­ing, and in the words of the story" ... the sun was coming up over the hills and she could now hear birds singing, and she saw numerous wild animals the like of which she had never seen before ... Anywhere else in her life she had not seen such a beautiful country." The story then describes herds of white animals running around, and kind people living in peaceful homes. To me, going skiing and being in the cold, white, and exciting world of snowy mountains has always been a utopia. I have wonderful memories of my par­ents teaching me to ski when I was five in Whitefish, Montana. The world was beautiful, and our family was always happy. Later, when I started teaching skiing, I realized that children view the world a lot differently than we do. One day while teaching a children's group lesson, I was riding up the lift INSTRUCTORS EDGE/WINTER TWO 97-98 with one of my students and he said to me "Wow, look at all the dinosaurs in the trees!" I looked over and agreed with him, and said I'd never noticed the dinosaurs until now. Children are innocent, and when they come to the mountain to go skiing, many of them see the environment as a utopia. I was impressed with Warren Miller's statement in his recent movie "Vertical Reality." While filming chil- Look at the world through a child's eyes. dren in India who were skiing with homemade wooden skis and saw blades bolted on the base, he noted how much fun these kids were having, and the size of their smiles. He commented that these kids didn't need the latest skis or ski outfits to have fun, they just needed some snow, a hill, and each other. So it is with all children. They know how to have fun, and in their world it doesn't matter about the latest styles or how they look to other people. They are innocently content with life. A wise religious leader once said, "Though continued on 75 Accredited Children's Educator I Approved The PSIA-I Board of Directors passed the proposal for the Accredited Chil­dren's Educator or ACE I at its January 23 meeting. Thank you to each of you who supported and took time to con­tribute to the process. This program is designed to recog-nize children's instructors and the 6' additional information they must arm * themselves with in order to create the ~ best lesson for their guest, not to men­g tion the extra five-gallons of patience :3 ~ they need to have. ~ The Accreditation program gives an instructor a lateral move through the credibility process. This program tells a parent guest that we care so much about your child, also a guest, that our instructors go through special chil­dren's education to give that child the best ski experience. The process involves two days of clinic-six hours each day-and a workbook to be completed to 80 per­cent accuracy. The cost next year will be $30 for each clinic and $15 for the workbook. This year it is only $30 for the whole program if your ski school does an "in -house" first -day indoors. For this season only, each ski school director has been given a packet for the first day of the accreditation clinic. The clinic is to be implemented by a children's trainer in your ski school. This can be done in six one­hour segments or all in six hours. The second day accreditation clinic must be requested through the office and taken care of like a regular clinic (Application, $30, and requested three weeks ahead oftime). An on-hill clinic for Accredited Children's Educator I is scheduled for Saturday, April 18, at the Spring Clinic (the second day of the Spring Clinic). continued on 75 PAGE 11 Infants in Backpack Carriers on the Ski Slope Outdoor fun masks real dangers to unprotected infants. By Guillermo Avila Paz Due to the enthusiastic love for skiing as a sport, we would like to be able to share the fun experiences with all members of our family. One thing to think about is: when is it too soon or too young? In the last ten years there have been an increased number of parents and adults skiing with infants in backpack carriers. There are numerous reports of serious, sometimes fatal injuries to infants in backpack carriers related to impact injuries, hypothermia, and cold injuries(frostbite) . As a professional ski instructor and coach working in the ski industry for over twenty years in the United States and South America-racing as a mem­ber of the Bolivian Olympic and National Ski Team for ten years, and a participant in two Winter Olympic Games-I have traveled all over the world and skied in many ski areas here and abroad. During that time, I spent about 150 to 300 days on the ski slopes annually. I have personally seen infants in back­pack carriers in many situations: dur­ing low-temperature days, on steep terrain, and being carried by a low­level skiers, once where the adult fell down on top of the infant. One time I observed an infant cry­ing while the parent put hand warmers in the infant's shoes because the infant's feet were too cold. Another time I watched a mother skiing with an infant about four months old with no eye protection or gloves on the infant. My latest observation was a parent on telemark skis on an advanced ski slope with an infant on his back. PAGE 12 Is the fun worth the risk? I heard from a ski patroller of an incident where an infant's legs were amputated to the knees due to frost­bite. The worst situation that I have found was an infant who died due to exposure. The adult carrying the infant thought that the infant was sleeping when in fact the infant was dead. The information provided here is designed for educational use in order to help parents and adults understand the level of risk involved when putting an infant in a backpack carrier to go skiing. Medical research on impact inju­ries, hypothermia, and cold injuries is always changing. It is our responsibility to learn the latest information in order to take the best measures to protect our children. Skiing with an infant in a backpack carrier is not safe and can be life threatening. Please pay close atten­tion for the safety of yourself and for your chid. Manufacturers Report The Consumer Service of Kelly K.I.D.S., a backpack carrier manufac­ture, is surprised and disappointed to hear that people are skiing with their infants in backpack carriers. The com-f;' pany strongly recommends not to ski r with infants in backpack carriers! A ~ spokesperson for the company stated ~ that if consumers are concerned about :t> ~ the appropriate use of backpack carri­'= c5' ers, they should read the instruction manuals for Trek, Elite, and Town and Country backpack carriers in the sec­tion for Low Impact Sports and Com­mon Sense. Those manuals state the following warnings: "This carrier is intended as an aid in carrying your child while walking or hiking. Never try to use it as a car seat or bicycle seat. Never use it to take chil­dren along for sports where there is any chance of impact or other danger such as hiking on loose rock or especially steep terrain, mountain climbing, downhill or cross-country skiing roller skating/blading, running, etc." In the section for Vigilance Against Clumsiness, they state: "With the weight of a child and accessories on your back you should count on being less nimble than usual. Please familiarize yourself with your carrier and how it affects your coordi­nation and balance before you journey out with it." In the section for Speaking of Bal­ance, they state: "When reaching low, bend from the knee's, not the waist so that the child is not pitched forward or out of the car­rier." Kelly K.I.D.S. stated that their back­pack carriers were not designed or tested for skiing. Other backpack car­rier manufactures such as Gerry Baby Products Company have the same kind of concern and are against using their products to transport infants or chil­dren on the ski slopes. They all agreed and said, "If you fall down, you could INSTRUCTORS EDGE/WINTER TWO 97-98 crush and kill your child" and that their infant backpack carriers were "not designed or tested for skiing." Bruce E. Herman, M. D. Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Utah School of Medi­cine, Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Primary Children's Medical Center, Salt Lake City, Utah. Children first and always .. .! think it's irresponsible to put an infant in a backpack carrier while skiing! -Or. Bruce E Herman, M.D. In a Interview with Dr. Bruce E. Herman he gave very important infor­mation for those of us who are consid­ering skiing with our infants, Dr. Herman states, "Children first and always! The major concern for infants in backpack carriers while skiing is their inability to adapt to the cold and the constant environmental tempera­ture changes causing exposure-related injuries like hypothermia, frostbite, and sunburn. I think it's irresponsible to put an infant in a backpack carrier while skiing! It's one thing to put your own safety at risk, but to put someone who can not protect themselves? Where they are helpless victims?" On Impact Injuries: "If the skier car­rying an infant in a backpack carrier falls down while skiing, getting on or off a ski lift, or has a collision with another skier, the impact to the infant could result in head or internal injuries with life-threatening complications and even death. Due to the physical devel­opment of infants, they are very fragile. The neck muscles that hold their head up are not strong enough to brace their head against the motions of shaking or bouncing that a skier encounter's while skiing or falling down. "There is also the risk of the infant getting crushed by the adult if they fall on top of them. They can easily break INSTRUCTORS EDGE/WINTER TWO 97-98 an arm, a leg and/ or crush internal organs. It is just to high of a risk to take. Infants should not go in backpack car­riers even for walking or light hiking until they can hold their head upright (which is about 6 to 8 months old). "We should always consider all the risks involved when it comes to chil­dren and take all the necessary meas­ures to protect them. Helmets are one way to protect young skiers. However, due to the proportional size and weight of their head in comparison to the size of their body, children under 10 years old lead with their head when they fall. A well fitted and crash-tested helmet can help reduce the risk for injuries." On hypothermia and Frostbite: "When an infant is strapped and immobile, their body is not producing heat. They can easily get lethargic- (an the eady sign of hypothermia). They get lazy or fall sleep while their body starts to shut down. Infants can not communicate to us that they are cold or if there is a pro blem. When an infant is cold, they do not have the ability to protect themselves. Infants, in com­parison to older children or adults, lack the ability to shiver. "There are those who believe infants have less brown verses yellow fat cells which have less ability to insu­late. Therefore, they cannot generate heat to protect themselves from hypo­thermia and frostbite. The wind chill factor also needs to be considered along with cold temperatures in lower­ing the temperature to the skin and the body's core temperature. Infants should not be exposed to the cold for more than 30 minutes at a time." Dr. Herman stated he believes that putting infants in backpack carriers on the ski slopes is irresponsible. There are just too many variables that place an infant as a helpless victim. He strongly supports anyone who advo­cates educating and taking measures to protect infants from irresponsible acts or just ignorance. Dr. Todd Haderlie, M.D. Family Practitioner at Wasatch County Hospital, Heber City, Utah. Board Certified Family Physician, Undergraduate at B.Y.U, Medical School at University of Utah. Movements that a skier may encounter on the ski slopes can result in fatal injuries to the infant. -Dr. Todd Hader/ie, M.D. In an Interview with Dr. Haderlie, he states the same medical concerns as Dr. Herman for infants in backpack carriers while skiing. In addition, he added the following comments. "I cannot imagine why an adult would want to put their infant at such a risk," he said. "Due to the physiology of an infant's eady development of their head and body, they are very sensitive and very susceptible to head, brain and internal injuries, not to mention hypo­thermia, frostbite, and sunburn. Impacts or harsh shaking movements that a skier may encounter on the ski slopes while skiing, falling down, or in collisions with another skier, or falling while getting on or off a ski lift can result in serious and fatal injuries to the infant." On hypothermia: "In comparison to adults, infants are at a higher risk for hypothermia. In fact, due to their body core mass and size, they don't have the ability to retain and produce body heat. During an emergency setting with an infant in a coma or a low heart rate situation, the body heat is a priority. The other serious concerns have to be set aside until the time consuming process of bringing their core tempera­ture up to normal is complete." On frostbite: "An infant's skin is thinner than an adults and more sus­ceptible to frostbite. They have less continued on 14 PAGE 13 Deadly Exposure Serious stuff for all ages. By Guillermo Avila Paz The accompanying charts and information are to help you understand the stages and risk factors in exposure-related injuries produced by cold temperatures, by the wind chill factor, and by frostbite and hypothermia. These are risks that all skiers should consider when they are exposed to winter elements, especially when it deals with infants. A glance at the wind chill factor chart will show that the ability of increasing wind velocity to alter skin temperature is considerable. Superfi­cial frostbite is very common and is easily prevented. The wind chill factor lowers the effective temperature to the skin. BACKPACKS continued from 13 ability to protect and fight the cold weather. An infant in a backpack car­rier, strapped in a sitting position with limited movement, can't produce heat and the straps can cut off circulation to the legs and arms. The risk is that the extremities, like the foot or the hand, can get frostbite due to lack of circula­tion. The face, nose, and ears are at risk due to the wind chill factor that a skier produces while moving down the hill." On Sunburn: "Infants have a low resistance against ultra violet rays and can quickly get severe sunburns, espe­cially in the higher altitudes were ski resorts are located." On Eye Injuries: "Due to the cold, sun and wind, there is also the risk of continued on 20 PAGE 14 Frostbite can occur even in relatively warm temperatures if the wind pene­trates the layer of insulating warm air to expose body tissue. As an example, with the wind calm and a temperature of 10 F. there is little danger from wind chill. However, if the temperature is 10 F. and there is a wind of 25 mph. the equivalent chill temperature is -29 F. Under these conditions, there is increased danger from freezing of exposed flesh (within one minute). Exposure- related Hypothermia Mortality in the United States, 1970-79 by Nicholas Rango, M.D. from AJPH October 1984, Vol. 74, No. 10. "Accidental or exposure-related hypothermia is an unintentional drop of body temperature below 95 F (35 C). The commonly reported victims of ... hypothermia included the elderly, the newborn, individuals who are unconscious, immobile or drugged, alcoholics, and healthy persons who are trapped in the cold. Mortality from cold exposure is related to the degree of hypothermia, the presence of an underlying medical disorder, and age. Although there is agreement that pre­vention is more important than ther­apy, the public policy measures to be taken are not identified in the medical literature." First Aid Manual by the National Safety Council First Aid Institute1l21 Spring Lake Dr., Itasca, IL 60143 Hypothermia is a result of a cooling of the body's core temperature. Hypo­thermia can occur at temperatures above as well as below freezing if the body loses more heat than it can pro­duce. If the body temperature falls to 80 degrees F most people die. The vic­tims may suffer frostbite as well. Hypo­thermia can occur in either indoor or outdoor situations. Type of exposure (Acute, subacute and chronic.) Windchill Chart Cooling Power of Wind on Exposed Flesh Expressed as an Equivalent Temperature (Under Calm Conditions) Actual Thermometer reading ( F.) Estimated wind speed (In MPH) 50 40 30 20 10 0 -10 -20 -30 -40 -50 -60 Equivalent Temperature ( F ) calm 50 40 30 20 10 0 -10 -20 -30 -40 -50 -60 5 48 37 27 16 6 -5 -15 -26 -36 -47 -57 -68 10 40 28 16 4 -9 -24 -33 -46 -58 -70 -83 --95 15 36 22 9 -5 -18 -32 -45 -58 -72 -85 -99 -112 20 32 18 4 -10 -25 -39 -53 -67 -82 -96 -110 -124 25 32 16 0 -15 -29 -44 -59 -74 -88 -104 -118 -140 30 28 13 -2 -18 -33 -48 -63 -79 -94 -109 -125 -140 35 27 11 -4 -21 -35 -51 -67 -82 -98 -113 -129 -145 40 26 10 -6 -21 -37 -53 -69 -85 -100 -116 -132 -148 (Wind speeds LITTLE DANGER INCREASING GREAT DANGER (Flesh may freeze greater than (For properly clothed person) DANGER Danger from within 30 seconds) 40 mph have Maximum danger of false sense freezing of exposed little additional of security flesh (within one minute) effect.) Trench foot and immersion foot may occur at any point on this chart. PediatriC Aspects of Nordic Skiing by John gentlemen. Murray, M.D. From Pediatric Clinics of North America, Vo. 29, number 6, December 1982 INSTRUCTORS EDGE/WINTER TWO 97-98 1) Acute: (also know as immersion) exposure occurs when the victim loses body heat, very rapidly in cold water immersion. Acute exposure is consid-aged in two ways: 1) Actual tissue freezing, which results in the formation of ice crystals between the tissue cells­the ice crystals are large by extracting water from the cells; 2) the obstruction of blood supply to the tissue- then causes "sludged" blood clots which prevent blood from flowing to the tis­sues. Frostbite mainly affects the feet, hands, ears and nose. These areas do not contain large heat-producing mus­cles and are some distance from the heat-generation sources. The severe consequences of frostbite are gangrene and amputation. Victims can also have hypothermia.-Guillermo Avila Paz ered to be 6 hours less in duration. 2) Subacute: (also know as Moun­tain or Exhaustion) exposure occurs when exposure is 6 to 12 hours, and can be either a land base or water immersion exposure. 3) Chronic: (also know as urban) exposure involves long-term cooling. It generally occurs on land when expo­sure exceeds 24 hours. Frostbite occurs when temperatures drop below freezing. Tissues are dam- How to Assess if someone is Hypothermic Stage Core Temperature Signs & Symptoms Mild 99° - 9rF Hypothermia 9r- 95°F Moderate 95° - 93°F Hypothermia 93° - 90°F Severe 90° - 86°F Hypothermia 86° - 82°F 82° - 78°F 78° - 75°F Normal, shivering can begin Cold sensation, goose bumps, unable to perform complex tasks with hands, shiver can be mild to severe, hands numb. Shivering, intense, muscle in coordination becomes apparent, movements slow and labored, stumbling pace, mild confusion, may appear alert. Use sobriety test, if unable to walk a 30 foot straight line, the person is hypothermic. Violent shivering persists, difficulty speaking, sluggish thinking, amnesia starts to appear, gross muscle movements sluggish, unable to use hands, stumbles frequently, difficulty speaking, signs of depression, withdrawn. Shivering stops, exposed skin blue of puffy, muscle coordination very poor, inability to walk, confusion, incoherent/irrational behavior, but may be able to maintain posture and appearance of awareness Muscle rigidity, semiconscious, stupor, loss of awareness of others, pulse and respiration rate decrease, possible heart fibrillation Unconscious, heart beat and respiration erratic, pulse may not be palpable Pulmonary edema, cardiac and respiratory failure, death. Death may occur before this temperature is Reached. Pathophysiology of Tissue Freezing Cold Response Mild Frostnip Superficial Frostbite Sensation Painful May have Numb sensation Feels Normal Normal Soft Color Red White White Outdoor Action Guide to Hypothermia and Cold Weather Injuries by Rick Curtis from Princeton University Outdoor Action Program INSTRUCTORS EDGE/WINTER TWO 97-98 Deep Frostbite Numb Hard White LEARN continued from 77 children are not full of years, they are full of faith." This means that children have a great amount of faith in you as an instructor, faith in the mountain as a safe utopia, and faith that they are going to learn so they can have more fun! So the next time you're teaching piz­zas for wedges, and French fries to match for a wedge christy, remember to make it fun for the kids and enjoy your­self along the way. Teach them to ski better because you care about their enjoyment, and because you know that by enhancing their skills they will have more freedom on the slopes, more fun, and be able to preserve that magical and safe world, their utopia in the snow. You might even catch a glimpse of that utopia yourself and feel the memo­ries rush back to your own positive childhood skiing experiences, and learn to be innocent and free again from chil­dren who become your teachers. "Utopia" from the American Heri­tage Dictionary, Pg. 748, Copyright 1983, by Houghton Mifflin Company. "Mystery of the Great Cave" from LDS Adventure Stories, pgs 68-74, Copyright, Bookcraft publishers, 1953. "Becometh as a child" taken from a talk given by Elder Neal A. Maxwell, of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, April 1996, Sunday afternoon session. -Bruce Schaalje, Department of Statistics, Brigham Young University, is a Levell ski instructor at Deer Valley. ACCREDITATION continued from 77 Many children's instructors have the knowledge to be great. Why not try the accreditation program and be recog­nized for your greatness? Good Luck! If you have any questions you can check with your ski school director or call Patti Olsen or Chris Katzenberger at Deer Valley [phone], or Bill Batt at Snowbird, [phone], ext. 4162. Thank you, Patti Olsen. • PAGE 15 Part-Time Instructor, Full-Time Pro By Stew Walz The Little Cottonwood Canyon road is closed, so here I am working a Snowbird computer. Rodger is desperate to fill some space in the Edge, and I have time on my hands. When anyone has too much time and not enough to do, sooner or later the inevitable "Why" question arises. In this case, why Cedar Breaks Editor's Note: Last spring, after the first day of the Brian Head Spring Clinic was over and the sun had set, a small group ofinstructors ventured out on the South­ern Utah landscape to snowshoe in the moonlight. With the fuzzy glow of the comet Hale-Bopp low in the horizon, the group had a special experiencelost to those sequestered in their rooms and bars. Here is one person's recollection of that Spring Clinic evening. By Kathy McFarland Cedar Breaks, April 75, 7997, 70:00 p.m. Cold, clear, crystal sky; Snow crunching, creaking under cleats Of snowshoes, clumsily keeping us On the surface of the diamond dust. We laugh, giddy with the pleasure of being here. Quarter moon, just enough light to see Without obliterating the comet, Milky Way, And the best shooting star ever. Friends together, Drinking in the awesome beauty Of cliff faces, angles in the moonlight. Long shadows of tall firs Protecting