Funbox Progression For Anyone The Touch Zone - PSIA-NW

hiking clothes from this web site. The prices Ipaid covered my annual dues by taking advantageof the discounts offered.If you need something to do this summer, pleasejoin us for the awesome ski camps or PDS heldin July on Mt. Hood. Slide in the morning andthen bike, golf, hike, etc. in the afternoon. Itrocks! MDiana Suzuki is a 36 year member, an Alpine LevelIII Certified instructor, and works as an instructorand trainer for Clancy’s Ski School, Stevens Pass.Email her at Diana.Suzuki@astronics.comFun and FundraisingSpring Symposium atSun Valley 2010by Mary GermeauPSIA-NW Executive Vice PresidentThe Symposium experience at Sun Valley thisspring did not disappoint.Members from three of thePSIA Divisions, Northwest(NW), Intermountain (I),and Northern Intermountain (NI), enjoyed classes,socials, some beautifulsunny weather, and fundraising together this year.Meeting instructors and clinicians from the otherareas made the experience all the more interesting and valuable. All three divisions had a chanceto fundraise for their Education Foundations. Asusual, the NW division had their annual raffleand silent auction. Our generous divisional staffand membership contributed over fifty items tothe raffle and 14 nice items to our silent auction. Both IM and NIM joined the silent auctionaction at the Saturday cocktail hour with theirown auction offerings. The three sets of itemswere enthusiastically bid upon, and money addedto all of our Education Foundation funds. The IMand NIM instructors also bought quite a few raffle tickets from our NW raffle and were rewardedwith more than a few prizes.The fundraiser would never be a success withoutthe generous contributions from members and thehelp given at the actual ticket sales and cocktailhours. Helping us sell tickets this year were Willie Grindstaff and Takashi Tsukamaki. Willy knowseveryone and no one could resist his sales pitch.Meanwhile, Takashi worked the Friday eveningcocktail hour in case a person there might havemissed the sales table on the way in.Also giving invaluable assistance on the nightof the raffle and auction were Judy and ChrisThompson, Melanie Younglove and Karen and Kelly Moldstad. Without their help, the prize tables,prize distribution and raffle ticket drawing wouldnot have been completed on time.I need to specifically thank Joel Hammond fromSalomon and Bolle for his very generous contribution of many pairs of Bolle Goggles and Salomon equipment to the raffle and auction. 2010 isthe second year in a row that Joel has supportedPSIA-NW in our fundraiser. If you know him ormeet him, give him a big Thank You!Another contributor from outside the organization was the Charleton Glassworks of SedroWooley, WA. They donated a large art glass RedSalmon” serving plate for the auction. At the endof this article I will have a list of all of our contributors and items. I know that they expect tohear from me again sometime in February nextyear. I also would appreciate contact from anymember interested in contributing to the fundraiser next year. MMary Germeau is co-owner and operator of OlympicSki School at Stevens Pass. You can reach her byemail at maryolympic@hotmail.comDid You Know?The Pacific Northwest Snowsports Instructor Association - Education Foundation (PNSIA-EF), is anot-for-profit 501(c),(3), charitable organization,so your contributions are tax deductible. The revenue generated from benefits held at events likeSymposium help fund the Education Foundation.The Board of Directors then approves funds fromthe Education Foundation to be spent on specialprojects brought to the Board relative to: Development of instructor educationalprogramsEstablishing scholarship funds formembersProduction of training films and manualsResearch and development in snowsportsteachingDevelopment of advanced trainingprogramsCALL FORCANDIDATES:TECHNICAL VICEPRESIDENTLane McLaughlin has resigned as TechnicalVice President and the position is presentlyopen. There will be a proposal before theBoard of Directors at its September meetingto eliminate the position of Technical VicePresident because of its redundancy withother officer positions.If that proposal fails, the Board willimmediately conduct an election to fill theposition of Technical Vice President.While there are no required qualifications forthe position beyond being Level III certified,the Board, in making its decision, willconsider at least the following factors: Divisional Staff Experience Technical Team Experience Ability to work with and assist theExecutive Director, Education VicePresidentandCertificationVicePresident in selecting Divisional Staff,developing programs and events andstaffing training events.Candidates may nominate themselves or benominated by any member of the organizationin good standing. Each candidate will havean opportunity to address the Board speakingto their qualifications and vision for theposition.After each candidate has spoken, all will beexcused from the meeting whereupon theBoard will discuss their qualifications andconduct an election by secret ballot.If you are interested in the position,please contact Barb at the office to expressyour interest and for further information,including the time and location of the fallBoard meeting.Summer 20105

State of the UnionCredit’s DueVice President (1999-2009)and films to our present state-of-the art Macpublishing platform that allowed us to producecompletely “press ready” publications, Jodi’sinterest in learning made it possible to workthrough major changes in how the newsletter wasproduced and printed.We’ve all heard the saying, “Give credit wherecredit’s due.” You may not have noticed, but thisis the first Northwest newsletter since somewherein the mid-1990’s (it’s been so long we can’t evenremember) that doesn’t list Jodi Taggart as theEditor in the credits.So, “Hats off to you Jodi!” Thank you from thebottom of my heart for being such a great partnerto work with. Thank you for your dedication toour membership. And give yourself a little creditalong the way. You deserve it. Mby John EisenhauerFormer PSIA-NW CommunicationsIn fact, if the newsletter was a movie, the list ofcredits that would run at the end would includetitles like Producer, Art Director, Developer,Photographer, Proofer, Sounding Board, Reminderin-Chief, Staff Shrink and more – all with Jodi’sname on them. I left out Saint so as not toembarrass her, but given everything over the pastnumber of years it would be deserved.John Eisenhaueris past PSIA-NWCommunicationsVice President andcurrent PSIA-NWBoard Member. Heteaches at CrystalMountain for theCrystal MountainSki and SnowboardSchool. Emailhim at eistra2j@comcast.netJodi retired as Newsletter Editor this spring afterserving as the Editor for more than 12 years. Overthe years, she worked with three CommunicationsVice Presidents, numerous other officers onthe board, office staff and countless members,producing the usual four to five NW SnowsportsInstructor newsletters per year, the Season Guideplus whatever else was thrown her way.And throw we did. Usually at the last minute.Often incomplete. Often subject to wholesalechanges. Yet she always managed to “get-erdone.” All the while working full time in the skiindustry as a multidiscipline ski and snowboardinstructor (Jodi is Level III certified in bothAlpine and Snowboard, as well as a past JuniorEducation Team NW clinician), Children’s CenterDirector and Assistant Ski School Director.Her direct day to day involvement with workinginstructors shaped her approach to content,helped lend a sense of what information anaverage member might be looking for and howbest to present it. Jodi’s feedback on contentwas always clear and direct - something I reallyappreciated in the ten years we worked together.What makes this all the more remarkable is thatJodi had no formal training. She was largely selftaught, asking for help when she needed it anddigging up solutions on her own along the way.From faxed hard copy submissions to floppy discsto e-mail attachments and content off the web.From scanning photographs to inserting digitalphotos. From obsolete PC software that requiredthe printer to produce “camera-ready artwork”6NW Snowsports InstructorFollowing in theFootstepsby Tyler BarnesPSIA-NW Communications Vice PresidentI can only echo what John has so eloquentlybrought to our attention. Jodi’s enduringcommitment to “getting it done” all whilebalancing her involvement in other ways inthe development of our profession both in theNorthwest and beyond.I have now served one year as your currentCommunications Vice President. I must reiteratethe importance of her role over the years. Infact, I still have all the issues she tirelesslydevoted countless “volunteer” hours to produce,and without her multi-faceted role from Editorto Producer to Sherpa, it never would havehappened. We all owe Jodi a heart-felt thank youfor her years of service.One of the benefits of not being the editor: theanticipation and enjoyment of simply opening andreading The NW Snowsports Instructor newsletterwhen it arrives in your mailbox - priceless! MProfessional Snowsports Instructors ofAmerica-Northwest,Pacific Northwest Snowsports InstructorsAssociation – Education Foundation11206 Des Moines Memorial Drive, Suite 106Seattle, Washington 98168Phone (206), 244-8541 Fax (206), 241-2885office@psia-nw.org www.psia-nw.orgContacts & SubmissionsTyler BarnesCommunications VP and acting Editortyler@psia-nwtechteam.orgPSIA-NW Officeoffice@psia-nw.orgGeneral Submission DeadlinesDownload the Ad Rate & Specifications Guidefrom www.psia-nw.org website.Fall Issue (Sep – Nov),Published mid-SeptemberAd Reserve 8/1 Content 8/15Winter Issue (Dec – Feb),Published late-NovemberAd Reserve 10/1 Content 10/20Spring Issue (Mar – May),Published mid-FebruaryAd Reserve 1/1 Content 1/20Summer Issue (Jun – Aug),Published mid-JuneAd Reserve 5/1 Content 5/20Guidelines for ContributorsThe NW Snowsports Instructor is published fourtimes per year. This newsletter will acceptarticles from anyone willing to contribute.The editorial staff reserves the right to editall submissions including advertising. Articlesshould include the author’s name, mini-bioand portrait image suitable for publishing (ifavailable). Please submit all content, articles andphotos as attachments via email or contact theeditor for other options. All published materialbecomes the property of PSIA-NW. Articlesare accepted for publication on the conditionthat they may be released for publication inall PSIA National and Divisional publications.Material published in this newsletter is theresponsibility of the author and is not necessarilyendorsed by PSIA-NW.

State of the UnionNational Reportby Ed Younglove, National Board Memberand PSIA-NW National RepresentativeThe American Snowsports Education Association(PSIA/AASI) board met in Golden Colorado onJune 11-13, 2010. Our Education and ProgramsDirector, Kirsten Huotte, was able to stay overfrom a task force meeting and attend the meetingas well.The regular business of the board for the springmeeting included adoption of a budget forthe upcoming fiscal year. The board adopted apositive budget for the next year, but for thedebt service incurred on the substantial expensesassociated with purchase of the new associationmanagement software. In addition to normaloperating expenses, the budget included fundingfor our teams to attend the 2011 Interski eventin St. Anton, Austria. The event marks Interski’sSixtieth Anniversary. It also included PSIA/AASI’sFiftieth Anniversary Celebration which will beheld in Aspen (Snowmass) on April 4-11, 2011.(Yes, that is next spring!) This event replacesboth the National Academy and the Rider Rallyfor next year. Both 5-day and 3-day educationoptions are being offered and attendees canchoose to attend as many or as few days as theywould like. PSIA/AASI set a new membershiprecord this year of 30,163 members, the first timeover 30,000, and this promises to be the biggestPARTY in snowsports instruction history! On lineregistration should be available in July 2010.Details regarding both events can be found onthe PSIA/AASI website thesnowpros.org.Important educational products and servicesfunded in the budget include an updating of thewebsite Movement Matrix which should be readyfor this fall. The new matrix will have both a newupdated look, easier navigation and longer videosequences, among other improvements. Thisis a great education, certification preparationand lesson development tool for all instructors.PSIA/AASI is committed to regular production ofa series of handbooks developed in cooperationwith the Vail-Beaver Creek Ski Schools. Thefirst will be a new Children’s Alpine Handbookwhich will be available this fall for use nextseason. Fall 2011 you should see a new PSIAAdult Alpine Handbook and the following yearthe new Snowboard Handbook with an annualrevision of each of the handbooks on the same3 year schedule thereafter. A revision of theAlpine Technical Manual is scheduled for releasein the fall of 2012. Having been focused on ourseparation from NSP and then the development ofthe association software, the board is committedto refocus on education deliverables. Preliminaryimplementation of the organization’s QualityAssurance Program has begun and the firstnational standards for the Children’s Specialist 1and 2 education programs were adopted by theboard.The board was given a glimpse of the soon tobe implemented social networking which will beavailable to you through the national website’susage of the new association managementsoftware (CRM4M). Manage your own profile,create user groups and communities, and findthe instructors in your hometown or in BiloxiMississippi. It would be easier to talk about whatyou won’t be able to do, which is very little. Weare entering a whole new world of networkingbetween the association and the membership;between members; between members and theirschool; and so much more. If I were better versedin the lingo I could perhaps better describe it foryou, but soon you’ll be able to see for yourself.Stay tuned!Two thirty year employees are leaving thenational organization and our division. The boardhonored Frankie Barr for her years of service asthe organization’s Administrative Director. I hadthe privilege of presenting Frankie with a plaquecommissioned by the Northwest board recognizingher years of service. Frankie asked me to tellyou how honored and touched she was by thisrecognition. On a similar vein, the national boardmade our own Barb Darrow an honorary memberof PSIA/AASI, a rarely conferred privilege inappreciation of Barb’s 30 years of service to thenorthwest members. Our former division PresidentBob McDonald was given lifetime membership bythe national organization. The division had earlierconferred a similar honor. Bob was instrumental inthe formation of the national division President’sCouncil and a long and valued member of ourdivision. Congratulations Bob!Ray Allard stepped down as national presidentand chairman of the board of directors. I havehad the pleasure of serving with Ray first asPresident’s Council Chair and now as a boardmember. Ray was absolutely the right man, in theright place at the right time. Ray ably steered theorganization through its separation from NSP andthen shepherded us through perhaps the biggest,most difficult and most expensive undertakingthe organization has ever been involved in,implementation of the association managementsoftware connecting the national organizationRay Allard stepped downas national president andchairman of the board ofdirectors.and all of the divisions in a way as never before.Ray has my highest respect and appreciation forthe incredible effort all this took. I have to saythat this organization has had a way lately offinding just the right leader for the time.The new national chairman of the board (thetitles I am going to use were recently adopted bythe board) is Eric Sheckleton from the NorthernRocky Mountain division. In my opinion, Eric isanother “right choice” for where the organizationis going next. The other members of theExecutive Committee (EXCOM) elected at themeeting were: Vice Chair-John Peppler (CentralDivision): Secretary-Peter Donahue (RockyMountain Division); and Treasurer-Ed Younglove(Northwest Division). I am flattered by myelection and hope I can perform the role as wellas my predecessors Craig Albright (Craig retiredfrom the board) and Ray Allard. Other returningboard members included Bill Beerman (East);Walt Coiner (Northern Intermountain); Carl Boyer(Intermountain) and Bill Ellis (Alaska). Newlyelected board members are: Neil Bussiere (West)and Eliza Kuntz (Northern Rocky Mountain). Theirterms commence July 1, 2010. MEd Younglove isa past PSIA-NWPresident andcurrent PSIANW NationalRepresentative. Heteaches at CrystalMountain for theCrystal MountainSki and SnowboardSchool. Email atedy@ylclaw.com.Preview of New Member Tools on the National WebsiteSummer 20107

The first answer, if acted upon throughout yourskiing career is just bad information. The second answer is so nebulous, as if the instructor’sconfident answer and encouraging nodding mightsomehow impart the understanding. And the thirdanswer, while I admit is true, many instructors donot completely understand the mechanics of thestatement or how to implement its meaning.The next time you are faced with this question,or secretly ask the question to yourself (it’s OK,I ask myself these questions all the time), here’sthe inside scoop. Recall Kate Morrell’s popular alpine tip “Get a Grip to Rip” in the Winter 2009 Issue of the NW Snowsports Instructor; her emphasiswas on holding the pole firmly on the grip. I havethree truths in pole use that build upon and helpclarify things:1.2.3.8The pole tip touches the snow surfacein a specific area called “the touchzone”The pole tip remains approximatelythe same distance off the snow surfaceduring the swing andThe pole grip stays ahead of the poletip at all times during the swing andtouchNW Snowsports InstructorNow if you are paying close attention to thesetruths about pole use I am professing you mightalready find some holes depending on turn shape,breaking versus gliding, deep powder or bumps.Indeed I agree, however if you apply these truthson groomed snow during a series of gliding turnswhere speed control is maintained by turn shape,these “truths” would stand up to Perry Mason’sscrutiny.Truth #1 : The pole tip touches thesnow in a specific area called “thetouch zone”The pole tip touches the snow in a very precisearea called the "touch zone" which depends onyour intended turn outcome like a medium radius,gliding short radius or breaking turn. But whereis this precise area? Let’s define it.While standing in your skis on the snow on flatterrain, visually approximate the distance fromthe toe of your ski boot to the tip of you ski. Now,from the toe of your ski boot, draw a line perpendicular to the ski this same distance - let’s callthis Length A (See figure A). Next scribe an arcfrom the ski tip to this perpendicular line with anequal radius to Length A. If you were to continuethis arc you would scribe a complete circle. Nextbisect this quarter circle into 2 equal parts: thegreen area in Figure A is The Touch Zone; The redarea is The No Touch Zone.Now that we have some precise zones definedwith some appropriate names, let’s start usingthem. In medium and short radius turns the poletouch occurs in the touch zone. In medium andlong radius turn the pole touch happens in the notouch zone. Wait a second, the name of this zoneis “the no touch zone” so if you think you mightwant to touch the pole in the no touch zone,don’t do it. Swinging the pole into the “no touchzone” is OK, but only if you swing your pole asdescribed in Truth #3. In medium to long radiusturns, the pole swing is still very important asit facilitates movement into the future, howeverthe pole touch in these turn sizes can potentiallydisrupt flow, so it’s optional.In medium radius turns, constrained to the 1-1/2to 3 packer widths (as described in the PSIA-NWCertification Guide), the pole touch would ideallyoccur in the touch zone, but closer to the boundary with the no touch zone. In gliding short radius turns, 3/4 to 1 packer widths the pole touchwould typically occur more in the middle of thetouch zone while in short braking turns, in 1/2to 3/4 packer widths, the pole touch would occurfurthest from the no touch zone boundary.There will be variations in the distance away fromthe skis’ edges while staying within the touchzone depending on the steepness of the terrainand the type of turn being made.No TouchZoneToe of Bootto Ski Tip Length “A”Length Ath AIfyou’re like me you get the typical question from beginners and intermediate students, “What do I do with thesethings?" as they hold their poles awkwardly.Entry level and even seasoned instructors mighttend to answer with “You plant your pole, thenturn around it" or “They’re used for timing andbalance” or “The pole swing draws you into theturn.” These answers are sometimes followed bya series of leading nods of reassurance by theinstructor.photos by Matt AimonettiLengtext by Tyler BarnesNo TouchZoneTouch ZoneFigure A: The Touch Zone. Touch your pole in the greenarea called The Touch Zone.

Truth #2 : The pole tip remainsapproximately the same distance offthe snow surface during the swingNow that you know where to touch the pole, getting there is the next step. Focus on maintaininga consistent distance of the pole tip off the snowsurface during the swing as you target the touchzone. If the relationship of the pole tip to thesnow surface varies greatly during the swing, thiscould be a visual indicator of whole-body inclination late in the turn instead of angulation, or therelationship of the Center of Mass (CM) to theoutside ski is too far inside of the path of the skislate in the turn, or there is an involuntary upperbody rotation which can be caused by the polet

to fundraise for their education Foundations. As usual, the nw division had their annual raffle and silent auction. our generous divisional staff and membership contributed over fifty items to the raffle and 14 nice items to our silent auc-tion. Both im and nim joined the silent auction action at the saturday cocktail hour with their