Alpine

Senior Specialist Accreditation

by PJ Jones and Cookie Hale

PSIA Western Division held their pioneer Senior Specialist Accreditation clinics at Mammoth Lakes, April 27-29, 2007. A “turn-away” crowd participated with many earning the first Senior Specialist Accreditation pins. From the Northwest, PJ Jones and Cookie Hale went down to Mammoth to participate and help out. There, they also found Annie Russell from Silver Mountain participating in the Senior Specialist Accreditation. Annie, like many of the participants came to learn and obtain the accreditation with plans for starting new senior programs for the 2007-8 season at their home areas.

“Senior Programs have turned into the new ‘movement’”

Focus on senior programs is escalating in ski schools all over the nation. Rusty Crook has been one of the true pioneers. For 12 years, Rusty has developed and established a huge program at Mt. Rose that serves the needs of the 50+ skiers. Around the country and in Canada the number of senior programs is growing. Among them are the SST (Senior Ski Team) at Whistler- Blackcomb, the Diamond Peak Senior Ski Clinics (Lake Tahoe), the Tahoe Donner Ski Program, Bumps for Boomers at Aspen, the Special Senior Clinics at Squaw Valley, Attitash T.G.I.F. (Thank Goodness I’m Fifty), Bretton Woods Wiser Woods, Cannon Mountain Cannon Cruisers, Cranmore Golden Gliders, Loon Mountain Flying Fifties, Waterville Valley Silver Streaks, Whiteface Mountain Snow Boomers, and of course, there is the Over The Hill Gang International.

The skiing industry is learning that many seniors are skiing past 50 and on into their 80’s and 90’s. The industry is also learning that often it’s grandma and grandpa who buy the tickets for the grandkids. Of course, grandpa and grandma will choose to go skiing where they like to go skiing the best. So, accommodate grandma and grandpa and the whole extended family shows up.

What is different about senior ski programs is the importance of the social aspect of skiing with other fellow seniors. Senior programs should provide expert instruction on up-to-date techniques. However, the main purpose of the senior program is to provide a venue for seniors to meet and ski with other seniors. Skiing is a great social event in addition to being physically exhilarating.

To accommodate and expand this new senior ‘movement’, PSIA-NW is developing a Senior Specialist Accreditation program to debut in the 2007-2008 season. The objective is to both equip the professional ski instructor with tools and techniques to teach “senior” skiers as well as to provide guidance and information on starting senior programs at their local areas and ski clubs.

The requirements for the Level 1 Accreditation will include:

1. Study of Senior Handbook, outside references and complete the Senior Workbook (Senior Handbook to be soon available on the PSIA-NW website for download)
2. Attend Indoor Session (First offering will be at the Fall Seminar)
3. Develop and submit a Teaching Portfolio (Outlined in Senior Handbook)
4. All-day On-Snow Clinics which will include an assessment of pass or fail

The requirements for the Level 2 Accreditation will include:

1. Develop and submit a Teaching Portfolio (Outlined in Senior Handbook)
2. All-day On-Snow Clinics which will include an assessment of pass or fail

If you are interested in participating, sign up for the Senior Specialist offering at Fall Seminar.

PJ Jones started teaching skiing in the mid-60’s at Bridger Bowl in Montana. His involvement with PSIA over the years has ranged from four terms on the National Alpine Demonstration Team to National Marketing Director as well as Certification and Education VP for PSIA-I. After area manager and Ski School Director positions in PSIA-RM and PSIA-I, PJ moved to the Northwest. Currently a staff trainer & instructor at The Canyons in Utah, he remains an active PSIA-NW DCL / Examiner.