ELLEN POST FOSTER HONORED WITH PSIA-AASI EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE AWARD
Excellence during National Academy 2015 at Snowbird, Utah. A world-class
S freestyle skier and
member of what was then known as the PSIA National Demonstration Team during the 1983 Interski in Sesto, Italy, and 1987 Interski in Banff, Canada, Foster is an influential instructor, clinician,
3 IMPORTANT THINGS Let me start by saying there are three things that have always been important to me: my family – both my close family and what I’ve come to call my ski family – skiing (of course), and books. To encourage reading and a love for books, my father awarded points for every book my older brother, twin sister, and I read. With those points, we could buy something we wanted. My brother wanted skis, and, since he did, my sister and I wanted them too. We were only 5 years old, and I’m pretty sure we didn’t know what skis were. I earned my wooden skis and leather boots by reading 27 books – the most memorable being Te Little Engine Tat Could. When we were 12, my sister and I took
a lesson at Jiminy Peak, in Massachusetts. Afterward, the ski school director, Terry Teriault, asked us if we’d like to become the first members of the Jiminy Peak Junior Demonstration Team. Tis was my introduction to PSIA, and I remember the book, Te Official American Ski Technique, better known as the White Book. I took it to school all winter and studied it when I was supposed to be reading my literature book. Te White Book was much like the Alpine Technical Manual of today.
SKI CAREER SET IN MOTION Being on the Jiminy Peak Junior Demo Team set the course for my skiing career. We practiced and perfected the final forms of the American Ski Technique (stem
ki instruction icon Ellen Post Foster was honored as the 22nd recipient of the PSIA-AASI Award for Educational
examiner, coach, and author who has been instrumental in the evolution of how PSIA- AASI members understand and teach good skiing. Most recently she co-authored the 2014 Alpine Technical Manual, which is being lauded as PSIA’s most informative, accurate, and easy-to-read instructional manual.
Te following is adapted from Foster’s acceptance speech, which received a standing ovation.
turns, stem christies, parallel christies, and shortswing) and went to competitions all over the East. In the 1970s, our team evolved into a Junior Freestyle Team. I coached my last year on the team and then competed on the International Freestyle Circuit for three years.
Ten I met a member of the 1976 PSIA
National Demonstration Team, and my career took another turn. Chris Ryman was skiing at Eldora, early in the season when there was only one run open. Each time I rode up the chairlift, I watched Chris ski down, mesmerized by his skiing. He introduced himself at lunchtime and asked if I’d like to ski with him in the afternoon. I know that’s something everyone
in this room does: reach out to people and share your passion for skiing. It can make a difference in a person’s life and it did in mine. At the end of the day, Chris told me
to get certified, and in two years, try out for the National Demonstration Team. At Winter Park, I made the Rocky Mountain Divisional Team in January, passed full cert that spring, and, two weeks later, made the Demo Team. As a team member, I introduced the concept of the Mountain Playground, and it became a central focus at Interski in 1987. Te Mountain Playground bridged the technical aspects of skiing with the challenges of terrain and skiing variable snow conditions.
Ellen Post Foster with Alpine Team Coach Rob Sogard, whom she lauds for leadership in helping her co-write the new Alpine Technical Manual.
‘SHARE WHAT YOU’VE LEARNED’ For the years I was on the alpine team, my skiing family increased as I led clinics all over the country. I made close friendships that I still treasure today, including former Alpine Team Coach Mike Porter. When I left the team to start a family, Mike urged me to continue to contribute. He said, “Take what you’ve learned and find a way to share it.”
I began to write books, at a national and division level. First I wrote a series of books for coaching young skiers. Ten, during the transition to shaped skis, wrote Skiing and the Art of Carving. I started working on the Alpine Technical
Manual with members of the current PSIA Alpine Team in October 2012. I felt I was doing something significant for the organization and membership, and with people who truly believed, as I did, in the educational importance of the manual. It was truly a team effort. But the manual would never have become what it is today without [Alpine Team Coach] Rob Sogard’s leadership. He captained the ship. I’m proud of the manual and what
we’ve accomplished together. And to top it all off, these people are now part of my skiing family. From Te Little Engine Tat Could
to the Alpine Technical Manual, books have shaped my life. And my families and skiing have guided me along this incredible adventure.
To find out who helped Ellen Post Foster on her journey of educational excellence – and read all about one crazy adventure at the 1987 Interski in Sesto, Italy – see the full acceptance speech in The Community at
tiny.cc/2w2c3x
THESNOWPROS.ORG | 13
GRANT NAKAMURA
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124