THE WORLD LOOKS TO PSIA-AASI
AS A LEADER IN ADAPTIVE SNOWSPORTS INSTRUCTION By Kim Seevers; Photos by Scott Markewitz
snowboarding nation represents the most T
As the two members of the PSIA-AASI Adaptive Team, Geoff Krill and I were privileged to be a part of the U.S. delegation presenting in Ushuaia, and we found an international instruction community hungry for information and American insight into snowsports opportunities for disabled students. Tis was the first Interski held in the southern hemisphere
he International Ski Instructors Congress (Interski) that takes place every four years in a different ski and
important technical/academic meeting for snowsports instructors in the world, and the 2015 event held this September in Ushuaia, Argentina, did not disappoint.
country, telemark, freestyle, and adaptive disciplines, arrived in Ushuaia on September 2 and got right down to business, polishing on-snow and indoor presentations and working hard to be sure we were presenting a unified and consistent message across all the disciplines. Adaptive isn’t very well represented on most of the other countries’ national teams, although instructors in the various countries do teach adaptive lessons. As representatives of PSIA-AASI, we Team members felt our presence in Argentina was essential for two reasons. Most important, attendance at Interski every four years often drives the development of new teaching paradigms as teams look inwardly to assess what resources are needed to drive their membership’s development. Te adaptive snowsports delegation from the U.S. (including adaptive folks from around the country who contribute to adaptive education materials) is considered the leader on the world stage for adaptive skiing and snowboarding. As we anticipated, other countries looked to the United States to provide education materials they could take home for their own members’ use. Geoff and I spent a good bit of time just networking with delegates from other countries. As the representatives for the U.S. adaptive
PSIA-AASI Adaptive Team Coach Kim Seevers and Team member Geoff Krill represent American leadership in adaptive instruction.
and its setting – Cerro Castor – is the southern-most ski area in the world (think penguins, sea lions, and the jumping off point for Antarctica). Tis was reflected in the 57 hour travel marathon it took to get down there. Te 24 members of the PSIA-AASI Team, comprising the alpine, snowboard, cross
60 | 32 DEGREES • WINTER 2016
world, Geoff and I worked over the summer to produce what we hope will be two very important teaching pieces for adaptive instructors. For
Interski 2015, we rolled out a easy-to-use reference guide called Fundamental Mechanics of Alpine Skiing Across the Adaptive Disciplines, which PSIA-AASI has now produced for wider distribution to PSIA-AASI members and adaptive programs. Tis resource, available at
TeSnowPros.org, looks at each of
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