PSIA-AASI’S


IS EDUCATION AT ITS PEAK: GRANT NAKAMURA


RECORD ATTENDANCE, MULTI-DISCIPLINARY FOCUS CONTRIBUTE TO FANTASTIC NATIONAL EVENT By Peter Kray


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SIA-AASI National Academy 2016 in Breckenridge, Colorado, broke records with more than 240 registered members in attendance. And more people meant more fun. It also presented a new opportunity to incorporate a broader range of disciplines.


Alpine skiers and snowboarders, for example, had ample time between their own clinics to make a few runs with adaptive and telemark equipment, thanks to the participation of 2016-20 PSIA- AASI Adaptive Team Captain Geoff Krill, 2012-16 Nordic Team Coach J. Scott McGee, and 2012-16 Nordic Team member Jim Shaw. While some taking part in these specialty clinics had prior experience in the disciplines, others embraced the opportunity to try something completely new. “I decided to try adaptive sit-skiing,” said Carol Shakeshaft, a


Level II alpine instructor in PSIA-AASI’s Eastern Division. “It was a wonderful experience for me, because I had a significant fear level when I started the class, and with the helpful support of Katie Zinn [a Level III adaptive instructor with the Vail Ski and Snowboard Schools] and Geoff Krill and the rest of the crew, I went from being so scared that I was ready to cry to laughing as I was going down the hill. I felt such freedom.” Florence Linet, a Level I alpine and Level II snowboard


instructor at Beaver Creek and certified adaptive instructor in New Zealand, got a chance in Krill’s clinic to work on her own mono-ski skills and help others get acquainted with the equipment. “I’ve been


46 | 32 DEGREES • FALL 2016


lucky enough that I had to learn to ride a mono-ski back in New Zealand, but I haven’t been able to play on a mono ski or bi ski or even tether people for years, so today was a great experience to be doing that... and helping people discover it today was amazing too.” Snowboarders broke out the snowskates for a new challenge,


further cementing the link between skateboarding and riding the snow. And after a couple days of going hard in the trees and on the steeps on their regular gear, AASI Snowboard Team members Tony Macri and 2016-20 Snowboard Team Coach Scott Anfang also spent a morning getting back to basics with their group of riders. With a focus on stance and turn technique, the group practiced turn drills together (garlands included!) to emphasize proper form. “We’ve been focusing on rider improvement and getting people


to have a better understanding of skills, then relating that back to what we teach beginners,” said Anfang. “We’re looking at the importance of all those beginner steps and progressions and how they tie into our riding now at a more advanced level. Improving our personal riding positively effects how we teach our guests.” As with every National Academy, many attendees came to improve their own turns after working hard helping others throughout the


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