PSIA-AASI Celebrates Past Legends and Looks to the Future of Instruction at 50th Reunion of 1968 Interski

This April marks the 50^th anniversary of the 1968 International Congress of Ski Instructors (Interski) held in Aspen, Colorado, which was the first and only Interski held in the United States. To celebrate this milestone and advancements in instruction, the Professional Ski Instructors of America and American Association of Snowboard Instructors organized a day of skiing at Aspen Mountain followed by an evening cocktail reception at Limelight Hotel in Aspen, Colorado.

The 1968 Aspen Interski 50^th Reunion was attended by current and former PSIA-AASI members, industry partners, and educational leaders.

PSIA-AASI CEO Nicholas Herrin said, “We are thrilled to see so much enthusiasm and passion for snowsports education at this event. It’s great to visit with alumni teams and members, listen to their stories, and feel a stronger connection to skiing history.”

Interski’s Importance in Ski Instruction

Interski is the world’s largest gathering of snowsports instructors. The international event takes place every four years and allows top instructors to exchange information so that they can develop innovative methods for improving ski and snowboard instruction. The PSIA-AASI Team represents the United States.

At Interski, instructors discuss teaching techniques, teaching methodologies, and how to address their students’ needs in order to advance educational content and improve the guest experience. Many PSIA-AASI teaching theories, including the American Teaching System, the Skills Concept, and the Learning Connection, were all developed for Interski.

PSIA-AASI Board Chairman Ed Younglove said, “Interski has often served to provide the impetus for the PSIA-AASI Team’s creativity.” Explaining, “The last Interski in Ushuaia, Argentina for which the Team developed The Learning Connection, is a good example of how the Team has continued to drive our education content.”

The PSIA-AASI Team has already started preparations for the next Interski Congress to be held in Pamorovo, Bulgaria from March 17-23, 2019. Their presentation will focus on the Learning Outcomes to provide clarity about the certification process and what is expected of candidates and certified instructors. The Learning Outcomes builds off of the 2015 Interski presentation on the Learning Connection.