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Welcome to the Central Division Skills Development page. This is a forum for our Central Division Ski Patrol Festival event information and to share resources, tools, and tips to help you with Alpine Skills Development. We will hold 2 events this year in December throughout our Division. Hopefully, this will allow each Region to send more participants.
December 2023 Events
The locations for the December 2023 events are: Wild Mountain on December 1-3, 2023, and The Highlands on December 8-10, 2023. We will offer 12 sessions for participants to attend. Each Region will decide who they will send to the Ski Patrol Festival. If you feel you should attend, please contact your RD, or program advisor.
The sessions are:
Registration information and details about the event, sessions, lodging will be sent to each participant once we get the list from your Region Director and/or Program Advisors.
We are looking for a large turnout. Expect that information to arrive via email by late October.
Questions or if you’d like more information, please email: skills@nspcd.org
See you in December.
Jackie Bottomley
Central Division Skills Development Supervisor
To access more details about each session, simply select or tap on the respective session’s title. This will reveal additional information along with the session’s description.
Session 1: Senior Alpine Evaluator Certification (Successful/Unsuccessful Session)
Second Day of Training will be Movement Analysis
Note there are 3 categories for participants.
Enrollment Category Groupings and who should attend: Participant must select one category below. Minimum qualifications to register for the group are also noted.
Note: non-PSIA certification candidates will test at a separate Accredited Senior Evaluator (ASE) exam.
Evaluation Factors: Successful participants will be able to demonstrate technical knowledge of senior standards (+/=/-) and scorecard, effective assessment (movement analysis) skills, and feedback methods. Participant will also ski/ride at or above senior level personally and show ability to demonstrate, teach, and evaluate senior candidates effectively.
Category Limit: Maximum of three (3) participants per region or more if space allows.
Session 2: Snowsport Trainers Workshop (Certification of Completion)
Note there are 2 categories for participants.
Who Should Attend:
Session Will Provide:
Focus on skiing/ride fundamentals and benchmarks as defined by PSIA/AASI in the Alpine Technical Manual and Snowboard Technical Manual for Region snow sports trainers. This will also include Movement Analysis, Video review, and Movement Learning Activities. An understanding of and ability to ski/ride at the Senior level.
Category Limit: Maximum of two (2) participants per Region or more if space allows.
Result: Participant should be better prepared to extend patroller ski/ride training techniques and knowledge to their own Region and local training programs.
Session 3: PSIA-AASI Prep Workshop for NSP Trainers (Certification of Completion)
Who Should Attend:
Region Trainers who already have their Level I or 2 PSIA-AASI certification and are actively preparing for their Level 2 or 3 examination.
Session Will Provide:
Review of The Learning Connection as it relates to people skills, teaching skills and technical skills. Review of ski/ride fundamentals and benchmarks as defined by PSIA-AASI in the Alpine Technical Manual, Snowboard Technical Manual and Teaching Snowsports Manual. Discussions and suggestions for assisting the participant in assessment preparation using the National Certification Standards and People Skills, Teaching skills and Technical skills performance guides. Opportunities will be available to work on Movement Analysis and Feedback skills, teaching progressions and technical knowledge.
Category Limit: Maximum of eight participants per session will be accepted on a first come, first serve basis. Minimum of two boarders or four skiers to hold sessions. More openings if space allowed.
Session 4: ASE (Accredited Senior Evaluator) Prep Workshop for NSP Trainers (Certification of Completion)
Who Should Attend:
Region Trainers who want to become Accredited Senior Evaluators for Snowsports (ski/ride) activities.
Session Will Provide:
ASE is an alternate path for potential Senior Alpine Evaluators who are not PSIA-AASI Level 2 or 3 certified. Those interested in pursuing ASE certification must currently hold senior patroller status. Further, each candidate holds Alpine Senior patroller status. Further, each candidate must also have his/her Region Director’s endorsement prior to attending an exam. Currently, two-day ASE exams are held later in the session. This is a prep clinic. Content includes similar material as outlined in the ASE 8-week training program described in the Central Division site. This includes the ASE exam scorecard, Senior ski/ride standards and scorecard, PSIA-AASI terminology, introduction to PSIA-AASI Fundamentals and movement analysis (alpine, snowboard, telemark), review of videos and on-snow assessments, teaching progressions, and a mock exam.
Category Limit: A maximum of eight participants per session will be accepted on a first-come, first serve basis. A minimum of two boarders or four skiers to hold sessions. More openings if space allowed.
Session 5: Senior Toboggan Evaluator Certification (Successful/Unsuccessful Session)
Note there are 3 categories for participants.
Enrollment Category Groupings and who should attend: Participant must select one category below. Minimum qualifications to register for the group are also noted.
Evaluation Factors: Successful participants will be able to demonstrate technical knowledge of senior standards (+/=/-) and scorecard, effective assessment (movement analysis) skills, and feedback methods. Participant will also have toboggan skills at or above senior level personally and show the ability to demonstrate and teach senior candidates effectively.
Category Limit: Maximum of three (3) participants per Region or more as space allows.
Result: Participants will be identified as one or more of the following – 1) New Senior Toboggan Evaluator, 2) Approved Region Senior Toboggan Calibrator for the upcoming season, 3) Signed off as successfully meeting re-certification criteria to continue as a Senior Toboggan Evaluator, or 4) unsuccessful-not approved to serve as a Senior level Toboggan Evaluator for this year.
Session 6: Toboggan Trainers IT Certification (Successful/Unsuccessful Session)
Note there are 2 categories for participants.
Enrollment Category Groupings and who should attend: Participants must select one category below. Minimum qualifications to register for the group are also noted.
Evaluation Factors:
Successful participants will provide a clear understanding of the responsibilities and best practices of the Lead operator, the Tail rope operator, and how the toboggan maneuvers aid in accomplishing the end goal. This includes delivering the toboggan to the accident scene and then safely and expeditiously transporting the injured guest to the next level of care. The IT must have a level of competency in both teaching and demonstration at the senior level.
Demonstrating the skills listed above and a willingness and demonstrated ability to teach other trainers may result in a recommendation to the Division Supervisor for appointment. Otherwise, this would be a certificate of completion for a TTW.
Category Limit: Maximum of two (2) participants per Region or more as space allows.
Result: Participants will be identified as one or more of the following – 1) IT Certification test pass and recommendation to Div. Supr. for IT appointment for the upcoming year, 2) IT Certification Re-certification complete, 3) Toboggan Trainer Re-cert w/o IT recommendation for this year, or 4) Participant is unsuccessful or incomplete and recommended for further training or other action.
Session 7: Hybrid Version Senior Toboggan Evaluator and IT Recertification
Who Should Attend:
This is a special combined session for Senior IT Evaluators who expect to also be a Region calibrator and need their Toboggan IT recertification in the same year.
Note – these should be highly proficient evaluators & trainers, currently active for Region/Division, able to quickly demonstrate skills so that session time can then become focused on building programs for the future.
Category Limit: Maximum of 8 per location, approved by the Region Director and Division Toboggan Supervisor or more as space allows.
Result: Any combination of results from Session 4 & 5; expectation is approval as a Region toboggan calibrator and for appointment to continue as a Division IT for the OET program.
Session 8: Instructor Trainers Prep Clinic (Certificate of Completion)
Who Should Attend:
This is a special session for Toboggan Trainers who wish to sharpen their teaching, analysis, and demonstration skills with Division Staff and prepare to become an Instructor Trainer.
Session Will Provide:
Effective feedback delivery, movement analysis, technical knowledge review, teaching/building effective progressions and overall preparation for a successful Toboggan Trainer or IT candidate.
Category Limit: Maximum 5 per location or more as space allows.
Prerequisite: Minimum qualifications to register for this session is: NSP Toboggan Trainer are in the IT mentoring program or are entering the mentoring program for IT’s
Session 9: PSIA-AASI Level 1 Exam
Who Should Attend: Must be a member of PSIA (alpine, telemark) or AASI (snowboard) and trying out for Level 1 certification
Session Will Provide: Complete required online components prior to the two days on the snow assessment. Registration for this event must be done through PSIA-AASI. Contact psia@nspcd.org for questions and to advise your interest. By itself, Level 1 is ideal for trainers wanting an increased understanding of terminology, teaching progressions, and analysis of movements for effective and efficient ski/ride performance. Ideal for working with candidates and for improving one’s own skills. Previous experience teaching ski/ride skills to current or candidate patrollers desirable. Level 1 certification is also the starting point for attaining higher levels (Level 2 or 3) certification.
Category Limit: Minimum of 6
Note: You will register for this exam through PSIA-AASI and there will be a fee for each participant based on PSIA-AASI.
Session 10: Central Division MVP Program (Maintaining Valuable Patrollers) Guide Training (Certification of Completion)
Who Should Attend: Toboggan I.T.’s who are over the age of sixty. RD’s, in consultation with their staff should choose participants who are actively involved in training at the Region level. RD’s are welcome to “shadow” the workshop.
Session Will Provide: The workshop will train attendees to be MVP Guides so that they can activate MVP Workshops for patrollers in their Region during the 2023/2024 season. The curriculum consists of pre-read materials, facilitated group discussion, and skiing and tobogganing on-hill sessions.
Category Limit: Two Toboggan I.T.’s from each Region. (It is highly recommended that at least one has PSIA certification as well.)
Session 11: Avalanche Senior Elective (Certification of Completion)
Who Should Attend: Any patrollers seeking to know more about avalanches or patrollers wanting a senior elective.
Session Will Provide: This course gives an introduction to critical knowledge and skills taught in avalanche education courses. The goal of this course is to introduce critical avoidance skills such as terrain analysis, route selection, and decision making. This includes the importance of leadership and teamwork in the rescue skills, which need to be immediate, but also need to be methodical and coordinated. This course is a senior elective only and is not open to non-NSP members. Most of the day will be inside, with an outdoor portion. Dress appropriately.
Category Limit: no limit – you must register through the NSP Central Ski Patrol Festival registration form and sign the online waiver.
Session 12: Chair Evac Training
Who Should Attend: Any patroller, or industry professionals seeking to know more about chair evac processes, rope rescue, and instructor training.
Session Will Provide: technical instruction, training/trainer development, and industry standards insight, lead by division-certified staff. All necessary equipment will be provided. Participants are welcome to bring their personal equipment.
Category Limit: no limit – you must register through the NSP Central Ski Patrol Festival registration form and sign the online waiver.
Session 13: Senior OEC Aid Room Module
Who Should Attend: Any patroller who is going for Senior Patroller or as an elective for Senior
Alpine status
Session Will Provide: the evaluation component of the Aid Room Module of the Senior
Program. Candidates will be required to bring their completed training pre-requisites to the
event to participate. Candidates will be assigned an arrival time for their evaluation meeting.
Category Limit: 10 – you must register through the NSP Central Ski Patrol Festival registration
form and sign the online waiver.
Each person attending will need to complete this registration form and the waiver.
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