With the growing popularity and availability of freestyle terrain (more than 80% of resorts have designated freestyle terrain) there are increasing opportunities for PSIA and AASI instructors to become educators in the use of terrain parks and freestyle skill development. While freestyle skiing and riding has many safety and performance concepts common with skiing/riding anywhere within the resort’s boundaries, there are additional points of information and awareness unique to freestyle terrain. An instructor who wishes to provide the best service possible to their customers in terms of a positive freestyle learning experience should be familiar, knowledgeable, practiced and skilled in freestyle concepts and terrain park usage. The Freestyle Specialist Program is designed to educate instructors on the essential safety and performance aspects of freestyle riding and teaching, help set goals, evaluate participant’s current level of understanding and skill and to foster opportunities for members to share knowledge and best practices from resorts and schools throughout the Northwest.
Freestyle Specialist 1
A two day course available to any Level I or higher PSIA-AASI member. Principles of the ATML model, teaching cycle, theories and professional knowledge will be covered. Identification of critical skills and skill blending including freestyle specific movement pattern techniques that allow for efficient outcomes. Additional components of the program is completion of the Freestyle eLearning course. A FS 1 certificate is awarded based upon the degree of participation and understanding including the knowledge and comprehension and application and analysis of course material.
To get started on the online FS1 eLearning course, click here for alpine or here for snowboard.
Freestyle Specialist 2 and 3
The Freestyle Specialist 2 and 3 currently is run together. This is a certificate based course and participants will be assessed through completion of the eLearning course, active participation and coaching during the on-snow clinic and their riding at the appropriate performance level. Successful completion of the Freestyle Specialist 1 is a pre-requisite for the Freestyle Specialist 2 and successful completion of the Freestyle Specialist 2 is a pre-requisite for taking the Freestyle Specialist 3.
To get started on the eLearning course (if you haven’t already completed it prior to your FS1), click here.
Please email info@psia-nw.org for any questions regarding the Freestyle Specialist 3 program.
Freestyle Specialist National Standards
Although not a certification, participants will be expected to meet levels of competency defined by Freestyle Specialist 1 (FS1) and Freestyle Specialist 2 (FS2) standards. Participants will be held to the knowledge and performance standards of their current discipline certification level. Click below to be taken to the PSIA-AASI National website.
