By Zach Godwin/Killington Resort
Professional Ski Instructors of America enjoyed Killington.
By Brooke Geery, Killington Resort
In mid-December, Killington Resort welcomed hundreds of snowsports instructors from across the Eastern Region for the PSIA-AASI ProJam and Master’s Academy. This event, which has been running since 1986, is the largest gathering of snowsports professionals in the country.
“A lot of our members look at this week as a way to get geared up and ready to go. When their resort opens for Christmas week, they’re dialed in, have the latest information and are able to deliver a great experience to guests,” said Kathy Brennan, CEO of the PSIA-AASI for the Eastern Region.
The Eastern Region ranges from Maine to North Carolina and as far west as Western New York, with some 10,000 members, ranging in age from 15 to 92. Some people come from as far away as Alaska, Arizona, and Alabama, and Canada for the event.
This year’s ProJam, Dec. 11-15, was attended by 576 members, 63 Eastern education staff and 14 members of the PSIA-AASI National Team—653 in total.
“Most, if not all, of the participants pay for this event out of their own pocket, and many use their vacation time to be able to participate,” Brennan says. “I think it is wonderful how many people are so committed to get better at Snowsports in order to deliver the best possible experience to their students.”
Killington has hosted the event many times, including exclusively since 2016.
“The reason that our members and staff love coming to Killington is because of the terrain that you have available,” Brennan said. “It allows our instructors to ski/ride on pitch and in snow conditions that will help to elevate their performance. Around the region there are very few places that have guaranteed early snow, terrain and the hotel and conference facilities we need. That’s what really makes Killington a standout when we’re choosing a venue for our event.”
Over the five-day event, there are clinics and opportunities for alpine skiing, snowboarding and telemarking, as well as programs specific to teaching children and adaptive athletes. There are also opportunities to participate in assessments to demonstrate skillfulness and earn certifications.
“It’s great to host an event of this magnitude at Killington,” said Dave Beckwith, Killington’s director of golf and snowsports. “There’s a lot of history and legacy tied to it, and it’s an unparalleled opportunity for pros to gather, learn from each other, and progress snowsports instruction as a whole.”
While they’re here, the snowsports pros mainly spend their time on snow, learning from one of the 200 professional teachers that have achieved the highest level of education from the PSIA-AASI and earned a spot on their education staff through a tryout process. Some of the groups have a skiing or riding focus and some have a teaching focus. Others are preparing to take an assessment in the future. Although you do not need to be certified to participate in ProJam, most participants have already achieved level I, II or III certification.
In addition to the on-snow events, participants have the opportunity to attend educational presentations on topics such as biomechanics or yoga. The PSIA-AASI also holds its annual membership meeting, an awards ceremony for dedicated snowsports professionals and a fundraiser for its education foundation. The whole event is a big community gathering and many of the participants look forward to seeing each other year after year.
“Some people have been coming for nearly 30 years,” Brennan says. “It’s their snowsports family. They might see these people only once a year, but they see them every year. There’s a real sense of community you can feel, it’s very cool.”
After the week of training, the pros head back home ready to teach and excited for the season to come.
Brennan encourages anyone considering trying to ski or snowboard to take advantage of the knowledge available. “Taking a lesson from an instructor is going to improve your experience at the mountain,” she said. “Whether they’re certified member of the PSIA-AASI or not, all instructors are really passionate about what they do and ready to help you improve your skills. We are already looking forward to returning to Killington next year for this great event and continuing to improve our own teaching skills.”
