| Who was there?
It was a small but tough crowd this year. Darwin and Rusty
from Whitetail joined about 28 others to gang up on Bob Shostek. Did you
know that there are 4000 members in Region 4? 3600 are eligible to vote.
Less than 1% of those members show up for the annual meeting where our
representatives tell us about all their good deeds and ask what we would
like to see get done. If you can not make next year's meeting, at least
tell Rusty what your concerns are. Would you go if the meeting was moved
to the Pro Jam?
Also, speaking at the meeting were Mark "Sekierka" (sic) from
Montage (representing the cert committee), Robin Reid from Liberty
(representing the Children's committee) and Angelo Ross (representing the
Education committee). Note: Region 4 now has twice the representation as
other PSIA-E regions on the education and certification committees due to it's
large size and geography. Our new additions were filled by people from the
Southern section of the region. 3 of the 30 Education staff members were
also present at the meeting: Jim Mancuso (Elk), Alan Highhouse (Elk) and
Dave Wineski (Liberty) (new Dev Team Member).
|
| Membership has started to level off. Of the 10,932 members,
9,654 have been with PSIA for more than one year (88% retention rate). The
number of new members (867 Alpine) is down slightly from previous years
(e.g. 1100 in the years 96-98). Alpine membership is flat. Snowboard
membership has leveled off from a huge growth rate. Nordic membership has
been hit hard due to poor snow years. Snowboard membership is up to 778
members. Adaptive membership is up to 252 members. |
The big news is proposed certification changes
for the 2001
- 2002 season (i.e. NOT this year people!). These notes apply to
alpine only (don't have the news for other disciplines yet)! This info is
what is currently being PROPOSED (i.e. it will change).
The "Registered" level returns with new emphasis this year. A 2
day "registration" education event clinic would be part of
the process. Level 1 exams will go from a 2 day event to a three day
event. Level 2 exams will go from 3 days to 4 days and be split into a
skiing part and a teaching part (similar to the current level 3 exam).
First year instructors will only be allowed to Register and they will
need 25 hours of experience. Level 1 candidates will need a prior season
and 50 hours of experience. Level 2 candidates will need 2 seasons and 200
hours of experience. Level 3 candidates will need 3 years and a zillion
hours (just kidding) of experience. |
| This year the change that takes effect is no more
"retakes" for exams. From now on, if you fail you have to retake
the entire exam. |
Last Year's Exam numbers
Level 1 exams - 867 passed (98%)
Level 2 exams - 145 passed (64%) (big change from pervious years at
48-49%)
Level 2 retake - 31 passed (73%)
Level 3-1 exams - 39 passed (41%)
Level 3-2 exams - 53 passed ( 70%)
|
| Budget
news: Last year the PSIA-E budget was $1.6 MILLION.
Although a deficit of 6K was set, we came in about 5K positive due to
heroic efforts by the staff. This years budget is set roughly the same as
last years. The EF budget is dropping from 165K to 70K because adaptive
programs are being taken over by Windham.
Action plans are dropping from 11.8K (actually spent last year) to 6K
as previous plans become part of the normal budget. Action plans started
out at 80K per year when we had our last dues increase (of about 5K).
Action plan money funds new programs, manuals, etc. |
| The reason we don't have more weekend events is because
resorts don't bid for them. We have to beg to get the ones that we do get.
We have 4 weekend events in Region 4 this year. We will have two level 2
events in region 4 (Elk and 7 Springs). New events include a Women's
racing event and a level 2 practice event. There will be a Master Teacher
event at Whitetail this year! |
| There were 300+ people at last weekend's Master Teacher
event. The requirements for the Master teacher program are still a little
shaky for some people. If you've got any doubts whatsoever, call Sue
Spencer. She's the only that one that fully knows the program. |
| PSIA-E's web site (and email) is back after two months of
problems. New features are an "Online Bookstore" (well the books
are online, but you still have to order offline), exam guides, a bulletin
board and a forum (like National's but worse). Rusty says the web site
gets an A for effort, C for having too big an appetite and an
"incomplete" for not sweating the details. On the basis of A for
effort, Rusty says lets support the staff with positive and constructive
feedback. |
| Last year, the education fund gave out 23 scholarships.
Did anyone from Whitetail even apply? |
| This year adaptive is expanding into snowboarding (heaven
help us all!) |
| Kim Seevers was named the chairperson of the National Education Committee!
Ray Allard has been named to the National executive committee. National
wants to raise dues (Eastern voted no) |
| Sponsorship money is way down (cuts of 30%). Look for less
freebies this year. |
| Children's committee update. The ACES consulting brochure
is done. The 10-15 ACES that we have in PSIA-E are available to come do
customized children's teaching clinics for whatever our needs are. The new
video is in progress. A promo will be completed around November and the
full video is scheduled to be finished by the end of the season. Donations
towards the $20K cost can be made to the EF (add a note that your
donation is earmarked for the kid's video). The theme for this year's
Children's Academy (12/12 - 12/14) is "communications" |
| Who's your PSIA-E area
rep? (my guess is that Whitetails is Dave DePeters) This person is supposed to
maintain a bulletin board in the locker room and pass on all of the great
PSIA news that gets sent to the Ski School Director (who just throws it
out). |
