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Who is a Certified Instructor


Guest Matt D

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Hey all,

I have been instructing since 1994. I am currently level II certified in both alpine skiing and snowboarding by AASI and PSIA here in the central division. I took my level 3 cert last year and failed, but am pretty pissed about it. We had a new examiner who transferred from the Rocky Mtn. div.(Vail school). I rode a freestyle board because they told me that we wouldn't be riding any alpine boards for the weekend. I noticed everyone but me was riding duck stance off the bat. My teaching subject came up as improving peoples carving skills. I was thinking Woo hoo!!! Anyway. I showed a bunch of alpine inspired carving techniques that work equally as well on a freestyle board, you know knee postions, angulation and shoulder postiton, and simple carve drills that isolate movements. The examiner ripped me at the end and said that he didn't understand where I was going. I explained that these were race/alpine inspired drills that work equally well on a freestyle board (they are really just basic riding skills). He said that you NEVER square your shoulders up to the hill and that they are always square to your board. I would have agreed had he said square to your stance which is very forward for me even on my freestyle board, but he made a point of saying that I should always teach people with their shoulders parallel to their board. I tried to explain my racing background and he then said that he didn't understand because he had NEVER RIDDEN AN ALPINE BOARD, and never planned to. The guy shadowing the examiner actually supported me and explained that what I was teaching was valid, but it didn't help. I have been so pissed at failing that way that I don't know if its worth trying again since we only have a few examiners here and I would probably run into the same guy again. Makes me wonder what he would have said had I used my alpine board for the whole exam, which I actually ride the pipe better on because of the extra pop I get up the wall.

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Originally posted by ARCrider

I've noticed the high number of alpine riders when in Quebec. If like you say they don't participate on BOL I wonder if they are aware of ECES and how close it is to them this season. maybe a bilingual ECES poster is needed for la belle province or a link on snowpro.

I have to agree on this. I am in the province of Quebec, and here, it's like alpine never died (on the slopes, but I couldn't say the same for the shops.) The question that everyone gets asked (what kind of snowboard is this), I was only asked once by some 10 year olds. Some mountains you see more carvers, like Mont Sainte-Anne. About the ECES, I am seriously thinking about it. I'll have to see with my GF and my work schedule.

Derf

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I'm telling you... Alpine is probably most alive in Quebec. I usually make 1 trip per year to Mont Ste-Anne, and every year I see 10-12 alpine riders who are just ripping. There is a shop near by that has the full line of Raichle/Deeluxe and UPS boots in stock, along with a good sized selection of quality used alpine boards. Every year I go visit that store, and for some reason I never budget $200 to pick up a board. There was a sweet Rossi VAS X 168 a couple years ago, then last year they had a MADD 158 for $225Cdn. I wanted it so much!

We should try to have ECES at Ste-Anne 1 year. I bet it would be HUGE, and I bet it would be cheaper for almost everyone because accomodation and lift tickets are much cheaper. Le Massif is just down the road too, and it is totally awesome.

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Sorry to hear about your experience. How did the other two days go? I had a guy who was lame one day too, but that's the beauty of the exam - there are three different days with three different examiners. If one doesn't agree with you, the others may see the merit in your methods.

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