Adaptive Alpine
Registered Member
The biggest benefit of your membership is access to incredible learning opportunities and resources, so regardless of if your goals are something concrete like certification or accreditation, or if you just want to be a better teacher and skier, you’re in the right place.
- If you haven’t already joined a snowsports school, now is a good time to do that. Most instructors do their initial training through their own school.
- Check out these awesome FREE resources:
- This is a great time to start learning even more about your craft. Your membership comes with FREE digital access to these manuals or you can access printed manuals here.
- Teaching Snowsports Manual
- Teaching Children Snowsports manual
- Adaptive Alpine Technical Manual
- Adaptive Instruction Supplement: Diagnoses & Medication Classifications
- Fundamental Mechanics of Alpine Skiing Across Adaptive Disciplines
- Alpine Technical Manual
- It’s also important that you spend time teaching lessons on-snow. Getting better at anything requires practice.
- If your goal is certification, develop a plan with your snowsports school director or training supervisor to learn what you need to know to be successful at both Alpine Level I and Adaptive Alpine Level I.
- As a registered member, you are eligible to take any event that doesn’t require certification as a prerequisite. Check out the Event Calendar to see your options!
Resources
Adaptive Professional Development Pathways
Visual Adaptive Professional Development Pathways Excerpt from page 5 Adaptive Alpine Certification Pathways & Specialist Standards, updated: December 2023 found on thesnowpros.org under Certification Standards.
Adaptive Alpine Level I Certification
Prerequisites
- Be a current Registered Member of PSIA-AASI in good standing and at least 14 years of age.
- It is highly recommended that you are currently employed as an instructor or a volunteer in a snowsports school, agency or adaptive program where you receive on-snow training to teach in the beginner/novice zone.
- We highly recommend a minimum of 50 hours of combined in-house training and actual on-hill adaptive teaching before you attempt the Level I Assessment.
- Must be certified at Alpine Level I (or equivalent i.e., USSS Level 100 Coach or foreign equivalent) or attend a combination assessment event that would allow the candidate to earn an Alpine Level I and an Adaptive Alpine Level I at the same event.
- Successfully score 80% or higher on the Adaptive Alpine Professional Knowledge Exam for the disciplines the candidate is attempting.
- Complete the Adaptive Alpine Professional Knowledge Exam prior to registering for the on-snow assessment. If you plan on attending a combination Alpine Level I and Adaptive Alpine Level I Assessment, you should also complete the Alpine Level I eLearning Course prior to registering for the on-snow assessment.
- You should prepare by reading and/or consulting the:
- Adaptive Alpine Assessment Guide
- PSIA Alpine Certification Standards
- PSIA-AASI Performance Guides
- Adaptive Alpine Technical Manual
- Adaptive Instruction Supplement: Diagnoses & Medication Classifications
- Fundamental Mechanics of Alpine Skiing Across Adaptive Disciplines
- If you are not already Alpine Level I Certified, you should also study:
- Alpine Assessment Guide
- Alpine Technical Manual
- Teaching Snowsports Manual
- Teaching Children Snowsports manual
- Digital versions of these manuals are available from the National office.
- PLEASE NOTE: While a school director’s signature is not required, we strongly encourage you to notify your director so that he or she is both aware of and can help ensure that you are prepared for a successful exam experience. When you register for a Level I Certification Assessment you are attesting that you have read and completed all prerequisites prior to taking the Level I Certification Assessment.
Requirements
- Successfully pass an Adaptive Alpine Level I on-snow assessment for paired adaptive disciplines as detailed in the Adaptive Alpine Assessment Guide.
- At this assessment, you will be expected to understand, teach, and engage students in the Novice Zone.
- The candidate must attend an Adaptive Alpine Level I Assessment and pass the assessment criteria in the Adaptive Alpine Certification Pathways and Specialist Standards.
- The paired adaptive disciplines are:
- Cognitive/Visual Impairment
- Stand-Up Physical Diagnoses
- Bi-Ski/Mono-Ski
- All participants must follow the PSIA-AASI Eastern Event Participant Safety Policy.
Once certified, click here for a summary of what is required to maintain PSIA-AASI Certification.
Resources
- Adaptive Alpine Professional Knowledge Exams
- Alpine Level I E-Learning Course
- Adaptive Alpine Assessment Guide
- Event Calendar
- Digital Manuals
- Printed Manuals
- Certification Standards, Fundamentals, and Performance Guides
- Event Participant Safety Policy
- Digital Learning Hub
- The Matrix
- Member Customized Events
- Eastern Webinars
- Eastern Online Courses
- Guide for New Instructors
Continuing Education
There are lots of options to continue your professional growth and maintain your certification both on and off snow.
*What is a member required to do to maintain certification?
For on-snow events, please see the Event Calendar.
Filter the calendar by:
- month
- discipline
- event location
- state
- resort
- and/or type of clinic to see options.
Find course descriptions and find the right event for you at our new Event Finder.
Online courses you can complete at your own pace:
If you need the flexibility of an online option, we have several e-learning courses you can take to earn credits:
Go to: Eastern Online Courses for the following options (6 CEUs each):
- History of Skiing
- History of Snowboarding
- Aging and the Senior Skier
- Teaching Students with Developmental/Intellectual Disabilities
Go to: Digital Learning Hub Courses for other E-Learning Courses:
- Skate to Ski (6 CEUs)
- Teaching Families and Groups (6 CEUs)
- Alpine Movement Analysis (1 CEU)
- ACL Strong – Knee Injury Prevention (2 CEUs)
- And more non-credit and 1 credit programs.
Prerecorded webinars that offer credits:
There are many prerecorded webinars you can watch at your convenience to earn CEU credits.
Go to: Eastern Webinars Eastern programs include the following and more:
- Exploring Common Movements Between Disciplines (1 CEU) with Kathy Brennan, Brian Donovan and Keith Rodney
- Converting Beginners into Lifelong Snowsports Enthusiasts (1 CEU) with Joe Forte
- Movement Prioritization (1 CEU) with Nate Gardner
- Stance and Alignment: The Alpine Boot and the Body (1 CEU) with Dave Taylor
Go to: Digital Learning Hub Webinars for National programs including and more:
- The Importance of Failure (1 CEU) with Mermer Blakeslee and Maggie Loring
- The Unified Assessment Form: An Examiner’s Perspective (1 CEU) with Eric Rolls
- Checking Under the Hood Webinar (1 CEU) with Krista Crabtree and Heidi Ettlinger
- The Art of Being (More) Emotionally Intelligent (1 CEU) with Fran Tone
- Create Your Own Place at the Table (1 CEU) with Amy Gan
Adaptive Specialist 2
The accreditation (specialist) path allows an Adaptive Alpine Level I instructor to receive recognition for advanced knowledge and skill in any one or more disability classification (i.e., visual impairment, cognitive impairment, stand-up physical diagnoses, bi-ski or mono-ski.). To earn the Adaptive Alpine Specialist 2 (AS2), the candidate must pass all 5 of the Adaptive Specialist 2 assessment modules and successfully complete the learning outcomes and assessment criteria for Alpine level II technical skills (skiing performance, technical understanding and movement analysis). Members may continue to focus and/or specialize in one or more disability classification areas, but must have an Alpine Level I before they attempt any of the Adaptive Specialist 2 (AS2) disability classification modules. For Adaptive Alpine Level II certification, the candidate must pass all five of the disability classification exams plus the Alpine Level II certification to achieve the Adaptive Alpine Level II certification and pin.
Prerequisites for the Adaptive Alpine Specialist 2
- Must be a current member in good standing.
- To attempt any of the Adaptive Specialist 2 assessment modules, candidates must be Alpine Level I and Adaptive Level I.
- It is highly recommended to be a current employee or volunteer of a recognized snowsports school, agency or adaptive program.
- Successfully score 80% or greater on the online Adaptive Alpine Level II Professional Knowledge Exam for the Adaptive discipline in which you are testing.
- Please note: While a school director’s signature is not required, we strongly encourage you to notify your director so that he or she is both aware of and can help ensure that you are prepared for a successful assessment experience.
Requirements
On-snow assessment in the adaptive discipline(s) in which you are testing. (i.e. mono-ski, bi-ski, visual impairment, cognitive impairment, stand-up physical diagnoses)
- Candidates will be evaluated on the Assessment Criteria of the National Standards and listed in the Adaptive Alpine Certification Pathways & Specialist Standards.
- Candidates must also pass the Skiing, Technical Understanding and Movement Analysis parts of the Alpine Level II Assessment and all 5 on-snow exams for each of the 5 adaptive alpine disciplines to earn the Adaptive Specialist 2.
All participants must follow the PSIA-AASI Eastern Event Participant Safety Policy.
Resources
Adaptive Alpine Level II Certification
The accreditation (specialist) path allows an Adaptive Alpine Level I instructor to receive recognition for advanced knowledge and skill in any one or more disability classification (i.e., visual impairment, cognitive impairment, stand-up physical diagnoses, bi-ski or mono-ski.). For Adaptive Alpine Level II certification, the candidate must pass all the disability classification exams at the appropriate level plus earn an Alpine Level II certification to achieve the Adaptive Alpine Level II certification and pin.
Prerequisites for the Adaptive Alpine Level II Certification
- Must be Alpine Level I and Adaptive Level I Certified and a current member in good standing to start the Adaptive Alpine Level II certification process.
- It is highly recommended to be a current employee or volunteer of a recognized snowsports school, agency or adaptive program.
- It is highly recommended that you have completed at least 150 hours of actual on-hill adaptive teaching.
- Successfully score 80% or greater on the online Adaptive Level II Professional Knowledge Exam for each of the 5 adaptive disciplines.
- Please note: While a school director’s signature is not required, we strongly encourage you to notify your director so that he or she is both aware of and can help ensure that you are prepared for a successful exam experience.
Requirements
Complete 5 on-snow exams for each of the 5 adaptive alpine disciplines: visual impairment, cognitive impairment, stand-up physical diagnoses, bi-ski or mono-ski.
- Candidates will be evaluated on the Assessment Criteria of the National Standards and listed in the Adaptive Alpine Certification Pathways & Specialist Standards.
- Candidates must be Alpine Level II to earn Adaptive Alpine Level II Certification.
- All participants must follow the PSIA-AASI Eastern Event Participant Safety Policy.
Resources
Adaptive Specialist 3
The accreditation (specialist) path allows an Adaptive Alpine Level I instructor to receive recognition for advanced knowledge and skill in any one or more disability classification (i.e., visual impairment, cognitive impairment, stand-up physical diagnoses, bi-ski or mono-ski.). To earn the Adaptive Alpine Specialist 3 (AS3), the candidate must pass all 5 of the Adaptive Specialist 3 assessment modules and successfully complete the learning outcomes and assessment criteria for Alpine level III technical skills (skiing performance, technical understanding and movement analysis). Members may continue to focus and/or specialize in one or more disability classification areas, but must have an Alpine Level II before they attempt any of the Adaptive Specialist 3 (AS3) disability classification modules. For Adaptive Alpine Level III certification, the candidate must pass all five of the disability classification exams plus the Alpine Level III certification to achieve the Adaptive Alpine Level III certification and pin.
Prerequisites for the Adaptive Alpine Specialist 3
- Must be a current member in good standing.
- To attempt any of the Adaptive Specialist 3 assessment modules, candidates must be Alpine Level II, Adaptive Level I Certified and have earned the Adaptive Specialist 2 certificate(s) in the same discipline(s).
- It is highly recommended to be a current employee or volunteer of a recognized snowsports school, agency or adaptive program.
- Successfully score 80% or greater on the online Adaptive Level III Professional Knowledge Exam for the Adaptive discipline in which you are testing.
- Please note: While a school director’s signature is not required, we strongly encourage you to notify your director so that he or she is both aware of and can help ensure that you are prepared for a successful assessment experience.
Requirements
On-snow assessment in the adaptive discipline(s) in which you are testing. (i.e. mono-ski, bi-ski, visual impairment, cognitive impairment, stand-up physical diagnoses)
- Candidates will be evaluated on the Assessment Criteria of the National Standards and listed in the Adaptive Alpine Certification Pathways & Specialist Standards.
- Candidates must also pass the Skiing, Technical Understanding and Movement Analysis parts of the Alpine Level III Assessment and all 5 on-snow exams for each of the 5 adaptive alpine disciplines to earn the Adaptive Specialist 3.
- All participants must follow the PSIA-AASI Eastern Event Participant Safety Policy.
Resources
Adaptive Alpine Level III Certification
The accreditation (specialist) path allows an Adaptive Alpine Level I instructor to receive recognition for advanced knowledge and skill in any one or more disability classification (i.e., visual impairment, cognitive impairment, stand-up physical diagnoses, bi-ski or mono-ski). For Adaptive Alpine Level III certification, the candidate must pass all the disability classification exams at the appropriate level plus earn an Alpine Level III certification to achieve the Adaptive Alpine Level III certification and pin.
Prerequisites for Adaptive Alpine Level III Certification
- Must be Alpine Level II and Adaptive Level II Certified and a current member in good standing to start the Adaptive Alpine Level III certification process.
- It is highly recommended to be a current employee or volunteer of a recognized snowsports school, agency or adaptive program.
- It is highly recommended to have completed at least 300 hours of actual on-hill adaptive teaching.
- Successfully score 80% or greater on the online Adaptive Level III Professional Knowledge Exam for each of the 5 adaptive disciplines.
- Please note: While a school director’s signature is not required, we strongly encourage you to notify your director so that he or she is both aware of and can help ensure that you are prepared for a successful exam experience.
Requirements
Successfully complete 5 on-snow exams for each of the 5 adaptive alpine disciplines: visual impairment, cognitive impairment, stand-up physical diagnoses, bi-ski or mono-ski.
- Candidates will be evaluated on the Assessment Criteria of the National Standards and listed in the Adaptive Alpine Certification Pathways & Specialist Standards.
- All participants must follow the PSIA-AASI Eastern Event Participant Safety Policy.
Resources
Are you an Adaptive instructor who would like to take it to the next level and join the Education Staff? The Adaptive Development Team (Dev Team) is a group of highly skilled Adaptive instructors who are training to become Eastern Adaptive Examiners. They are chosen by way of a demanding and competitive tryout. They receive training that focuses on sharpening their skiing skills, their teaching skills, their people skills, and their professional knowledge. The goal is to develop highly effective clinicians to deliver a wide range of educational events to the membership.
To be eligible for the PSIA-AASI Eastern Adaptive Development Team you:
- Must be a current member of PSIA-AASI Eastern Region.
- Must be at least Alpine Level II and Adaptive Level III certified or Adaptive Level II and Alpine Level III certifed.
- Actively teaching for a recognized snowsports school, agency or adaptive program.
Selection
Candidates are selected during a competitive tryout – i.e., an intensive skiing, teaching and people skills assessment. Format is determined by members of the discipline steering committee.
- Selection criteria may include, but are not limited to: on hill performance, prior experience with PSIA-AASI, resume, interview, writing samples, skillfulness with the Learning Connection Model components, extensive experience in all Adaptive disciplines, and more.
Successful Candidates
Adaptive Alpine Development Team members:
- Serve a term of up to four years.
- Must complete a series of recommended understudies, during which the Dev Teamer will lead groups for a period of time while under the supervision of the Examiner/Clinician.
- Must attend at least two days of annual education staff training.
- Fulfill requirements of Development Team Coach.
The Adaptive DEV Team Tryout is scheduled for March 25-26, 2024 at Loon Mountain, NH
Application Requirements for the Development Team Tryout:
To be accepted to the tryout for the Development Team you must register for the tryout and submit the following before February 28, 2024 at 11:30pm.
- A professional resume not to exceed two pages. Please identify your professional high points (e.g., presentations, authored materials, relevant activities outside of teaching, foreign language competencies, special credentials, etc.) Document should be in docx, jpeg or pdf format.
- A cover letter describing why you are trying out for the team, your strengths, what specific skills can bring to the team and the organization, or any other information you feel would be relevant. Please do not exceed two pages. Document should be in docx, jpeg or pdf format.
- A letter of recommendation from your snowsports school director or manager. In the event you hold that role at your school, please provide a letter of recommendation from your immediate supervisor or manager.
- Contact details for a second professional reference.
- Contact details for a third reference, professional or personal.
Please use this form to submit the required documents prior to February 28, 2024.
Thank you in advance.
Adaptive Snowboard
Registered Member
The biggest benefit of your membership is access to incredible learning opportunities and resources, so regardless of if your goals are something concrete like certification or accreditation, or if you just want to be a better teacher and skier, you’re in the right place.
- If you haven’t already joined a snowsports school, now is a good time to do that. Most instructors do their initial training through their own school.
- Check out these FREE resources:
- This is a great time to start learning even more about your craft. Your membership comes with FREE digital access to these manuals or you can access printed manuals here.
- Teaching Snowsports Manual
- Snowboard Technical Manual
- Teaching Children Snowsports Manual
- Adaptive Instruction Supplement: Diagnoses and Medication Classifications
- It’s also important that you spend time teaching lessons on-snow. Getting better at anything requires practice.
- If your goal is certification, develop a plan with your snowsports school director or training supervisor to learn what you need to know to be successful at Level I.
- As a registered member, you are eligible to take any event that doesn’t require certification as a prerequisite. Check out the Event Calendar to see your options!
Resources:
Adaptive Snowboard Level I Certification
Prerequisites
- It is highly recommended to be a current volunteer or employee of a snowsports school.
- We highly recommend a minimum of 50 hours of combined in-house training and actual on-hill teaching.
- Be a current Registered Member of PSIA-AASI in good standing and at least 14 years of age.
- Successfully score 80% or higher on the Adaptive Snowboard Professional Knowledge Exam for the disciplines the candidate is attempting.
- Complete the Adaptive Snowboard Professional Knowledge Exam prior to registering for the on-snow assessment.
- You should prepare by reading and/or consulting the:
- Adaptive Snowboard Guide
- Adaptive Instruction Supplement: Diagnoses & Medication Classifications
- PSIA-AASI Snowboard Certification Standards
- PSIA-AASI Fundamentals: The Learning Connection & Discipline-Specific Fundamentals
- PSIA-AASI Performance Guides
- If you are not already Snowboard Level I Certified, you should also study:
- Snowboard Technical Manual
- Teaching Snowsports manual
- Teaching Children Snowsports manual
- AASI Level I Assessment Guide
- Digital versions of these manuals are available from the National office.
- PLEASE NOTE: While a school director’s signature is not required, we strongly encourage you to notify your director so that he or she is both aware of and can help ensure that you are prepared for a successful exam experience. When you register for a Level I Certification Assessment you are attesting that you have read and completed all prerequisites prior to taking the Level I Certification Assessment.
Requirements
- Successfully pass an on-snow Adaptive Snowboard Assessment.
- At this assessment you will be expected to understand, teach and engage adaptive students in the Novice Zone.
- The candidate must attend a 2-day Level I Assessment.
- All participants must follow the PSIA-AASI Eastern Event Participant Safety Policy.
Once certified, click here for a summary of what is required to maintain PSIA-AASI Certification.
Resources
- AASI Level I Assessment Guide
- Adaptive Snowboard Professional Knowledge Exams
- Adaptive Snowboard Guide
- Level I Adaptive Workbook
- Event Calendar
- Digital Manuals
- Printed Manuals
- Certification Standards, Fundamentals and Performance Guides
- Event Participant Safety Policy
- Digital Learning Hub
- The Matrix
- Member Customized Events
- Eastern Webinars
- Eastern Online Courses
- Guide for New Instructors
Continuing Education
There are lots of options to continue your professional growth and maintain your certification both on and off snow.
*What is a member required to do to maintain certification?
For on-snow events, please see the Event Calendar.
Filter the calendar by:
- month
- discipline
- event location
- state
- resort
- and/or type of clinic to see options.
Online courses you can complete at your own pace:
If you need the flexibility of an online option, we have several e-learning courses you can take to earn credits:
Go to: Eastern Online Courses for the following options (6 CEUs each):
- History of Skiing
- History of Snowboarding
- Aging and the Senior Skier
- Teaching Students with Developmental/Intellectual Disabilities
Go to: Digital Learning Hub Courses for other E-Learning Courses:
- Skate to Ski (6 CEUs)
- Teaching Families and Groups (6 CEUs)
- Alpine Movement Analysis (1 CEU)
- ACL Strong – Knee Injury Prevention (2 CEUs)
- And more non-credit and 1 credit programs.
Prerecorded webinars that offer credits:
There are many prerecorded webinars you can watch at your convenience to earn CEU credits.
Go to: Eastern Webinars Eastern programs include the following and more:
- Exploring Common Movements Between Disciplines (1 CEU) with Kathy Brennan, Brian Donovan and Keith Rodney
- Converting Beginners into Lifelong Snowsports Enthusiasts (1 CEU) with Joe Forte
- Movement Prioritization (1 CEU) with Nate Gardner
- Stance and Alignment: The Alpine Boot and the Body (1 CEU) with Dave Taylor
Go to: Digital Learning Hub Webinars for National programs including and more:
- The Importance of Failure (1 CEU) with Mermer Blakeslee and Maggie Loring
- The Unified Assessment Form: An Examiner’s Perspective (1 CEU) with Eric Rolls
- Checking Under the Hood Webinar (1 CEU) with Krista Crabtree and Heidi Ettlinger
- The Art of Being (More) Emotionally Intelligent (1 CEU) with Fran Tone
- Create Your Own Place at the Table (1 CEU) with Amy Gan
Specialist Accreditations
If you have a particular area of interest, now that you’ve achieved your Level I certification, you are eligible to take some of the specialist courses. These are nationally recognized “Certificate Based” programs that address teaching special populations or activities. The courses have an evaluative component, but they are also highly educational in nature. Take advantage of any of these educational opportunities that are focused on your particular area(s) of interest. If you are working toward your Alpine Level II certification, be aware that the Children’s Specialist 1 is a prerequisite course for the Alpine Level II Teaching Assessment.
Choose any discipline to find more about Certification and Professional Development
We have developed pathways for learning for each of the main disciplines and accreditations. Click on a discipline to learn more about options for learning, whether you are looking to maintain your certification or earn a new one.