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 a specialist program, 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
- Alpine Technical Manual
- Teaching Children Snowsports 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 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:
Telemark Level I Certification
Prerequisites
- Be a current Registered Member of PSIA-AASI in good standing and at least 14 years of age.
- Complete the Telemark Level I Professional Knowledge Exam prior to registering for the on-snow assessment.
- You should prepare by reading the Telemark Level I Assessment Guide and Telemark Technical Manual as well as the Teaching 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 exam.
Requirements
- Successfully pass an on-snow assessment including the Assessment Criteria in the Telemark Certification Standards.
- At this assessment you will be expected to understand, teach and engage students in the Novice Zone.
- The candidate may attend any two (or more) day Telemark educational event, and declare interest in attaining Level I Certification as part of the registration process. Some events are excluded, such as Level II and Level III exam prep, or events where a Level I Certification could not be included.
- 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
- Telemark Level I Professional Knowledge Exam
- Telemark Level I Assessment Guide
- Digital Manuals
- Certification Standards, Fundamentals and Performance Guides
- Event Participant Safety Policy
- Telemark Assessment Forms
- Digital Learning Hub
- The Matrix
- Member Customized Events
- Event Calendar
- Telemark Teaching Videos
- Nordic Assessment Prerequisites
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
Children’s or Freestyle Specialist 1
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.
Telemark Level II Certification
Prerequisites
- Telemark Level I Certified and a current member or Alpine, Snowboard or Cross Country Level II Certified and follow the Crossover / Cross Discipline Policy.
- Pass Telemark Level II Professional Knowledge Exam online prior to registering for on-snow portion.
- Attend a Telemark prerequisite course in the season you take the assessment or either of the two previous seasons.
Requirements
- Successfully pass a Telemark Level II on-snow assessment. Candidates will be evaluated on the Assessment Criteria of the National Standards as listed in the Telemark Certification Standards.
- All participants must follow the PSIA-AASI Eastern Event Participant Safety Policy.
Resources
- Telemark Level II Professional Knowledge Exam
- Telemark Level II & III Assessment Guide
- Digital Manuals
- Event Participant Safety Policy
- Certification Standards, Fundamentals and Performance Guides
- Digital Learning Hub
- The Matrix
- Telemark Assessment Forms
- Event Calendar
- Member Customized Events
- Telemark Teaching Videos
- Nordic Assessment Prerequisites
Children’s, Freestyle or Adaptive Specialist 2 or 3
If you want to continue your professional development in your particular area of interest, Children’s Specialist 2, Freestyle Specialist 2 or 3 or Adaptive Specialist 2 or 3 are great options.
Once you’ve achieved your Alpine Level II, you are also eligible to take any courses that require a Level II certification as a prerequisite, so even if you’ve achieved your certification goals already, there are still lots of opportunities to improve your skills in educational clinics. You can also consider some of the Level III Prep events as a way to keep moving forward in your professional development.
Telemark Level III Certification
Prerequisites
- Must be Telemark Level II Certified and a current member or Alpine, Snowboard or Cross Country Level III Certified and follow the Crossover / Cross Discipline Policy.
- Pass the online Telemark Level III Professional Knowledge Exam prior to registering for on-snow components.
- Attend a Telemark prerequisite course in the season you take the assessment or either of the two previous seasons.
Requirements
- Successfully pass a Telemark Level III on-snow assessment. Candidates will be evaluated on the Assessment Criteria of the National Standards as listed in the Telemark Certification Standards.
- All participants must follow the PSIA-AASI Eastern Event Participant Safety Policy.
Resources
- Telemark Level III Professional Knowledge Exam
- Telemark Level II & III Assessment Guide
- Digital Manuals
- Event Participant Safety Policy
- Certification Standards, Fundamentals and Performance Guides
- Digital Learning Hub
- The Matrix
- Telemark Assessment Forms
- Telemark Teaching Videos
- Nordic Assessment Prerequisites
Development Team
Are you a Level III instructor who would like to take it to the next level and join the Education Staff? The Dev Team is a group of highly skilled Level III instructors who are training to become Eastern 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.
The Development Team Tryout is your first step toward joining the PSIA-AASI Eastern Education Staff. Through this rigorous, on-snow interview, selectors evaluate your readiness for the Development Team—an up to four-year training program where talented instructors refine their skills and prepare for Education Staff service.
This event functions as both a professional interview and an on-snow evaluation of skills. Participants demonstrate their ability to apply the Learning Connection Model—integrating people skills, teaching skills, and technical skills—while modeling the highest levels of professionalism, communication, and self-awareness.
ACE Development Team
The ACE (Advanced Children’s Educators) staff is a highly trained and very experienced group of snowsports educators specializing in Children’s snowsports education. The ACE Team is responsible for delivering the Children’s focused events throughout the season. In addition to delivering these events, the ACE Team plays a key role in working with the entire education staff regarding Children’s snowsports education.
Are you a Level III instructor who would like to take it to the next level and join the Education Staff? The Dev Team is a group of highly skilled Level III instructors who are training to become Eastern 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.
The Development Team Tryout is your first step toward joining the PSIA-AASI Eastern Education Staff. Through this rigorous, on-snow interview, selectors evaluate your readiness for the Development Team—an up to four-year training program where talented instructors refine their skills and prepare for Education Staff service.
This event functions as both a professional interview and an on-snow evaluation of skills. Participants demonstrate their ability to apply the Learning Connection Model—integrating people skills, teaching skills, and technical skills—while modeling the highest levels of professionalism, communication, and self-awareness.
Eastern Team
The Eastern Team Tryout is a rigorous, on-snow interview and selection process for PSIA-AASI Eastern members seeking to represent the region on the Eastern Team in preparation for the 2028 National Team Tryout. Eastern Team members serve as ambassadors for the Learning Connection Model and demonstrate leadership across the people, teaching, and technical skills that define PSIA-AASI’s highest standards.
This multi-discipline event will closely mirror the National Tryout environment. Candidates will participate in both cross-discipline activities—where Adaptive, Alpine, Cross Country, Snowboard, and Telemark candidates may all be present—and discipline-specific sessions designed to highlight individual strengths. Our goal is to identify educators who exhibit exceptional versatility, professionalism, and a strong ability to perform, coach, and inspire across all facets of snowsports education.
Choose any discipline to find more about Certification and Professional Development
We have developed pathways for learning for each of the main disciplines and specialties. Click on a discipline to learn more about options for learning, whether you are looking to maintain your certification or earn a new one.