Intro To The Riding Model for Snowboard Instructing
For those of you who want to get into teaching snowboarding, let me introduce you to the Riding Model, or the Y-Model. The Y-Model consists of the core elements in riding and proficiency levels of each for teaching and becoming certified. It goes like this:
AASI Y-Model
It starts at the bottom with New Riders, and moves properly up through the turns: basic and dynamic. Now this is a brief model as there are multiple ways to do a dynamic turn. It moves on up to 180’s, switch riding and carving. Now, for a Level 1 Instructor, you must have 90% proficiency in everything up to dynamic turns and a 50% proficiency in the categories above.
But don’t think that because you’re a great rider and have better than 50% in the upper levels, means you can become a Level 1 Instructor. A large portion of the Level 1 exam is geared toward professional knowledge. This includes riding concepts, teaching concepts, movement analysis and professionalism and on-hill safety.
When I took my level 1 we had enough people at my home mountain and requested an exam be held there. In those 2 days I learned that AASI is not there to harshly criticize your riding or teaching skills, but there to guide you. These people truly enjoy and have a passion for their sport love to ride and share with you. It’s not about who’s better, who has moved up levels, but about having fun together and learning along the way. Having a passion, feeling so strongly about something so much is a gift that most people haven’t experienced. I further my skills and share my love of the sport by teaching and I hope to for a long time.
Next: I might dive into the differences between a basic and dynamic turn.
East Coast Mountain Openings for Skiing/Snowboarding
So of the mountains I continually check up on and like to go to, here are some openings. I’m so glad that I don’t have to wait till January to go snowboarding, what a drag that is. And though I could have gone riding this weekend if I was paying attention, I did absolutely nothing, but I haven’t tuned my ride yet, so it’s ok. This weekend I plan to be on snow.
Killington VT opened November 19th!
Windham Mtn opened November 19th for the weekend and will re-open Wed, for the season.
Hunter Mountain opened November 22nd!
Mount Snow, VT opened November 22nd!
Smuggler’s Notch VT Oopening set for November 28th
Belleayre Mountain opening set for November 28th
Mount Peter, NY plans to open late Nov/early Dec.
Mountain Creek is set to open December 6th
Any favs or local hills you have news on? Leave it with us, I’d love to know everything that’s going on on the East Coast.
Get a Burton Snowboard at 20% Off Or More
This week, without fail, I received an email from evoGear.com with an offer. This weeks offer is worth sharing. evoGear.com has An Additional 20% Off 2009 (and some 08) Burton Blem Snowboards. What is a blem? It’s a board that has a cosmetic defect that will not affect the performance. My current board was a blem, or a second. I wanted the Rome Blue so bad in 07′ that I searched high and low in NY shops. I finally found a shop that had the size I needed, but the guy informed me it was a second. Personally, we couldn’t find any reason why it was a second (Rome turns out only the best), so I bought it, and for a $100 less. Two seasons later, I’m still riding it and others still drool over it. So check out evoGear’s Blem Section. Good time to get a beater board or one for teaching at such a low price!
