First Chair: PSIA-AASI Podcast

Welcome to the First Chair Podcast—the official podcast of PSIA-AASI.Hosted by the Professional Ski Instructors of America and the American Association of Snowboard Instructors (PSIA-AASI), First Chair features conversations with leading educators, instructors, coaches, and industry experts from across the snowsports community.Whether you're preparing for certification, refining your teaching skills, improving your movement analysis, or simply looking to become a better instructor, each episode offers practical insights and real conversations you can take to the hill.Subscribe for new episodes every week throughout the winter season.Learn more about PSIA-AASI and membership:https://www.thesnowpros.orgConnect with us to learn more: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesnowpros Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesnowpros YouTube: @thesnowpros

First Chair: PSIA-AASI Podcast is a sports podcast hosted by the Professional Ski Instructors, with 500 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

the Professional Ski Instructors hosts First Chair: PSIA-AASI Podcast, a sports show with 500 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

• 

  First Chair: PSIA-AASI Podcast

  Beyond Mechanics | Movement analysis, a tool for connection + Confidence with josh smith

  Sep 15, 202616 min

  Movement analysis is about more than identifying what needs to change — it can also be a powerful tool for building trust, confidence, and connection with your guests. In this episode of First Chair, host George Thomas sits down with PSIA-AASI National Team member Josh Smith to explore how instructors can use movement analysis to highlight strengths, create buy-in, and make feedback more meaningful. Josh shares examples from terrain park coaching and beginner lessons, along with practical strategies like reading tracks in the snow, observing body language, and getting guests more involved in their own learning. George and Josh also discuss the importance of how feedback is delivered and how looking beyond mechanics can help instructors create more effective, student-centered lessons.

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  First Chair: PSIA-AASI Podcast

  Matching Students With Instructors: The RASPYS Framework with Paul Geoghegan

  Sep 1, 202631 min

  How much can you learn about a young skier before the lesson even begins? In this episode of First Chair, host George Thomas sits down with longtime instructor and trainer Paul Geoghegan to explore the ideas behind his 32 Degrees article, “Matching Students w/ Instructors Through the Rapid Assessment Protocol for Young Skiers.” Paul introduces RAPYS, a framework designed to help supervisors and instructors make more thoughtful student-instructor matches by considering five key areas: emotional, equipment, cultural, physical, and experience. The framework grew out of observing experienced supervisors who could seemingly look at a young skier and instinctively determine which instructor might be the best fit. George and Paul explore what those observations look like in practice—from noticing an apprehensive child holding onto a parent's leg to recognizing how experience in hockey, ice skating, dance, or gymnastics might translate to learning on snow. Paul also explains why online booking, while convenient, can't always capture the human factors that can determine whether a lesson succeeds. Most importantly, Paul argues that RAPYS isn't necessarily about following a rigid scoring system. It's a framework for thinking more intentionally about the person standing in front of you—and creating an environment where they feel safe, supported, and ready to learn.

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  First Chair: PSIA-AASI Podcast

  Stacked in Your Favor with Peter Novom

  Aug 18, 202626 min

  What does it really mean to be balanced on skis — especially when you’re constantly in motion? In this episode of **First Chair**, host George Thomas sits down with PSIA-AASI National Team member Peter Novom to dig deeper into the ideas behind Peter’s *32 Degrees* article, **“Stacked in Your Favor.”** Peter explores why great skiing isn’t about trying to recreate a perfect position or snapshot. Instead, it’s about learning to balance in motion, anticipate what’s coming next, and use the feedback from your skis and body to continually adapt. George and Peter break down practical exercises like statue stops and leapers, including how these drills can expose asymmetries, challenge your ability to move with your equipment, and provide immediate feedback about your skiing. Peter also explains why struggling with an exercise isn’t necessarily a bad thing — sometimes failure is exactly what creates the awareness needed for that next “aha” moment. They also explore the “trap of retrospective skiing,” why focusing too much on what just happened can hold you back, and how anticipating your next movement can help you stay ahead of your skis. Most importantly, Peter encourages instructors to take these ideas beyond the podcast and the page: try the exercises, experiment with the parameters, and make the learning your own. Listen to the conversation. Then read Peter’s article in 32 Degrees. Take the concepts on snow and see what you discover. Learn more at thesnowpros.org.

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  First Chair: PSIA-AASI Podcast

  The Space Between Skills & Connection | Teaching Beyond Technique with Melodie Buell

  Aug 4, 202621 min

  What if the most important thing your students remember isn't what you taught—but how you made them feel? In this episode of First Chair, George Thomas sits down with PSIA-AASI National Team member Melodie Buell to explore the ideas behind her article, "The Space Between Skills and Connection." Together, they discuss why great instruction is about more than technical skills, and how emotional awareness, trust, and authentic connection can transform the learning experience. Melodie shares practical strategies for reading your students, avoiding false positivity, using professional vulnerability effectively, giving students voice and choice, and adapting your teaching to meet learners where they are. Whether you're teaching first-time skiers, preparing for certification, or coaching experienced riders, this conversation offers valuable insights into becoming a more impactful instructor. Topics include: Why students remember how you made them feel Moving beyond constant positivity Building trust through attunement Professional vulnerability in teaching Voice and choice in lesson planning Recognizing changing student needs Learning vs. earning credentials Creating experiences students never forget If you enjoyed this conversation, be sure to subscribe for more episodes of First Chair, featuring conversations with the people shaping the future of snowsports instruction.

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  First Chair: PSIA-AASI Podcast

  Applying the 5E Instructional Model to Ski Instruction with Joe Taylor

  Jul 21, 202621 min

  What if the secret to better ski lessons came from science class? In this episode of First Chair, George Thomas sits down with Joe Taylor to talk about a surprisingly powerful teaching framework: the 5E instructional model. Joe breaks down how Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate can help ski instructors create lessons that feel less like a lecture and more like an “aha!” moment on snow. Joe shares how his background in physics, science education, and ski instruction led him to a simple idea: students learn better when they discover the feeling first, then put the pieces together. That means more student voice, more curiosity, and more learning that actually sticks. From wedge christies to steeper terrain, this conversation shows how the 5E model can make lessons more engaging, more memorable, and way more effective. You’ll hear how the 5E model lines up with the PSIA teaching cycle, why “explore before explain” works so well, and how research backs up this student-led approach. If you’re a ski or snowboard instructor looking for fresh ideas that are practical, research-based, and easy to remember, this episode is packed with takeaways. In this episode: Why students should explore before they’re explained to How the 5E model fits ski instruction Ways to boost motivation and ownership How to turn one skill into a transferable movement pattern Why this method works especially well for adult learners Simple, smart, and seriously useful for snowsports instructors who want better lessons without overcomplicating the process.

  ListenShow Notes

Based on semantic analysis of episode topics and host coverage, this show is a strong guest fit for executives in:

Industry fit is computed by PitchCentric using vector embeddings of the show's episode catalog.