Why join PSIA?

Walt wrote:
Ron Capik wrote:
I'm a long time skier but somewhat new (part time)
instructor. I've been thinking about joining PSIA
to learn a bit more about the art of instructing.

In looking at associated PSIA costs I'm having
a rough time balancing the costs and benefits.

Seems the costs of membership, clinics,
certification programs, etc. would out strip
most teaching income.

What am I missing?

You're thinking about it the wrong way. The real cost of being a ski
instructor is "opportunity cost". That is, you spend the better part of
the season on the bunny hill or coaxing newbies down the green runs
instead of (real) skiing. Missed skiing time is the object of value
that you give up, not the piddling $70 (or whatever) membership fee.

I suppose one can rationalize the missed opportunity cost if you're
doing the full-time ski instructor thing, but for those of us who have
real jobs (9-5 M-F or similar) the opportunities to ski are few enough
as it is without having a commitment to demonstrate the wedge ad nauseum.

Ok, so you've decided to do the instructor thing - great. Might as well
get certified. You'll probably learn a bit from the other instructors
(but this may be happening already without membership) and you'll get a
piece of paper. You're already paying the expensive part of the program
(missed opportunity) so pay the couple of extra bucks to complete the
project.

You forget: if you're an instructor you can be at the mountain all the
time, free skiing when you're not teaching. I quote, "real jobs (9-5 M-F
or similar)", are at the mountain maybe 1/5 as often as a real
instructor, and get zilch days skiing comparatively.

Secondly: another bennie of PSIA is working at real mountains - the
biggies can be particular, only hiring certified instructors with
experience and recommendations. Instructing is an actual career for some
of the high level guys, with wealthy repeat clients.

Thirdly: while we all like to disparage PSIA and instructors the more
rational of us admit some of those guys are dam fine skiers and a treat
to watch - I think much of that skill came through PSIA.

lal_truckee wrote:
Walt wrote:
Ron Capik wrote:
I'm a long time skier but somewhat new (part time)
instructor. I've been thinking about joining PSIA
to learn a bit more about the art of instructing.

In looking at associated PSIA costs I'm having
a rough time balancing the costs and benefits.

Seems the costs of membership, clinics,
certification programs, etc. would out strip
most teaching income.

What am I missing?

You're thinking about it the wrong way. The real cost of being a ski
instructor is "opportunity cost". That is, you spend the better part
of the season on the bunny hill or coaxing newbies down the green runs
instead of (real) skiing. Missed skiing time is the object of value
that you give up, not the piddling $70 (or whatever) membership fee.

I suppose one can rationalize the missed opportunity cost if you're
doing the full-time ski instructor thing, but for those of us who have
real jobs (9-5 M-F or similar) the opportunities to ski are few enough
as it is without having a commitment to demonstrate the wedge ad nauseum.

Ok, so you've decided to do the instructor thing - great. Might as
well get certified. You'll probably learn a bit from the other
instructors (but this may be happening already without membership) and
you'll get a piece of paper. You're already paying the expensive part
of the program (missed opportunity) so pay the couple of extra bucks
to complete the project.

You forget: if you're an instructor you can be at the mountain all the
time, free skiing when you're not teaching. I quote, "real jobs (9-5 M-F
or similar)", are at the mountain maybe 1/5 as often as a real
instructor, and get zilch days skiing comparatively.

Secondly: another bennie of PSIA is working at real mountains - the
biggies can be particular, only hiring certified instructors with
experience and recommendations. Instructing is an actual career for some
of the high level guys, with wealthy repeat clients.

Thirdly: while we all like to disparage PSIA and instructors the more
rational of us admit some of those guys are dam fine skiers and a treat
to watch - I think much of that skill came through PSIA.

Nah, mileage is the best teacher with lessons/clinics shortening
the learning curve. I like to watch ski patrollers ski. Some of
them have some "bad habits" but they are damned effective skiers
in spite of this.

lal_truckee wrote:
Walt wrote:
Ron Capik wrote:
I'm a long time skier but somewhat new (part time)
instructor. I've been thinking about joining PSIA
to learn a bit more about the art of instructing.

In looking at associated PSIA costs I'm having
a rough time balancing the costs and benefits.

Seems the costs of membership, clinics,
certification programs, etc. would out strip
most teaching income.

What am I missing?

You're thinking about it the wrong way. The real cost of being a ski
instructor is "opportunity cost". That is, you spend the better part
of the season on the bunny hill or coaxing newbies down the green runs
instead of (real) skiing. Missed skiing time is the object of value
that you give up, not the piddling $70 (or whatever) membership fee.

I suppose one can rationalize the missed opportunity cost if you're
doing the full-time ski instructor thing, but for those of us who have
real jobs (9-5 M-F or similar) the opportunities to ski are few enough
as it is without having a commitment to demonstrate the wedge ad nauseum.

Ok, so you've decided to do the instructor thing - great. Might as
well get certified. You'll probably learn a bit from the other
instructors (but this may be happening already without membership) and
you'll get a piece of paper. You're already paying the expensive part
of the program (missed opportunity) so pay the couple of extra bucks
to complete the project.

You forget: if you're an instructor you can be at the mountain all the
time, free skiing when you're not teaching.

No, I can't. I've got this thing called a "job" that ties me up 5 days
a week. It sucks, but it's better than the alternative.

I quote, "real jobs (9-5 M-F
or similar)", are at the mountain maybe 1/5 as often as a real
instructor, and get zilch days skiing comparatively.

Right. People with "real jobs" don't ski as much as a full-time
instructor. But people with "real jobs" who try to do the ski
instructor thing on the side don't get in as much free skiing as we
civilians.

Secondly: another bennie of PSIA is working at real mountains - the
biggies can be particular, only hiring certified instructors with
experience and recommendations. Instructing is an actual career for some
of the high level guys, with wealthy repeat clients.

Nice work if you can get it. (c:


Thirdly: while we all like to disparage PSIA and instructors the more
rational of us admit some of those guys are dam fine skiers and a treat
to watch - I think much of that skill came through PSIA.

I don't disparage PSIA instructors. Most of them are better skiers than
I'll ever be.

My point is that there are costs and benefits associated with being a
ski instructor, and the most expensive cost is the time. Everything
else pales in comparison, and to kick about a $70 membership fee after
giving up that much free-skiing time is misplacing priorities. The OP
is doing the part-time instructor thing and I assume he also has a "real
job". So his opportunities to ski is limited to weekends, and a couple
of weeks a year - to spend that time instructing instead of free skiing
is giving up something of value much greater than the cost of membership.

You can say something similar about ski patrol - anybody who thinks it's
a way to ski for free is deluding themselves. Like ski instructors, I'm
very glad that somebody does it. Somebody else, that is.

//Walt

Walt wrote:


, ...snip...

My point is that there are costs and benefits associated with being a
ski instructor, and the most expensive cost is the time. Everything
else pales in comparison, and to kick about a $70 membership fee after
giving up that much free-skiing time is misplacing priorities. The OP
is doing the part-time instructor thing and I assume he also has a "real
job". So his opportunities to ski is limited to weekends, and a couple
of weeks a year - to spend that time instructing instead of free skiing
is giving up something of value much greater than the cost of membership.

//Walt

You assume wrong.


Later...

Ron Capik
--

Ron,

Most of the benefits and costs of being a ski instructor have been
thoroughly mentioned above save one - Equipment costs.

As a current ski instructor (Level 1 Alpine/Level 1 Tele), my
equipment costs are better than the typical beginning/end of season
sale at your local ski shop. Most local shops have a pro night during
the season where instructors can get fit properly and purchase new
equipment at 40-50% off. There are many established relationships
between ski manufacturers, boot manufacturers, and other associated
equipment producers with PSIA. Additionally PSIA members may purchase
equipment above and beyond what is available to the general public
(for example bindings with higher DIN ranges).

Additionally when you travel with your PSIA card there is often
discounted lift tickets available at most mountains.

Hope this helps.

Owen

The advantage, from my perspective, is that now that I'm certified, I get
higher priority for the advanced classes (and since I'm teaching kids and
not adults, there's a much better than average chance on any given day that
there will be multiple advanced classes, and that I can go somewhere other
than the bunny hill).

As far as the quality of the instruction and whatnot, it depends a whole
lotsa. Our local PSIA guys are good and they're not a bunch of theory
weenies, so when you take a clinic with them, you actually do learn
something.

Mary Malmros wrote:

The advantage, from my perspective, is that now that I'm certified, I get
higher priority for the advanced classes (and since I'm teaching kids and
not adults, there's a much better than average chance on any given day that
there will be multiple advanced classes, and that I can go somewhere other
than the bunny hill).

As far as the quality of the instruction and whatnot, it depends a whole
lotsa. Our local PSIA guys are good and they're not a bunch of theory
weenies, so when you take a clinic with them, you actually do learn
something.

Seems I've earned that high priority without certification. I've
even gotten advanced assignments ahead of some full time
instructors. I was also assigned private lessons my first season
teaching.

Best class I got was from a high school bus trip. I got the expert
kids, with a waver allowing them on the blacks. [mountain policy,
no blacks for school groups without special permission.]

Seems I'm still not quite sold.


Later...

Ron Capik
--

"Ron Capik" wrote in message
...
Mary Malmros wrote:

The advantage, from my perspective, is that now that I'm certified, I get
higher priority for the advanced classes (and since I'm teaching kids and
not adults, there's a much better than average chance on any given day
that
there will be multiple advanced classes, and that I can go somewhere
other
than the bunny hill).

As far as the quality of the instruction and whatnot, it depends a whole
lotsa. Our local PSIA guys are good and they're not a bunch of theory
weenies, so when you take a clinic with them, you actually do learn
something.

Seems I've earned that high priority without certification. I've
even gotten advanced assignments ahead of some full time
instructors. I was also assigned private lessons my first season
teaching.

Best class I got was from a high school bus trip. I got the expert
kids, with a waver allowing them on the blacks. [mountain policy,
no blacks for school groups without special permission.]

Seems I'm still not quite sold.

It sounds like your background is being well respected by your employer.
Not everyone has that advantage.

Maybe if you joined, you might get into it, and work your way up
to a trainer of teachers, or even an examiner. It might be even more
interesting, and a good way to share the skills your have refined.

Bob

Ron Capik wrote:
Mary Malmros wrote:

The advantage, from my perspective, is that now that I'm certified, I get
higher priority for the advanced classes (and since I'm teaching kids and
not adults, there's a much better than average chance on any given day that
there will be multiple advanced classes, and that I can go somewhere other
than the bunny hill).

As far as the quality of the instruction and whatnot, it depends a whole
lotsa. Our local PSIA guys are good and they're not a bunch of theory
weenies, so when you take a clinic with them, you actually do learn
something.

Seems I've earned that high priority without certification. I've
even gotten advanced assignments ahead of some full time
instructors. I was also assigned private lessons my first season
teaching.

Best class I got was from a high school bus trip. I got the expert
kids, with a waver allowing them on the blacks. [mountain policy,
no blacks for school groups without special permission.]

Seems I'm still not quite sold.


Later...

Ron Capik
--

Do you ever have a notion to take your skills to another mountain?
Wouldn't you have to start at the bottom again if you did so
and were not PSIA certified?

VtSkier wrote:

Ron Capik wrote:
, ...snip...

Seems I'm still not quite sold.


Later...

Ron Capik
--

Do you ever have a notion to take your skills to another mountain?
Wouldn't you have to start at the bottom again if you did so
and were not PSIA certified?

Not all that high a probability, I live in New Jersey and don't expect to
move in the near future. There aren't many ski [umm.. ] hills near by. ;-}

I'll likely visit real mountains now and then just to ski.


Later...

Ron Capik
--