Best PSIAAASI Podcast The First Chair Podcasts (2025)

1
Katie and Kevin DONE 21:29

Play Pause

9h ago21:29

21:29

First Chair connects with National Team members Katie White and Kevin Jordan as they join us from Portillo, Chile. They talk about why late-season training camps are such a powerful way to get extra time on snow, sharpen technique, and build momentum heading into winter. Katie explains how Portillo’s highly qualified ski school and affordable lesso…

1
Skiing South America: Kevin Jordan on Training in Portillo, Chile 19:44

20d ago19:44

19:44

First Chair connects with PSIA-AASI Team member Kevin Jordan to explore what it means to train in the Southern Hemisphere during the North American summer. Kevin dives into the story behind launching Condor Camps in Portillo, Chile, and why the Andes are such a unique classroom for instructors. He shares how South America offers everything from ste…

1
Episode 761 | How Teaching Mountain Biking Can Make You a Better Ski or Snowboard Instructor 25:10

28d ago25:10

25:10

First Chair catches up with Aspen Snowmass instructor and PSIA-AASI National Team member Kevin Jordan to talk about the growing crossover between skiing, snowboarding, and mountain biking. Kevin shares how summer bike instruction builds camaraderie among instructors, sharpens teaching skills for winter, and opens doors to new certification opportun…

1
EPISODE 760 | Collaboration, Communication, and Cooperation with Grace Center do Ouro 16:27

2M ago16:27

16:27

In this episode of the First Chair Podcast, George Thomas chats with Grace Center Du Oro, recipient of the PSIA-AASI Three Cs Award for communication, collaboration, and cooperation. Grace shares her journey from weekend warrior at Hoodoo to becoming the resort’s new Ski and Ride School Director. She reflects on building community, the value of men…

1
Episode 759 | Dale Drennan on a Life of Learning, Teaching, and the Power of Tele Turns 19:22

2M ago19:22

19:22

In this episode of First Chair, George Thomas catches up with Dale Drennan, recipient of PSIA-AASI’s Educational Excellence Award. Dale shares her journey from learning to ski in the Poconos in 1957 to becoming a lifelong educator across multiple disciplines—from English to swimming to Nordic and telemark skiing.Tune in to hear Dale’s reflections o…

1
Episode 758 | Year-Round Ski and Ride Training with SkyTechSport 22:19

3M ago22:19

22:19

In this episode of First Chair, George Thomas talks with SkyTechSport co-founder Alex Golunov and account manager Connor Bishop about how their cutting-edge ski and snowboard simulator is helping people train smarter—anytime, anywhere. Learn how the simulator replicates g-forces, edge angles, and pressure points to support both high-performance ath…

1
Episode 757 | The 5 Elements of Inspirational Instruction - Part 3 - w/ Dr. Josh Pighetti 58:45

3M ago58:45

58:45

In the final episode of this three-part series, host George Thomas is joined by Dr. Josh Pighetti and PSIA-AASI National Team members Matt Larson and Zoe Mavis for a deep dive into the Five Elements of Inspirational Instruction: Technical Expertise, Instructional Communication, Masterful Teaching, Professional Character, and a Student-Centered Appr…

1
Episode 756 | The Five Elements of Inspirational Instruction — Part 2 w/ Dr. Josh Pighetti 12:08

3M ago12:08

12:08

In Episode 756 of the First Chair Podcast, George Thomas continues the conversation with Dr. Josh Pighetti to explore the remaining three of the Five Elements of Inspirational Instruction: Masterful Teaching, Personal and Professional Character, and the Student-Centered Approach. These principles—rooted in Josh’s doctoral research—offer actionable …

1
Episode 755 | The Five Elements of Inspirational Instruction — Part 1 w/ Dr. Josh Pighetti 14:36

3M ago14:36

14:36

In Episode 755 of the First Chair Podcast, George Thomas talks with Dr. Josh Pighetti about the first two of the Five Elements of Inspirational Instruction: Technical Expertise and Instructional Communication. These insights come from Josh’s doctoral research and offer practical tools for creating more impactful, student-centered lessons have power…

1
Episode 754 | A National Team Member's Path to Adaptive Level III with Lyndsey Stevens 17:00

3M ago17:00

17:00

In this episode of First Chair, PSIA-AASI National Team member Lyndsey Stevens joins host George Thomas to discuss her recent achievement of earning her Adaptive Snowboard Level III certification — the first in over a decade in the Rocky Mountain Region.Lyndsey shares how her path into adaptive snowsports began at Vail, and how that experience resh…

1
Episode 753: Finding Balance with Gibbon Slacklines and the Giboard 20:40

4M ago20:40

20:40

In this episode, George Thomas talks with Brian Pate and Derek Mikulski from Gibbon Slacklines about how balance training can elevate your performance on snow. They dive into the science behind balance, stability, and body awareness—and how the Gibbon Giboard offers a fun and effective way to build those skills. For instructors, the Giboard is more…

1
Episode 752: Inside National Academy: A Conversation with Jeff Lifgren 8:45

5M ago8:45

8:45

Episode 752: Inside National Academy: A Conversation with Jeff Lifgren by PSIA-AASI First Chair PodcastBy PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast

1
Episode 751: National Team Member Lyndsey Stevens Talks Spring Riding, Team Tryouts, and Interski 13:46

5M ago13:46

13:46

In this episode, George Thomas catches up with PSIA-AASI Snowboard Team member Lyndsey Stevens. They chat about the shift into spring riding, exam season, and what it’s like to go through National Team tryouts—not once, but twice. Lyndsey shares her perspective on coaching at Rider Rally, prepping for an adaptive exam, and her excitement about Inte…

1
EPISODE 750 | Connecting with the Nation’s First ‘Doctor of Snowsports Education’ 22:00

5M ago22:00

22:00

On this episode, we chat with Josh Pighetti who just earned his doctorate degree in Recreation, Park and Tourism Management. This has taken over two years to complete and has a direct relation to snowsports instruction. Learn more by tuning in and at thesnowpros.org. Over the last few years, I’d been researching how snowsports instructors can inspi…

1
Episode 749 | Building a Strong Snowsports Culture with Jen Lockwood 15:44

6M ago15:44

15:44

On this episode, we chat with Jen Lockwood, training coordinator at Mount Hood Meadows Ski and Ride School, about building a strong instructor culture. Jen shares insights on developing training programs, balancing staff education with guest experience, and fostering career growth within PSIA-AASI. We also discuss the importance of adaptive instruc…

1
EPISODE 748 | Power & Grace: 2025 Women’s Summit Recap with Ying Liu 16:02

6M ago16:02

16:02

On this episode, we chat with Ying Liu about the 2025 PSIA-AASI Women's Summit at Solitude, an event dedicated to skill development, inclusivity, and connection. Ying dives into this year’s theme, “Connecting Through Power and Grace,” and how it applies to both skiing and teaching. We explore key takeaways from the event, including technical coachi…

1
episode 747 | Meet PSIA-AASI's New CEO, Jeff Lifgren 18:10

6M ago18:10

18:10

In this episode of First Chair, host George Thomas sits down with Jeff Lifgren, the newly appointed CEO of PSIA-AASI. Jeff shares his journey from working at top destination resorts like Breckenridge and Park City to leading ski schools across the country, including smaller Mid-Atlantic resorts. He discusses the value of diverse teaching experience…

1
EPISODE 746 | From Level 1 to National Team member in 5 Years – Meet Justin Arndt 21:53

6M ago21:53

21:53

Tune in and learn more about our newest Cross Country team member, Justin Arndt. Justin got his first certification in the Rocky Mountain region at the age of 16 and climbed the ranks all the way to a National Team member at the age of 21. At 21, Justin is the youngest member to ever join the team. He talks about his journey and some of the challen…

1
EPISODE 745 | Learn About the First International Symposium on Snowsports Education 24:49

6M ago24:49

24:49

Join us for an interesting chat with Pete Allison who just got back from Bulgaria where he attended the first International Symposium on Snow Sports Education, an event organized by the National Sports Academy "Vassil Levski" in Bulgaria. The symposium brought together experts, educators, and industry professionals to discuss the development and im…

1
Episode 744 | Taking Yourself Beyond Your Region and Discipline 25:12

7M ago25:12

25:12

Join us on this fun episode with Angelo Ross and Pete Allison as they discuss the benefits of traveling to a new region to take clinics or assessments in other regions across the country. To Angelo, the benefits are endless. From navigating a new parking lot to meeting new people to experiencing the way other people teach, traveling to another regi…

1
EPISODE 743 | The Benefits of Exploring Freestyle Skiing and Riding 26:43

7M ago26:43

26:43

National Team members Matt Larson and Peter Novom join us this week for a deep dive into the benefits of trying and joining freestyle events. Freestyle is an exploration of skiing and snowboarding. Freestyle is an exploration of your own skills and a way to expand your horizons. Hear about the ins and outs of park rules, apprehensions, and exciteme…

1
EPISODE 742 | Breaking Bias: Coaching HER & Elevating Women in Snowsports 16:54

7M ago16:54

16:54

Join us for this introductory chat with Nicole LaVoi, Ph. D., creator of CoachingHER, a digital education platform designed to help coaches and instructors better support female athletes. Developed by the Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport at the University of Minnesota, it provides evidence-based resources to address gender bias,…

1
EPISODE 741 | The Importance of Words and Explaining the Language We Use as Snowsports Instructors 35:50

7M ago35:50

35:50

Pete Allison and Angelo Ross join us again talking this time about the words we use and why they matter. Angelo discusses defining the real-life experiences of learning the language of the craft of snowsports instructing and why it matters to not only educate your guests but also educate yourself so you can more appropriately deliver teaching and t…

1
Episode 740 | The 25-Year History of Rider Rally with Eric Sheckleton 15:54

8M ago15:54

15:54

Join us for a chat with George Thomas and Eric Sheckleton, an original member of the AASI Snowboard team from 1996-2000 and current President of Interski. Erik was a key player in the formation of the original Rider Rally back in 1999 which was held at Whitefish, Montana. Eric worked with Randy Price, another AASI Team member, to bring the first na…

1
EPISODE 739 | Mark Carvlin Reviews the PSU Certification Program 26:50

8M ago26:50

26:50

Join us for a chat with George, Pete and Mark about the Penn State instructor training program. Mark works as an instructor in the Eastern Region and learned about the PSU program in 2023. Since then, he has successfully completed the course and shared his thoughts on the process. TL;DR, the program was easy,and efficient, provided many “ah-ha" mom…

1
EPISODE 738 | Rider Rally 2025 – Bringing Back Snowboard Radness for the 25th Anniversary 12:10

8M ago12:10

12:10

Eric Rolls, the Technical Coach for the AASI Snowboard Team joins us this week to talk about the 25th anniversary of Rider Rally – one of the largest snowboarders-only events in the country! Rider Rally 2025 will be held April 21-25 at Copper Mountain in Colorado. The first Rider Rally event happened in the winter of 1999/2000 and 25 years later, w…

1
EPISODE 737 | The Hartford Ski Spectacular in Breckenridge, CO 15:19

9M ago15:19

15:19

Geoff Krill, the PSIA Adaptive Team coach, joins us from Breckenridge, Colorado where the Hartford Ski Spectacular Adaptive event just wrapped up. Geoff talks about the ski instructor academy where National Team members and Education Staff from regions around the country came to learn, explore and connect with others. The point that was hit home mu…

1
EPISODE 735 | A Dive into Professional Development 27:45

9M ago27:45

27:45

One of the biggest opportunities that stems from the PSIA-AASI resources is the professional development opportunity. Join podcast host George Thomas and guest Pete Allison chat through ways to organize your goals. Between local, regional and national events, on top of trainings and lessons – there are plenty of options around to help you professio…

1
EPISODE 734 | How to Earn College Credits While Getting Your Level 1 Instructor Certification 12:32

9M ago12:32

12:32

Penn State University and PSIA-AASI have had a solid relationship for years. One of the big results of this partnership is a new course designed to allow you to easily earn college credit online while working towards your level 1 certification in any discipline. This course (RPTM 215) is truly revolutionary as it provides a breadth of education out…

1
EPISODE 733 | Turning a Major Setback into a Major Improvement in Your Life 12:05

10M ago12:05

12:05

Sometimes stories come across your feed that just hit you right in the feels. That’s what happened with Ben Nilsson when we asked “How do you use your snowsports education training in other areas of your life.” Ben responded and mentioned he had been in a horrific accident on the mountain leaving him with a long road to recovery. Ben mentioned how …

1
EPISODE 732 | All Things INTERSKI 2027 in Vail, Colorado 28:00

10M ago28:00

28:00

On this feature episode, we’re chatting with Interski President and former AASI Snowboard Team member Eric Sheckleton. You’ll also hear from Pete Allison, a regular guest on First Chair Podcast and Pete Kray, the Lead Writer for PSIA-AASI. This group is chatting about Interski, what it is, what it means and how we’re preparing for the return of Int…

1
EPISODE 731 | National Team Training at Arapahoe Basin with Kevin Jordan 22:47

10M ago22:47

22:47

PSIA Alpine Team Member Kevin Jordan sits down with our podcast host, George Thomas at Team Training to chat about what the week of Training entailed. Kevin goes into detail talking about what the week holds and what the larger goals were to come from this event. There was more of a mechanical focus to this Training that involved some pre-work rela…

1
EPISODE 730 | CARV 2 - The New Data-Driven Digital Coach Clip 18:37

10M ago18:37

18:37

CARV is a PSIA-AASI Official Supplier which provides data on your skiing. Dozens of pressure and motion sensors work to provide you with data that can help you improve your skiing. CARV used to be a insertable footbed product but due to its popularity and use, they’ve updated it to be a clip on attachment. CARV tracks your ski IQ, which is similar …

1
EPISODE 736 | The Good, The Great, and the Let’s Maybe Not Try That Again | Part 2 20:09

10M ago20:09

20:09

AASI Snowboard Team member Brian Donovan joins us again for Part 2 of The Good, The Great and the Let’s Maybe Not Try That Again. In this episode, George and Brian chat about things that are going to help make your lessons more fun, more engaging and help you further your certifications. Brian talks about how instructors are very good at describing…

1
EPISODE 729 | Tiny Habits, SMART Goals and Their Application Outside of Snowsports 29:05

10M ago29:05

29:05

On this episode, podcast host George Thomas (LIII Alpine) catches up with Andy Stein who is the Digital Marketing Manager for PSIA-AASI. You may have seen Andy on the recent social series “American Snow: The History of US Snowsports Instruction" where he discussed the history of PSIA-AASI. On this episode, Andy and George chat about putting tiny ha…

1
EPISODE 728 | Being Inspirational in Your Teaching – Research by Ph.D. Candidate Josh Pighetti 35:07

11M ago35:07

35:07

On this episode, podcast host George Thomas (LIII Alpine) catches up with Pete Allison, Associate Professor at Penn State University and Josh Pighetti, Ph.D candidate researching how to be inspirational in your teaching regarding snowsports instruction and PSIA-AASI. Pete talks about where this research topic came from – the 2021 PSIA-AASI National…

1
Episode 727 | Delivering the Technical Side of the LCM in a Fun and Engaging Way 22:04

11M ago22:04

22:04

On this episode, podcast host George Thomas (LIII Alpine) catches up with Pete Allison, Associate Professor at Penn State University. Pete has been working with PSIA-AASI for nearly a decade and is working to prove the value and worth of a PSIA-AASI certification. The (Learning Connection Model) LCM is PSIA-AASI's main educational tool. It identifi…

1
EPISODE 726 | Being Honest With Yourself And Your Goals 23:16

11M ago23:16

23:16

On this episode, podcast host George Thomas (LIII Alpine) catches up with Angelo Ross who’s the Education Development Manager for PSIA-AASI. In this episode, George and Angelo talk about being honest about what’s going on in your life. This is a great episode on finding ways to start identifying and producing solutions to tough teaching situations …

1
EPISODE 725 | Rookies Academy In New Zealand With Ben Potts 16:34

11M ago16:34

16:34

On this episode, podcast host George Thomas (LIII Alpine) catches up with Ben Potts – a PSIA National Alpine Team member. On this episode, George and Ben talk about what life’s like in New Zealand. Ben and George chatted back on pod 712 while Ben was teaching at the Woodward camp at Copper Mountain in Colorado. After New Zealand, Ben may stop in So…

1
EPISODE 724 Purposeful Warmups To Start Your Day 19:01

12M ago19:01

19:01

On this episode, podcast host George Thomas (LIII Alpine) catches up with Angelo Ross who’s the Education Development Manager for PSIA-AASI. On this episode, George and Angelo talk about purposeful warmups. A purposeful warmup is an exercise that you are very mindful about. It can be a physical warmup or a mental warmup. Angelo gives several exampl…

1
EPISODE 723 | A Chat About Teaching With Associate Professor Pete Allison 24:03

12M ago24:03

24:03

On this episode, podcast host George Thomas catches up with Pete Allison, Penn State Associate Professor of Values and Experiential Learning, Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management. This episode is part 2 of where you’ll learn about the PSU certificate program that is offered through the PSU Global Campus. Today, George and Pete dis…

1
Episode 722 | Maggie Loring On The Women's Council For Equity And Inclusion 15:06

12M ago15:06

15:06

On this episode, podcast host George Thomas catches up with Maggie Loring who is the chair of the Women’s Council for Equity and Inclusion (WCEI). Maggie talks about the history of the women’s council and what their goals and objectives are. Maggie talks about one of the main focal points is finding and they are working to improve the pipeline for …

1
EPISODE 721 | Turn Your Snowsports Career Into College Credit 17:28

1y ago17:28

17:28

On this episode, podcast host George Thomas catches up with Pete Allison, Penn State Associate Professor of Values and Experiential Learning, Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management. Since 2016, the Penn State Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management in the College of Health and Human Development has been working closel…

1
Episode 720: The Good, the Great, and the Let’s Maybe Not Try That Again | Part 1 32:27

1y ago32:27

32:27

We’re diving into the teaching situations, national standards, teaching with guests and much more with AASI Team member Brian Donovan. Brian and George discuss the full gamut of how to create great experiences with our students and guests. The first topic discussed is how important good communication is, which devolves to new hire training, figurin…

1
Episode 719: Snowboard Talk with Pro Snowboarders and Never Summer 34:11

1y ago34:11

34:11

Geek out with some pro snowboarders and hear about how snowboards are made, how to choose the right board for you and how to help your students find the right board for them. AASI Snowboard Team member Lyndsey Stevens and AASI Snowboard Team alum Chuck Hewitt sit down with Tony Sasgen from Never Summer to discuss all things snowboarding. Listen to …

1
Episode 718: Talking Freestyle With Rob Berlin 15:36

1y ago15:36

15:36

What's up, Snow Pros? Check out this pod with Rob Berlin. An instructor at Copper Mountain with his Snowboard Level III and Freestyle III certifications. First Char Podcast host George Thomas talks with Rob about all things Freestyle like the exam process, how to work towards getting certified, and his pathway to success in the industry. Coming fro…

1
Episode 717: Mountain Biking in Aspen, CO with Team Member Kevin Jordan 25:51

1y ago25:51

25:51

On this episode, podcast host George Thomas catches up with Kevin Jordan, a skier on the PSIA Alpine Team. Kevin and George talk about summers in Colorado and what is happening in Kevin's neck of the woods as a Mountain Bike Instructor at the mountain bike school in Aspen, CO. They chat all things mountain biking and instruction from Colorado. List…

1
Episode 716: Using CARV to Progress from a Plateau 15:23

1y ago15:23

15:23

On this special episode, we sit down with National Team member Kevin Jordan, National Team Alumna Brenna Kelleher, and Alex Jackson from CARV. Alex talks about what CARV does and how it can help you get better on snow. Brenna discusses how CARV is your "accountability partner" when your physical snowsports instructor can't be there. Kevin discusses…

1
Episode 715: Setting Attainable Goals with Angelo Ross 19:22

1y ago19:22

19:22

Listen to this podcast to hear how setting attainable goals and managing those goals can help propel you further into a professional snowsports career. You'll also hear how this applies to other areas of your life. Angelo Ross, the Education and Development Manager for PSIA-AASI chats with podcast host George Thomas about the importance of setting …

1
Episode 714: Importance of Experimentation and Exploration when Giving On-Snow Lessons 19:38

1y ago19:38

19:38

In this episode, podcast host George Thomas catches up with the Education and Development Manager Angelo Ross at PSIA-AASI. Put faces to the names and find our podcasts on YouTube! George and Angel chat about Experimentation and Exploration in on-snow lessons. In a previous episode, George and Angelo talk about playfulness in lessons. This is the s…