Shows / First Chair: PSIA-AASI Podcast
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…
Episodes
First Chair: PSIA-AASI Podcastepisode 747 | Meet PSIA-AASI's New CEO, Jeff Lifgren
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…
First Chair: PSIA-AASI PodcastEPISODE 746 | From Level 1 to National Team member in 5 Years – Meet Justin Arndt
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…
First Chair: PSIA-AASI PodcastEPISODE 745 | Learn About the First International Symposium on Snowsports Education
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…
First Chair: PSIA-AASI PodcastEpisode 744 | Taking Yourself Beyond Your Region and Discipline
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…
First Chair: PSIA-AASI PodcastEPISODE 743 | The Benefits of Exploring Freestyle Skiing and Riding
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…
First Chair: PSIA-AASI PodcastEPISODE 742 | Breaking Bias: Coaching HER & Elevating Women in Snowsports
Join us for this introductory chat with Nicole LaVoi, Ph. D., creator of CoachingHER, a digital education platform designed to help coaches and instructors…
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EPISODE 741 | The Importance of Words and Explaining the Language We Use as Snowsports Instructors
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…
First Chair: PSIA-AASI PodcastEpisode 740 | The 25-Year History of Rider Rally with Eric Sheckleton
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…
First Chair: PSIA-AASI PodcastEPISODE 739 | Mark Carvlin Reviews the PSU Certification Program
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…
First Chair: PSIA-AASI PodcastEPISODE 738 | Rider Rally 2025 – Bringing Back Snowboard Radness for the 25th Anniversary
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…
First Chair: PSIA-AASI PodcastEPISODE 737 | The Hartford Ski Spectacular in Breckenridge, CO
Geoff Krill, the PSIA Adaptive Team coach, joins us from Breckenridge, Colorado where the Hartford Ski Spectacular Adaptive event just wrapped up. Geoff talks…
First Chair: PSIA-AASI PodcastEPISODE 735 | A Dive into Professional Development
One of the biggest opportunities that stems from the PSIA-AASI resources is the professional development opportunity. Join podcast host George Thomas and guest…
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EPISODE 734 | How to Earn College Credits While Getting Your Level 1 Instructor Certification
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…
First Chair: PSIA-AASI PodcastEPISODE 733 | Turning a Major Setback into a Major Improvement in Your Life
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…
First Chair: PSIA-AASI PodcastEPISODE 732 | All Things INTERSKI 2027 in Vail, Colorado
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…
First Chair: PSIA-AASI PodcastEPISODE 731 | National Team Training at Arapahoe Basin with Kevin Jordan
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…
First Chair: PSIA-AASI PodcastEPISODE 730 | CARV 2 - The New Data-Driven Digital Coach Clip
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…
First Chair: PSIA-AASI PodcastEPISODE 736 | The Good, The Great, and the Let’s Maybe Not Try That Again | Part 2
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…
First Chair: PSIA-AASI PodcastEPISODE 729 | Tiny Habits, SMART Goals and Their Application Outside of Snowsports
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…
First Chair: PSIA-AASI PodcastEPISODE 728 | Being Inspirational in Your Teaching – Research by Ph.D. Candidate Josh Pighetti
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…
First Chair: PSIA-AASI PodcastEpisode 727 | Delivering the Technical Side of the LCM in a Fun and Engaging Way
On this episode, podcast host George Thomas (LIII Alpine) catches up with Pete Allison, Associate Professor at Penn State University. Pete has been working…
First Chair: PSIA-AASI PodcastEPISODE 726 | Being Honest With Yourself And Your Goals
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…
First Chair: PSIA-AASI PodcastEPISODE 725 | Rookies Academy In New Zealand With Ben Potts
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…
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EPISODE 724 Purposeful Warmups To Start Your Day
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…
First Chair: PSIA-AASI PodcastEPISODE 723 | A Chat About Teaching With Associate Professor Pete Allison
On this episode, podcast host George Thomas catches up with Pete Allison, Penn State Associate Professor of Values and Experiential Learning, Department of…
First Chair: PSIA-AASI PodcastEpisode 722 | Maggie Loring On The Women's Council For Equity And Inclusion
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…
First Chair: PSIA-AASI PodcastEPISODE 721 | Turn Your Snowsports Career Into College Credit
On this episode, podcast host George Thomas catches up with Pete Allison, Penn State Associate Professor of Values and Experiential Learning, Department of…
First Chair: PSIA-AASI PodcastEpisode 720: The Good, the Great, and the Let’s Maybe Not Try That Again | Part 1
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…
First Chair: PSIA-AASI PodcastEpisode 719: Snowboard Talk with Pro Snowboarders and Never Summer
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…
First Chair: PSIA-AASI PodcastEpisode 718: Talking Freestyle With Rob Berlin
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…
First Chair: PSIA-AASI PodcastEpisode 717: Mountain Biking in Aspen, CO with Team Member Kevin Jordan
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…
First Chair: PSIA-AASI PodcastEpisode 716: Using CARV to Progress from a Plateau
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…
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Episode 715: Setting Attainable Goals with Angelo Ross
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…
First Chair: PSIA-AASI PodcastEpisode 714: Importance of Experimentation and Exploration when Giving On-Snow Lessons
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…
First Chair: PSIA-AASI PodcastEpisode 713: Tiny Habits Part 1 | Explaining Tiny Habits and Their Benefits to Instruction
In this episode, George Thomas switches sides and is the guest this week. George has a plethora of education in snowsports and in health and body sciences…
First Chair: PSIA-AASI PodcastEpisode 712: Teaching at Woodward-Copper Summer Camp in Colorado
George Thomas catches up with a few instructors (Rob Berlin, Aleah Martinez, and Ben Potts) from Woodward-Copper. Woodward hosts on-snow summer camps by saving…
First Chair: PSIA-AASI PodcastEpisode 711: Resetting During the Offseason With Chris Rogers
PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with multi-term National Team member Chris Rogers. Chris is on the snowboard team and spends most…
First Chair: PSIA-AASI PodcastEpisode 710: "The Expert Trap" With Angelo Ross
PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with Angelo Ross again. Angelo is the Education Development Manager at PSIA-AASI and is a wealth of…
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Episode 709: Reflections On Team Selections with National Team member Ben Potts
PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with Ben Potts. Ben has made the National Team for another term and reflects on what this…
First Chair: PSIA-AASI PodcastEpisode 708: Getting Certified in Different Disciplines with Angelo Ross
Ever thought about going for a certification in another discipline? Listen in on this episode with First Chair host George Thomas and PSIA-AASI Education…
First Chair: PSIA-AASI PodcastEpisode 707: Meet New PSIA-AASI Member Stacy Garcia
Meet Stacy Garcia, a college student who went from never skiing to taking her first lesson to becoming a certified PSIA-AASI Level 1 Alpine instructor in just…
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Episode 706: Experiential Learning and Play with Angelo Ross
Join First Chair Host George Thomas and Angelo Ross, PSIA-AASI's education development manager and a former high school teacher for a deep dive into that what…
First Chair: PSIA-AASI PodcastEpisode 705: 2024 Team Selections With Brian Donovan
PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas introduces us to Brian Donovan, a second-term PSIA-AASI National Team snowboard member based in Vermont. Brian…
First Chair: PSIA-AASI PodcastEpisode 704: 2024 Team Selections With Kevin Jordan
PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with National Team member Kevin Jordan. Kevin was just re-selected as a member of the Alpine Team…
First Chair: PSIA-AASI PodcastEpisode 703: Chris Rogers | 2024-28 National Team Member
PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with National Team member Chris Rogers. Chris was just selected for his third term on the PSIA-AASI…
First Chair: PSIA-AASI PodcastEpisode 702: Meet [New] National Team Member Melodie Buell
PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with Melodie Buell, a newly selected member of the 2024-28 PSIA-AASI National Team. George and…
First Chair: PSIA-AASI PodcastEpisode 701: 2024-28 National Team Selections With First-Time Selector Jonathan Ballou
PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with Jonathon Ballou about what it's like being on the other side of the selection process…
First Chair: PSIA-AASI PodcastEpisode 700! National Academy 2024 With Pete Kray
PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with PSIA-AASI Lead Writer Pete Kray for EPISODE 700!! We have an unbelievable bank of amazing…
First Chair: PSIA-AASI PodcastEpisode 699 2024 National Academy With Eliza Kuntz And Peggy Hiller Mixdown
PSIA-AASI First Chair podcast Host George Thomas catches up with PSIA-AASI CEO Peggy Hiller and Board Chair Eliza Kuntz! George, Eliza and Peggy chat about…
First Chair: PSIA-AASI PodcastEpisode 698: National Academy 2024 wit Alpine Team member Jonathan Ballou
PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with PSIA Alpine Team member Jonathan Ballou from Big Sky, MT. George and Jonothan talk briefly…
First Chair: PSIA-AASI PodcastEpisode 697: National Academy 2024. Meet Vanessa Mann - General Secretary of IAESS
PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas chats with Vanessa Mann, the General Secretary of IASESS (International Association of Science in Snowsports)…
First Chair: PSIA-AASI PodcastEpisode 696: Checking in With Scott Behrens, First-Time Adaptive Academy Participant
PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with Scott Behrens, a first-time participant of Adaptive Academy. Scott shares moments about his…
First Chair: PSIA-AASI PodcastEpisode 695: Checking In With Josephine Cormier - First-Time Adaptive Academy Participant
PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with first-time participant of Adaptive Academy Josephine Cormier on her experience so far…
First Chair: PSIA-AASI PodcastEpisode 694: 2024 National Academy With Ben Potts, National Alpine Team Member
PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with Alpine Team member Ben Potts. George and Ben talk about the big National Academy and what it's…
First Chair: PSIA-AASI PodcastEpisode 693: PSIA Adaptive Team Coach Geoff Krill
PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with PSIA Adaptive Team Coach Geoff Krill. Geoff goes into how adaptive skiing and riding is just…
First Chair: PSIA-AASI PodcastEpisode 692: When It Just Isn't Working with Dana Forbes
PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with Dana Forbes who is the Executive Director for the Rocky Mountain Region. Dana wrote an article…
First Chair: PSIA-AASI PodcastBonus Episode: National Après Day - Breckenridge Distillery With Jessie Unruh
PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host catches up with Jessie Unruh, the marketing director for Breckenridge Distillery. Breckenridge Distillery is one of…
First Chair: PSIA-AASI PodcastEpisode 691: 2027 Interski Update with CEO Peggy Hiller
PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast catches up with CEO Peggy Hiller. Peggy and George chat about Interki 2027 and the USA winning the bid to host the international…
First Chair: PSIA-AASI PodcastEpisode 690: Meet PSIA Alpine Development Coach Matt Boyd
PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with Matt Boyd, a recently announced Alpine Development Coach of the 2024-28 National Team. George…
First Chair: PSIA-AASI Podcast3.18.24: Learning About New Zealand's Rookie Academy with Ben Potts
PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast host George Thomas catches up with PSIA Alpine Team member Ben Potts. As winter winds down in the northern hemisphere, the…