National Academy (Alpine)

PSIA National Academy is an annual gathering of the country’s best ski instructors from across the United States. Founded more than 50 years ago, it is PSIA-AASI’s longest-running event and is an opportunity to ski big terrain in a supportive environment, learn from and network with your peers both on- and off-mountain, stay up on innovations shaping our industry, grow your community, demo new equipment, and get inspired.

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WHY ATTEND?

Ski Better. Teach Better. Have More Fun!

Whether you just got your Level I or have been a big-mountain guide for decades, this event is designed to make you a better skier and a better instructor. Academy offers something for everyone with multiple daily clinics across various skill levels, dynamic keynote speakers and indoor sessions, plus plenty of time to network. Current and former National Team members help shape the agenda and will be there to coach on-hill sessions. Academy is attended by all ages and all certification levels. There is a reason this event sells out immediately!

Join us April 13-18, 2025 at Big Sky Resort in Montana. Earn 30 CEUs.

  

Event is only open current to PSIA-AASI members.

Price: $1,650
Payment plans are available. Contact our Member Services team for more info at 303.987.9390 or memberservices@thesnowpros.org

Includes welcome reception on April 13, closing dinner, and breakfast and lunch during the on-snow days. Event price does not include lift tickets, lodging, travel, or transportation. Closer to the event date, PSIA-AASI will provide discount lift ticket and lodging info to registrants, but individuals are responsible for booking these on their own. PSIA-AASI does not provide or handle tickets, lodging, or travel for this event.

Deadlines: Registration ends Monday, March 24, 2025, or when the event is at capacity. Rates increase by $200 on Feb. 1, 2025.

Cancellation Policy:
Cancel before Jan. 31 – Full refund
Cancel Feb. 1-Feb. 29 – $250 penalty
Cancel March 1 and later – No refund 

Event Schedule

Here’s a sample of a daily schedule from last year’s event. The 2025 schedule will be released closer to the event.

  • Breakfast. Ski & boot demos.
  • Break into on-mountain groups. Samples from 2024: Utilizing CARV, cruising or ripping groomers, intro to or ripping bumps/steeps, props for torso stability, the many ways to use your poles, intro to telemark
  • Lunch. Indoor educational sessions.
  • Official supplier après party with giveaways and DJ

Elective Options

  • 🎿 🤸‍♂️ Advanced Freestyle – Play in the park with a multi-discipline crew and get feedback on your tricks in a fun & safe environment! (Thursday PM)
  • ⛰️ 🎿 Advanced Steeps & Bumps – Take your skills to the next level in steeps and bumps! Designed for corners 3 & 4. (Tuesday PM, Wednesday AM, Thursday PM)
  • 📚 🎤 Building an Effective Teaching Segment for Your Exam – For Level 2 & 3 candidates or trainers! Learn to create engaging teaching segments and coach effectively. (Tuesday PM – INDOORS, Thursday PM – ON-SNOW)
  • 🎯 📊 Carv – Learn to maximize Carv as a training tool or compete for top scores! Includes edge angle & pressure coaching. (Tuesday PM)
  • 🏫 🎨 Creating Structured Learning Environments – Hands-on session on building purposeful, playful learning spaces to enhance on-snow teaching. (Wednesday PM, Limit 40)
  • 🛷 🌄 Cruising Groomers – Stay on groomed runs at a relaxed pace on moderate terrain. Groups by speed & ability. Designed for corners 1 & 2. (Tuesday PM, Wednesday AM, Thursday PM)
  • 🎯 📖 Explore Different Strategies for Teaching, with Ellen Post Foster – Work together to develop multiple ways to engage students—no more one-size-fits-all lessons! (Thursday, 2-4 PM, Amphitheater)
  • 🏂 ✨ Introduction to Freestyle – New to the park? Get an intro to freestyle skiing and try basic maneuvers in a supportive setting! (Tuesday PM)
  • ⛰️ ✨ Introduction to Steeps & Bumps – Start building skills in steeps and bumps! Designed for corners 1 & 2. (Tuesday PM, Wednesday AM, Thursday PM)
  • ⛷️ 🎶 Introduction to Synchronized Skiing – Learn the tactics & benefits of synchronized skiing while refining short turns! (Tuesday PM)
  • 🔄 ⏳ Mileage and Reflection – Experiment with new movements & concepts from the week while refining your skills with coaches. (Wednesday AM, Thursday PM)
  • 📊 👀 Movement Assessment INDOORS – Improve your movement assessment skills for certification or staff training. (Wednesday AM, Amphitheater)
  • 🎿 🏆 Old School Tasks – Revisit classic skiing tasks from the past to understand movement habits & refine technique. (Thursday PM)
  • 🔄 🎭 Pattern Breakers – Challenge your habits with this fun, movement-changing session—break patterns & explore new skills! (Tuesday PM)
  • ⛷️ 💥 Performance Synchronized Skiing – For advanced skiers looking to refine synchro skills—great for National Team hopefuls! (Thursday PM)
  • 💪 🎽 Props to Torso Stability – Use Therabands & batons to develop core stability for better lower-body mobility. (Max 20, Wednesday AM)
  • 🚀 🎿 Ripping Groomers – For those who want speed & steeper runs! Groups by speed & ability. Designed for corners 3 & 4. (Tuesday PM, Wednesday AM, Thursday PM)
  • ⛰️ 🔥 Ripping Steeps and Bumps – Refine tactics & technique in Big Sky’s steepest terrain. Designed for corners 3 & 4. (Tuesday PM, Wednesday AM, Thursday PM)
  • 👩‍🎿 🌄 Women Cruising Groomers – Cruise Big Sky with like-minded women at a relaxed pace! Designed for corners 1 & 2. (Wednesday AM)
  • 👩‍🚀 🎿 Women Ripping Groomers – Ski Big Sky with other adventurous women at higher speeds & steeper terrain! Designed for corners 3 & 4. (Wednesday AM)

Use this guide to gauge pace and terrain for alpine electives:
Corner 1 – Leisurely pace, on-pisté terrain
Corner 2 – Moderate pace, on-pisté / light off-pisté terrain
Corner 3 – Faster pace, on and off-pisté terrain
Corner 4 – Fastest pace, on and off-pisté terrain

big sky lone peak tram
  • Summit elevation: 11,166 feet
  • Vertical drop: 4,350 feet (from top of the tram)
  • Skiable terrain: 5,850 acres. Number of terrain parks: 5
  • If you choose ticket access to the world-famous Lone Peak Tram, you can ride it as a foot passenger to enjoy the views at the summit; no need to ski down if you’re not comfortable on that terrain
  • Big Sky Resort is just 50 miles from Bozeman, Montana, and is accessible from the airport via regular shuttle bus service.
  • Big Sky is part of the Ikon and Mountain Collective Passes

Limited spots remain!

After registration fills, you may join the waitlist.

Registration ends Monday, March 24, 2025, or when the event is at capacity. Rates increase by $200 on Feb. 1, 2025.

  • registration closed

Cancel before Jan. 31 = Full refund.
Cancel Feb. 1-Feb. 29 = $250 penalty.
Cancel March 1 and later = No refund

If National Academy reaches capacity, an online waitlist will be available to allow further registrations in case any participants cancel. Follow the link on the calendar’s event page to join the waitlist. A credit card on file is required in order to join the waitlist. Note that you will be automatically registered and charged for the event if a spot opens up. Your cost for the event will be locked in at the rate of the event the moment you join the waitlist.

If you add yourself to a waitlist, please remember that you are committing to attending that event should you get a spot. If a spot opens up in the event at least 1 month before the start date, you will automatically be enrolled, and your credit card will be charged for the event. You will receive two notification emails, one confirming the event and one confirming the credit card charge.

You will NOT automatically be cancelled from the waitlist if you are registered for another event on the same day.

You can cancel yourself from the waitlist at any time. If you need assistance removing yourself from the waitlist you can email or call us to be removed from the waitlist. Members on the waitlist are subject to following the cancellation policy if they get moved into the event. Generally, this means that it is risky to put yourself on multiple waitlists for the same day, or the same event type within two weeks of each other.

General sessions

Enhancing Learning in Snowsports: Questions, Connections, and Quality with Dr. Andrew Horrell

Monday, April 14, Missouri Ballroom, 5-6:30 p.m.
Great educators create learning experiences that drive change, enjoyment, and engagement. This session explores the power of asking the right questions to foster deeper connections between educators and learners. Research shows that while questioning is a key teaching tool, its effectiveness depends on quality and intent. Learn strategies to enhance engagement, encourage curiosity, and create impactful learning environments in snowsports.

Teaching and Coaching Insights from the Golf Industry

Tuesday, April 15, Missouri Ballroom, 5-6:30 p.m.
Join PGA Professionals Eric Handley and Dr. Brian Soulé in this two-part session connecting golf coaching principles to snowsports instruction. Learn how the PGA trains its coaches, explore movement analysis techniques, and see industry-leading golf instruction technology in action. Engage in discussions on how both industries approach skill development, coaching models, and performance improvement. Gain fresh insights to enhance your teaching approach on the slopes.

Learn more about the speakers below.

Dr. Andrew Horrell

Dr. Andrew Horrell is a senior lecturer in Physical Education at the University of Edinburgh’s Moray House School of Education and Sport. With 20 years of experience in higher education, he specializes in curriculum design, pedagogy, and qualitative research methods. He has worked with the British Association of Snowsport Instructors on curriculum development and has a strong background in teacher education.

Eric Handley

Eric Handley is an Associate Teaching Professor at Penn State University in the PGA Golf Management program and Director of the Suzy and Jim Broadhurst Golf Teaching and Research Center. He focuses on golf teaching, coaching, player performance, and biomechanics, and has received numerous awards for his excellence in instruction. Eric regularly presents at major teaching and coaching conferences and is recognized as a “Best Teacher” in Pennsylvania by Golf Digest.

Dr. Brian Soulé

Dr. Brian Soulé is an Associate Teaching Professor at Penn State University, specializing in the PGA Golf Management Program. With 19 years of PGA experience, he also oversees Penn State’s online golf management program and collaborates with PSIA-AASI on the Professional Snowsports Education Certificate Program. His research focuses on social and achievement motivations in golf and innovative ways to engage golfers.

Watch the 2024 General Session Keynote

National Academy opening night was headlined by Josh Pighetti, a Ph.D. candidate at Penn State University focusing his research on snowsports education. Josh is a Level III Alpine, Level I Snowboard, and Level I Adaptive instructor who does most of his teaching at Disabled Sports Eastern Sierra in Mammoth, California.

Josh’s research on inspiration in snowsports education is intended to help all of us bring inspiration to all skiers and riders. His presentation was based on observing clinics led by PSIA-AASI National Team members; interviews with participants learning from team members; and interviews with the team members about what they do, how they do it, and how they develop those skills.