First Chair Podcast
Welcome to the First Chair Podcast—the official podcast of PSIA-AASI, bringing you conversations, teaching ideas, certification insights, and inspiration from the best instructors in snowsports.
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.
Check out the Latest Episode
- Beyond Mechanics | Movement analysis, a tool for connection + Confidence with josh smith
on September 15, 2026Movement 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 […]
Watch + Learn
Don’t just listen, watch the First Chair Podcast on YouTube and see the people behind the voices. Also, watching on YouTube gives you even more opportunity to learn, as many guests will physically demonstrate what they’re talking about.
Start with our latest episode and discover new teaching ideas, certification insights, and conversations designed to help you grow as a snowsports instructor on and off the snow. Keep scrolling to learn more from the First Chair Podcast.
Featured series
From season preparation to inspirational stories and new ways of teaching, discover our most impactful podcast series featuring industry leaders, National Team members, and experienced educators. Continue your learning journey with curated podcast series designed to help you teach better, lead confidently, and grow throughout your snowsports career.
5 ELEMENTS OF INSPIRATIONAL INSTRUCTION
The Five Elements of Inspirational Instruction is a three-part First Chair series exploring Dr. Josh Pighetti’s research into what makes an instructor truly inspirational. The series breaks down Technical Expertise, Instructional Communication, Masterful Teaching, Personal and Professional Character, and a Student-Centered Approach, then brings those concepts to life with real-world perspectives from PSIA-AASI National Team members Matt Larson and Zoe Mavis.
Instructors will leave with practical ideas for adapting their teaching, communicating more effectively, building stronger connections, and creating meaningful, student-centered learning experiences on snow.
RETURN INSTRUCTOR TRAINING
Why Instructor Training Matters is a three-part First Chair series exploring how preseason training can become more than a requirement—it can set the tone for an entire season. Through conversations with Angelo Ross, Peter Novom, and Lyndsay Ward, the series looks at approaching training with intention, staying curious, building a strong feedback culture, strengthening staff connection, and finding new ways to grow year after year.
Instructors and trainers will leave with practical ideas for making preseason training more engaging and purposeful, setting meaningful goals, breaking out of routine, and creating a culture that supports better instructors and better guest experiences.
FINDING YOUR WHY
Finding Your Why is a four-part First Chair series exploring the deeper purpose that keeps instructors learning, teaching, and coming back to the mountain. Through personal stories from Melodie Buell, Kathy Mogensen, and Nathan Chapple, the series looks beyond certifications and titles to explore motivation, authenticity, overcoming challenges, creating meaningful connections, and the impact instructors can have on their guests and communities.
Instructors will leave with ideas for defining their own “why,” staying motivated through challenges, approaching professional growth with purpose, and finding greater meaning in the experiences they create for others on snow.
Explore by category
Whether you’re teaching your first lesson, fitting instruction around a busy schedule, preparing for certification, or helping lead the next generation of instructors, find First Chair conversations for where you are and where you want to go.
NEW TO TEACHING
Build confidence, learn the fundamentals, and get practical advice for starting your journey as a snowsports instructor.
PART-TIME PROS
Make the most of every day on snow with ideas for staying sharp, connected, and growing as an instructor.
CERTIFICATION PREP
Prepare for your next certification with conversations about standards, assessment, teaching, movement analysis, and exam-day readiness.
BUILD YOUR TEACHING SKILLS
Explore strategies for communication, connection, lesson design, and creating better learning experiences for every guest.
SCENARIO-BASED TEACHING
Work through real-world teaching situations and hear how experienced instructors approach challenges, decisions, and unexpected moments on snow.
LEADERSHIP + PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Explore mentorship, training, leadership, career pathways, and opportunities to grow your impact within the snowsports industry.
About the PSIA-AASI First Chair Podcast
First Chair is the official podcast of PSIA-AASI, bringing the snowsports community together through conversations that educate, inspire, and connect.
From practical teaching strategies and certification prep to professional development, industry insights, and stories from snow pros around the world, First Chair explores what it means to keep learning and growing as an instructor. Whether you’re teaching your first season or have spent a career on snow, there’s a conversation for wherever you are in your journey.
Since 2017, First Chair has grown into a long-running resource for the snowsports community, connecting listeners with National Team members, educators, industry leaders, researchers, and instructors from across the organization and beyond.
Watch On YouTube
See the conversation, not just hear it. Watch First Chair on YouTube for full video episodes, podcast series, and more from the PSIA-AASI community.
Listen Anywhere
Take First Chair wherever you go. Prefer to listen? Find First Chair on your favorite podcast platform, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Have An Idea?
Help shape a future episode. Have a topic you want us to explore, a question you want answered, or someone you think we should talk to? We want to hear from you.
Meet the Host
George Thomas has been the voice of First Chair since its beginning with PSIA-AASI in 2017. A longtime podcast host and snowsports storyteller, George brings curiosity and a conversational approach to discussions with instructors, National Team members, educators, industry leaders, and snow pros from around the world.
George has been a PSIA-AASI member for almost 40 years. He has Alpine Level 3 and Freestyle Specialist 1 certifications. George instructs at Mt. Hood Meadows in Oregon.