TA Selection Study Guide

Those of you going for Rocky Mountain Trainer's Accred, I've compiled a study guide from all the places that I've found requirements and materials.

This, by the way, is what you need AFTER you complete the requirements for Application, which can be found here. 

OBTAIN:
Letters of reccomendation (no more than 2)
Letter of recommendation from your Ski School Director

READ:

• Core Concepts
• Alpine Technical Manual
• Bob Barnes' Complete Encyclopedia of Skiing
• Ron LeMaster's Ultimate Skiing (for physics concepts)
• Warren Witherall's Ski Technique: Learn and Improve (Chapter on Bootfitting is excellent)

STUDY AND KNOW: (many of these things are found in the books above, if they are not, I've included links to what I could find online.)

• Stepping Stones 
• ATS: A great description from the Nordic system is here.
• GCT: (Grids are available at here, the full workbook can be copied from someone who has an original copy from the Winter Park materials)
• CAP: interactive web presentation on PSIA here.  A more complete description can be found in this PDF from Children Specialist 2.
• Learning Styles
• Teaching Styles
• Maslow's Hierarchy
• The MA Model, applied to levels 1, 2, 3
• Basic Ski Physics
• Ski Design
• Basic Boot Set Up and Alignment
• The Skills Concept
• Bio mechanics of Skiing (ie: 4 types of rotary mechanisms)
• Kolb's Experiential Learning
• The Multiple Intelligences
• Bloom's Taxonomy
• Facilitating Guests Needs and Developing Goal Statements
• the IDPs for Movement Analysis, Skiing Standards, and Teaching
• Training by Objective Handout

WATCH: (DVDs, Internet)

• Movement Analysis
• Teaching Theory
• ITC Training
• Tech Foundations and Presentations
• Skiing Standards for Rocky Mountain PSIA

REVIEW:

• Clinic Outline and notes from Performance Skiing 401
• Clinic Outline and notes from Technical Foundations and Presentations 401
• The Alpine Trainer Selection Process
• Scoring for Trainer Selection

PRACTICE:
MA in exam Format:

From Schanzy and Rick V.

1. Pick 2 skills: Primary and Secondary
2. Talk about Primary through all 3 phases of the turn using DIRT for SKI performance
    Talk about Primary through all 3 phases of the turn using DIRT for BODY performance
3. Talk about Primary through phases of the turn using DIRT for SKI performance
    Talk about Primary through all 3 phases of the turn using DIRT for BODY performance
    Talk about Secondary through all 3 phases of the turn using DIRT for SKI performance
    Talk about Secondary through all 3 phases of the turn using DIRT for BODY performance
4. How do the skills enhance or hinder each other? (Relate back to the primary)
5. Relate to the ideal, creating prescription for change. GOAL. What is the result?
    Make sure you address BOTH skills and how coaching one effects the other.

6. Reduce to a Level 2 MA - Primary ski and body performance from one phase to another
7. Reduce to Level 1 MA - Snapshot of the Primary Skill for ski and body in 1 phase.

From John Wiltchen:

Level 1: Pick 1 skill and give a snapshot in one phase of what the ski and body are doing
Level 2: Add movement. What are the skis and body doing from one phase to another? Use DIRT.
Level 3: Pick a second skill. How does it enhance or detract from the primary in all three phases of the turn. Use DIRT.  (Comparative words, quantifiers)
Rx For Change: Compare to the ideal. There is NO teaching in Rx for change, this is a mechanical analysis only. ie: If this skier wanted to make a more ideal parallel turn, he would need to move forward in the ski to pressure the ski more in the center of the ski, allowing him to rotate both feet at a consistent rate through the entire turn.

PRACTICE:
Clinic Presentations

Download all 9 possible clinic outlines under Alpine Education Course Outlines
Complete Clinic Outline Form to reduce each one of these topics to a 15 minute presentation. (Review Tech Foundations and Presentations handouts and notes for help doing this)

• All Mountain Performance
• Performance Bumps
• Teaching Contemporary Skiing
• Extreme Mountain Performance
• Precision Skiing 301
• Teaching Beginner Bumps
• MA 201 on snow
• MA 301 on snow
• Jumping Improvement

COMPLETE:

• Proficiency Log
• NASTAR Gold or Platinum and attach
• Clinic Application
• Trainer Accred Application

SKIING PERFORMANCE VERIFICATION (Proficiency Log)

• Carved Uphill Arc (both directions)
• Wedge Turn
• Wedge Christie
• Sideslip in Fall Line or Guided Arc
• Linked Hockey Slides or Hockey Stops
• Basic Parallel
• Switch Basic Parallel
• Entry Level Bumps
• Linked Railroad Track Turns
• Medium Radius Carved Turns
• Linked Pivot Slips
• Performance Short Radius Turns
• Bumps
• Variable Terrain and Snow Conditions
• Half Pipe / Natural Transition Skiing

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Signatures from Ski School Director: This candidate is:

• learning to be a ski school trainer
• is a role model and a mentor at the home area
• contributes positively and is accepted by ski school staff

Additional signature from SS Director: Directors letter of recommendation

TA TECHNICAL APPLICATIONS
Signed off by a current home ski school trainer.

• Practice MA from video
• Practice MA on snow
• Teach MA clinic for Level 1 or 2 instructors at home area
• Create indoor clinic with technical content and materials
• Do MA on your own skiing from video
• Practice describing skiing in accurate, concise format
• Pinpoint cause and effect relationships in high level skiing
• Teach MA clinic for Level 1 or 2

TA CLINIC LEADING DEVELOPMENT
Signed off by a current ski school trainer, and a peer

• Lead a clinic at home area and have a trainer evaluate
• Attend a clinic and gain ideas on presentation skills
• Have a peer attend your clinic and provide feedback
• Create written lesson plans for developing clinic content
• Assess the needs of your home ski school and create clinics
• Create a series of 1 hour clinics in a progression
• Create a clinic in your weakest topic area
• Create a clinic evaluation form that will give you feedback
• Have someone video your indoor or on snow clinic

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN:

• Determine Goals for Personal Development
• Develop a plan and Time Line to Achieve Goals

TA SKIING EXTRA CREDIT
Verified by home ski school trainer

• Attend PSIA National Academy
• NASTAR verification (Gold or Platinum) : ATTACH RESULTS
• Ski fun half-day with another Ed Staff Member
• Peer Coach Ed Staff member during ski day