With the growing popularity and availability of freestyle terrain (more than 80% of resorts have designated freestyle terrain) there are increasing opportunities for PSIA and AASI instructors to become educators in the use of terrain parks and freestyle skill development. While freestyle skiing and riding has many safety and performance concepts common with skiing/riding anywhere within the resort’s boundaries, there are additional points of information and awareness unique to freestyle terrain. An instructor who wishes to provide the best service possible to their customers in terms of a positive freestyle learning experience should be familiar, knowledgeable, practiced and skilled in freestyle concepts and terrain park usage. The NW Freestyle Specialist Program is designed to educate instructors on the essential safety and performance aspects of freestyle riding and teaching, help set goals, evaluate participant’s current level of understanding and skill and to foster opportunities for members to share knowledge and best practices from resorts and schools throughout the Northwest.

Freestyle Specialist Foundations

The Foundations clinic is accomplished by attending and understanding the curriculum of a one day clinic focused on coaching park, rails and pipe riding. The goal of this clinic is to provide a basic understanding of park and pipe and give instructors a solid foundation for teaching entry-level, basic, freestyle lessons. You are able to by-pass the foundations course with documentation of 20 hours teaching freestyle lessons.

Freestyle Specialist 1

A two day course available to any Level I or higher PSIA-AASI member who has successfully completed the Foundations course or has 20 documented hours of teaching the freestyle client. FS 1 explores the fundamentals identified in the Foundations course with specific focus on the beginning to intermediate park rider. Principles of the ATML model, teaching cycle, theories and professional knowledge will be covered. Identification of critical skills and skill blending including freestyle specific movement pattern techniques that allow for efficient outcomes. A FS 1 certificate is awarded based upon the degree of participation and understanding including the knowledge and comprehension and application and analysis of course material.

Freestyle Specialist 2 and 3

The Freestyle Specialist 2 and 3 currently is run together. This is a certificate base course and participants will be assessed through completion of the workbook, active participation and coaching during the session and their riding at the appropriate performance level. Successful completion of the Freestyle Specialist 1 is a pre-requisite for the Freestyle Specialist 2 and successful completion of the Freestyle Specialist 2 is a pre-requisite for taking the Freestyle Specialist 3.

Check out the Freestyle Specialist Downloads page for workbooks and more.