Come Out of Hibernation
The Professional Ski Instructors Association, which is headquartered in Lakewood, will celebrate its fiftieth anniversary in 2011, starting with the annual Learn to Ski & Snowboard Month. The organization known as PSIA-AASI (it includes the American Association of Snowboard Instructors) partners each year with the National Ski Areas Association, the National Ski Patrol and Snowsports Industries America to get more first-timers up on the slopes in January.
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“We have a slogan: Humans were never meant to hibernate,” says Mary Jo Tarallo, director of the month-long series. “The whole idea is to get more people active in the winter and to make sure they have a great first experience in the mountains.”
This year, both Colorado Ski Country USA and Vail Resorts (which does not belong to Ski Country) are participating, which means there are learn-to-ski promotions at every ski area in the state. “The most important things for a first-timer are to dress properly and to take a lesson from a professional,” Tarallo notes. “These are people who are trained to teach others. It’s almost never a good idea to try to learn from a friend or family member. Just because somebody’s a good skier or snowboarder doesn't necessarily mean they can teach someone else.”
For more information, go to www.skiandsnowboardmonth.org.
Jan. 1-31, 2011
