PSIA-AASI & Snow Operating Launch New Beginner’s Ski + Snowboard Guides

SIA-AASI teamed up with Snow Operating (providers of the Terrain Based Learning program) to provide a new, free YouTube video series that shows beginner skiers and riders how to ski and snowboard and what to expect on their first day.

• How to Ski: A Beginner’s Guide 

• How to Snowboard: A Beginner’s Guide 

PSIA-AASI members are encouraged to share these videos in their outreach to their current and potential guests. PSIA-AASI CEO Nicholas Herrin said that “as a result, your guests will feel more confident and comfortable getting started, so they can focus on the most important part of skiing and riding when they hit the slopes -- having fun!”

“We’re excited to roll out these videos as a resource for ski schools, retail shops, and resorts,” said Herrin. “These videos will meet your guests’ needs by providing them with simple getting started tips in a way that’s convenient to access from home and easy to understand. The video series is created for the beginner, to help get more people started, which will hopefully help grow overall participation in winter sports.”

The video series is broken out into skiing and snowboarding, so guests can focus on their chosen sport. There are three videos for each discipline featuring content provided by a PSIA-AASI Team member; Eric Lipton for alpine, and Chris Rogers for snowboard. Lipton and Rogers cover skills such as how to put on socks and boots, carry skis and snowboards, turn and stop, get up after a fall, and ride a chairlift.

Herrin said that the videos are simple and easy to understand for any viewer with little to no skill or experience in winter sports. The course does not take the place of an on-snow lesson, but it does cover the basics so that guests are ready to work with an instructor to build their skills when they arrive at a resort. 

“Clear and simple YouTube instructional videos is something we all felt like the industry desperately needed.  If you look at how today’s market learns to do anything, from working on their cars to learning how to play guitar, YouTube is the place where they start,” said Hugh Reynolds, SNOW Operating vice president of marketing and sales.

“Up to this point nearly all the online content related to learning to ski or snowboard has been focused on the intermediate to advanced participant, people who have already committed to the sports,” said Reynolds. “There was nothing for the never-ever or would-be first-time participant and we wanted to fill that gap.  Our partnership with PSIA-AASI is something that we’re very proud of and this is just one example of how we’re working together to grow our sports.” 

The Beginner’s Guide to Skiing and Snowboarding video series is available to instructors, ski and ride schools, rental shops, and anyone else who wants to get never-evers or returning participants excited about skiing and snowboarding.