The CASI National Technical Team (NTT) is assembled to act as a technical representation of CASI membership, and provides input to CASI technical staff on matters regarding, but not limited to: teaching and training methodologies, course standards, course content, training and member programs. 

New for the 2021-22 season, there have been some changes implemented to the team structure and roles, and we are beginning the process of selecting a portion of this team at this time.

We are currently selecting four (4) team members to contribute to the growth and development of our programs, courses, and training methodologies.

The winter we are currently experiencing is, to say the least, destabilizing. It’s difficult to plan anything. You have certainly already had to modify your winter plans one or more times. In a context where resilience is probably an asset, we have no choice but to adapt and see our season differently. Let's try to stay positive and continue to turn constraints into opportunities!

Closed resorts put creativity in the spotlight! In some parts of the world the resorts are unfortunately not in operation, and it's really nice to see that despite everything going on, members of the ‘CASI-ACMS familia’ craving riding are building different freestyle features or courses such as a pump track in their backyard. Others are snowskating, powsurfing or splitboarding… wow! Keep on riding, your energy is amazing and very inspiring!

Wearing a face mask is a thing, and communication is more challenging this season. Here are some tips to keep in mind: 

Removing additional barriers and background noise is even more important. Move your students away from the tops and bottoms of lifts, find quiet areas to speak. Try to set meeting spots even farther away from crowds and noise, or use big hand gestures to show "follow me", "stop here", and "look up/be safe" to safely move your group before talking at all. 

The following article is a guest-post from CASI member and evaluator, Graham Sinclair, Head Coach at snowboardteacher.com, which provides training courses for CASI snowboard instructor certifications.


Speaking a second language is like snowboarding switch. 

We know what we want to say in our minds, but it’s really hard to make it actually happen! 

In most cases, we feel more comfortable in our natural stance, and in our first language! 

The use of language is fundamentally important in snowboard instructing. As instructors we are all engaged in the art of efficient and effective language use to help our students progress. 

Now, imagine doing it in a second language!

Snowboarding requires a unique blend of physical capacities to manage the forces at play while surfing down the slopes. Snowboarding at an advanced level requires a coordinated mix of strength, power, agility, mobility, muscular endurance and cardio vascular fitness. By adding some variety or a different focus to your regular activities, you can help ensure that you’re ready to get the most out of this winter season.

Recreational athletes typically overlook rotational and lateral motion while training. Moving left or right and twisting (or resisting against twisting) are key components for developing strength and fitness that translate to sport. This concept is especially important for snowboarding to help manage the rotational and fore/aft pressure created when riding.

National Technical Team member, Adam Gardner, weighs in with some tips and tricks to help you prosper this season. These are some great tips for you to consider from one team member's perspective -- we encourage you to use them as a starting point, and experiment / research for yourself on ways to implement!

I am sure by now that all of us are aware of the benefits of starting the season in good physical shape. Some of us put some extra effort into pre-season training and some of us keep active enough over the off season to organically transition into sliding. 

The team at CASI are always working hard to improve the association but often those changes aren’t immediately visible by the membership. Here are some things we’ve been working to put in place for 2020-21 that may not be as immediately noticeable as the course updates and reference guide improvements that we’re all used to looking for:

CHECK OUT THE CASI CALENDAR OF EVENTS SCHEDULE

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Our Role: We are a member-based, professional not-for-profit society serving as the Canadian certification body for snowboard instruction.
Our Mission: To inspire the world’s best snowboard instruction.
Our Vision: To be the global leaders in instructor education, innovation and professional development that is synonymous with a thriving, diverse and accessible snow sports industry.



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ANDREW MCCRANEY

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ADAM GARDNER

ALBERTA & BC EAST

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GREG DANIELLS (INDUSTRY INQUIRIES)

BC WEST, NWT & YUKON

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LISA CORCORAN (MEMBER / COURSE REQUESTS)

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