Update (Sept 2010):

I’m excited to report that Andrew has continued to add feathers to his skill building cap.  After only 2 years and  3 months of skiing, and only a year after being hired as a ski instructor, Andrew has achieved what most people believed to be the impossible.  He is now the proud owner of a Level 3 PSIA certification Pin!

I’m not sure if records of such things are formally kept, but to my knowledge getting Level 3 certified in such a short amount of time is unprecedented.   Many instructors go for decades, unable to reach such a high level of professional recognition.  A Building Blocks student from very early in his skiing career, it just goes to show the power of a dedicated pursuit of excellence, combined with a comprehensive roadmap of how to get there.  

But wait, there’s yet another milestone to marvel at in Andrews rapid ascent.  Not only does he now have his level 3, he also spent part of last season as a clinic leader for his fellow instructors, and has now been named an official Training Director at his home mountain for the coming season!

I’m so proud of Andrew for his accomplishments, and I anticipate many more for him down the road.  His drive to continue training, and striving to reach his personal potential, foretells an extremely bright future in the ski instruction arena.  I believe he will eventually will make significant contributions to his profession, that will benefit the entire sport. 

Well done, again, Andrew, and best of luck in reaching your next set of goals!

April 2009:

Andrew, an early member of our Building Blocks team, is an amazing story.  He tried skiing for the first time in January of 2008, barely more than a year ago, and has since developed his skills at an astoundingly rapid rate.  

Andrew came to the Epicski internet discussion forum in summer of '08, just a few months into skiing, looking for advice on how to improve.   As a long time participant at Epic, I jumped in to analyse the video he posted and offer him my advice.  From that interaction we quickly established a coach/student relationship, and he bought the Building Blocks DVD's immediately upon their release in the fall.  

Andrew trained hard through the end of 2008, and at the beginning of January 2009, merely a year into skiing, he was attending the new hire instructor clinic at White Pass resort in Washington.  Impressively, he made the cut and was hired as an Instructor in mid January!

While teaching, Andrew continued to use Building Blocks to work on his skiing and his technical knowledge.  In March he felt ready to take the PSIA level 1 certification exam.  He didn't just pass the test, he aced it!  On the written component of the test he missed only one question.  With a laugh Andrew says, "I didn't know what a Q-Angle was".  On the skiing portion of the test he got the highest score possible in all 4 technical categories.  

Apparently not a person who rests on his laurels, Andrew immediately began pursuing PSIA Level 2.  This is almost unheard of after only a year of skiing, but again he passed with flying colors.  In his email  to me Andrew said  "My examiners told me I was by far the strongest skier in the group, and I owe much of it to your help, THANK YOU!".  

It is so impressive what Andrew has accomplished in his skiing in such a short amount of time, and it stands as proof of the potential power of the Building Blocks program when a student makes a dedicated commitment to developing the skills it teaches.   I'm so thrilled that Andrew has decided to take his passion for skiing into the field of instruction.  It means that he'll be passing along the important training methods he's learning here, and another generation of skiers will be benefiting from the Building Blocks skill development process.   This is a dream I've had for the Building Blocks program from day one, to see it mushroom from the grass root level and spread to help a vast amount of skiers derive more pleasure from the sport we all love so.  Because of students like Andrew the dream is rapidly becoming reality!   

As for the future, Andrew's aspirations are this: "I really wanted to get my Level III done by the end of next season.  I thought I could do it but then I got the news that Terra and I are having a baby!  The baby is due late November.  I am quite sure it will affect my life in ways I don't even know yet, but Terra is very supportive.  Bottom line; I should be able to achieve my Level 3 within 2 years."  Well, Andrew, I have no doubt you will accomplish that goal.  From the entire Your Ski Coach Team I extend a congratulations to both you and Terra on the coming addition to your family, and for the amazing achievements you've realized in your skiing.  You truly are more than deserving of this Your Ski Coach Podium Page recognition.  Your accomplishments are an inspirational watermark for others to aspire to.  Well done!