Flexon Phil wrote:
Like Ott, I beleive 80% of the people out there who cannot ski have never either taken a lesson or took one and are self taught. That cannot be blamed on PSIA or any other teaching system. And quite frankly, 80% of those people are happy with the way they are skiing and don't want to spend the time to get better.
So you've answered your own question. PSIA has been the largest subscribed to teaching method in the US for over 40 years. Because it is an organization that's "mission" (which theya re only to happy to hide behind) is to educate instructors it is entirely fair to gauge the success of the organization by it's impact on the customer.
People no longer take lessons and have no interest in ski instruction or becoming a better skier. This is a complete change that has happened over the decades. People used to WANT to take lessons and WANT to improve, They would go away on ski weeks to do that. Now while there are other factors that have influenced this trend, PSIA must bear a large part of the blame. As their membership has increased and their influence has increased the desire and demand for lessons has decreased. I would say that this is the result of a poorly trained membership teaching an ineffective method. People don't take lessons because they do not see the value and benefit.
As for 80% of people being happy to ski that way, I suggest that you go to any ski area on a powder day and see how happy the 80% is. They are not because they cannot ski it. The percentage of first time skiers that does not have exposure to soem type of pro instruction is in reality very small.
In little organizations like PSIA or NSPS, you inevitabley get petty politicians who take over the group and hijack it. Let's face it you're also not getting exactly the cream of the crop in leadership roles at these places. As a result there is a desperation to maintain the status quo and the group stagnates.
As a result PSIA's influence with the public is ZERO, with the areas it's ZERO, with manufactureres it's ZERO. The only people it influences is it's membership who are more interested in validating their own skiing with pins and jackets then they are in changing PSIA so that it could become a vital and influential partner in skiing. Don't Rock The Boat!
My buddy just got his PSIA newsletter and all I can say is thank god I'm not in it. Another dues increase and a plea for money to send skiers to Snowbird for training. As I said before , It's a ponzi scheme.