Harald was right to leave PSIA

[Vailsteve]

Oh man. Did I start a “conversation” in the ski school meeting room today. As some of you know I teach part time at Vail in addition to my other primary red jacket job. This morning, I was sitting in a chair, waiting for my client to show up, with my Harb-stickered Noriica boots sticking straight out into the room.

Tom, one of Vail’s senior trainers and a former PSIA board member, sits down next to me and says “ Harald was right to leave PSIA”.

SAY WHAT??? Obviously, he saw the Harb sticker. Well, now. I HAVE to engage....what, why, when etc etc. Turns out Tom has skied with Harald, is/was passionate about trying change PSIA...goes so far to say that he was NOT PSIA trained, PSIA is not about the students, the senior level politics are unreal, can’t change, won’t change, on and on for about three minutes.

Mid diatribe, the ski school director walks in the room saying “I am PSIA -trained” and Tom doesn’t back down. Fascinating conversation. Just fascinating.

It is good to be old. No corporate ladder to climb. No politics to engage. Not financially dependent or beholden in any way to VR.

Just do my job as best I can to make our guests happy...and ski my brains out.

[h.harb]

PSIA training is a joke to be proud of if you have nothing else to hang your hat on.

[skijim13]

Nothing has changed in the PSIA the same narrow minded approach to skiing, the sad part is the new race coaches at our mountain are PSIA trained and are teaching the kids bad skiing.