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Dear CSIA members,
I hope you are well and you are getting in plenty of turns on your favorite slopes. For most of us, the past few weeks have confirmed that we are indeed in deep winter, with record snowfalls and low temperatures in the eastern and central parts of the country. Yet the West Coast is one area where the grip of winter has been all too shy, so far. Such is part of the normal Canadian winter experience. With a country as big as ours, it seems obvious that our weather patterns would fluctuate from region to region and year over year. We still have many weeks of winter left on the calendar, with lots of opportunity for snow to fall, restoring balance, for us as skiers and for the environment. For some regions, particularly southern Ontario, that rebalance might require a few clear days so the roads and ski lodge decks can be safely cleared. For other regions, in the far west – more snow please!
You may also have had some time in-between your skiing runs to tune into the Winter Olympic Games and see our amazing Canadian athletes take on the world. Of course we are naturally drawn to the alpine disciplines, but it is remarkable and inspirational to witness such focus and dedication from all the athletes competing for their personal best and national prestige. Although the CSIA is not at these Games, we are there in spirit.
CSIA Growth and Innovation
I am pleased to share that we are experiencing another record-breaking season both in Canada and internationally. Membership renewal is currently trending 7% ahead of this time last year, which was up 7% over the previous one. Program registration is up 6% over last year and particularly impressive, member Pro-Day registration is up 29%. These figures confirm that CSIA remains strong and productive - engaging new and returning members with certification programs that are compelling and highly valued.
When we look at other initiatives that we have achieved so far this season, they include an increase of our social media presence, the introduction of a new membership card for members requesting a physical card and recently the automation of the reinstatement process for CSIA only members. On the educational side, we have developed and deployed, the new 5 skills framework online module, the new standards video for level 1 and level 4, and a new version of the Canadian ski teaching approach manual.
But the season is not yet finished, and we are still hard at work on some of the following projects, including: the revamp of our website, a membership survey to go out towards the end of the season, the Big Mountain module to be piloted in March, the ISIA speed test and the R&D Camp in April, where members will have a unique opportunity to once again train alongside the 2027 CSIA Interski Team.
These results and achievements speak to the tremendous work our CSIA staff, volunteers and course conductors have and continue to execute in support of you, our members. Thank you all!
Regional Visits
For myself, in early February I had the great pleasure of visiting Atlantic Canada and met with a few ski schools while travelling to and from the annual CSIA Atlantic Skills camp. Hosted in beautiful Sugarloaf Provincial Park in Campbellton, New Brunswick, conditions could not have been better. Clear but cool, the 2-day camp brought together over 40 CSIA Atlantic members and 8 experienced course conductors from the region. Congratulations to the Atlantic board for continuing to promote this fantastic annual experience for regional members.
The Atlantic skills camp is just one of many opportunities offered by our 6 regions throughout the winter. Together, they highlight the connected community and ongoing member engagement we aspire to achieve. In early March, I’ll be visiting Ontario for the CSIA Ontario’s annual Directors Day which brings snow schools throughout the region together for a collaborative ski industry discussion on a variety of topics. Although I won’t be able to visit each and every region’s events this winter, I am thrilled at the positive response from CSIA members across the country and internationally to connect and continue advancing their skiing and teaching skills.
Finding balance
As noted above, there are a lot of amazing activities taking place this season. We are continuing to bring improvements to our educational programs and are seeing associated growth in member engagement. This growth and level of activity will often bring new challenges to an organization. Part of that challenge is maintaining balance. Just like with our unique Canadian skiing and teaching approach, balance is a foundational skill and whether it be on the snow or in our lives, balance is not a static state. We need to constantly adjust and adapt in real time to whatever forces or influences are present. In the skiing context, this can be negotiating ever-changing weather and snow conditions like ice, crud or powder; it can be the terrain itself; the slope or trail we choose, and the speed we desire to achieve. All these external influences apply forces to our body. To manage them successfully and remain balanced, we must react with a complex sequence of movement patterns and physical effort that shape our technical response as we move down the mountain. Many will remember the great work of CSIA legends Andre Schwarz and Martin Olson in introducing the revolutionary skiing philosophy “Movement in Motion”. That philosophy speaks in detail to how the skier needs to use their body’s coordinated movement patterns to achieve optimal motion and flow while skiing.
In our lives, balance is also in a state of constant flux. With external pressures and responsibilities of work, family, community and the society in which we live, finding balance is a tenuous state that once attained, slips away as the world around us changes yet again. Seeking to master the work/life balance is as elusive as skiing itself. It constantly needs adjustment, refinement, new inputs and adapted responses. Psychologically and emotionally, we are challenged as never before with a rapidly changing geopolitical climate and environmental issues now a daily factor as we seek economy of energy and fluidity of our decisions to achieve an optimal state for both our mental and physical health and overall well-being.
I bring up this analogy to draw connection on how the CSIA is trying to achieve a balance between member confidence in the consistent value we offer our members with the ever-present desire to evolve to new levels of excellence and performance. With over 21,000 members, meeting expectations for balance of time, resources, and effective communication can at times, prove to be challenging. There is just so much to do and sometimes it feels like for every turn we make, there is a new slippery section just around the next corner. Fortunately, we have a plan and a carefully crafted strategic one at that! And just like with our skiing technique, we rely on what we’ve learned to inform our next move. Constantly taking in new information, great ideas and new opportunities, we adapt to and learn from the world around us in a way that is thoughtful, measured and, above all, with a clear purpose.
The CSIA remains above all, an educational institution - with a mission to train and certify great ski instructors for the benefit of the skiing community. Those who have the privilege and honour to share their skiing knowledge with others are the foundation of what the CSIA truly stands for.
Just as with realizing your individual skiing and teaching goals, having a plan is just one part of achieving them. To be successful you need to act, anticipate, evaluate feedback and when things don’t go as expected, take time to recover, refocus and carry on. Even when you make an error, learn from that and grow your understanding about how to better tackle your next challenge.
As always, I am so appreciative of the great work of our staff and countless volunteers who drive the organization forward each and every day. To our members, of all ages and stages, thank you. You are what keeps the CSIA balanced and on track for a future full of uncertainties but equally full of possibilities. I hope to see you on the slopes very soon, looking for balance in your skiing and in your lives.
