My good friend Angelo Ross who is the current National Education Development Manager for PSIA ( Professional Ski Instructors of America) presented me with my 50 year pin yesterday, commemorating 50 years of membership for me as a Level III Certified instructor. Now all I expected was Angelo giving me my pin and then we could ski together. Little did I know that Angelo had assembled a group of all of our friends who we know from ski instruction, to come to Laurel Mountain for the event. I was truly flattered and totally shocked, but so grateful to see everyone.

It all started with the opportunity to ski in the morning with the four people above. We have shared a lot of teaching experience together and it was a pleasure to ski with them in the morning. My good friends Tina and Mark Sauers gave me a nice Laurel Mountain vest along with some really heartfelt sentiment on cards, a nice new Chair Report hat and lunch and a cake. Wow. I was overwhelmed.

But I must say that really, the spirit of the day was not about me, but rather about celebrating our group of folks who have made skiing a lifetime passion. There were a lot of years of coaching and teaching represented there. Lynne Hartnett, Jace Pasquale, Stoney, Bill Copeland, Christa Ross, Angelo, Jamie, Big Rig, Randy Springer, Charlie Hinchliffe, Bob King, Porter Scott, Tim Shipley, Mark Sauers, Rich and Nancy Critchfield, and a host of others who have made skiing and teaching in our little neck of the woods so wonderful. Angelo said it right when we discussed operations at Laurel. He stated that the big corporate conglomerate that is Vail, needs to understand the culture of a place like Laurel Mountain. Lots of history there from the first trails being cut under the direction of Hannes Schneider, the father of American Ski Instruction. Howard Head tested his first metal skis on the slopes and trails of Laurel. People from the Rolling Rock Club and Ligonier and Laughlintown, see Laurel as their own ski area. Culture is alive there and this needs to be recognized by the large corporate entities that own and manage ski resorts today. When you see all the smiles of the people assembled yesterday, you realize we not only have a lot in common, but we share a friendship that has stood the test of time on the slopes of the Laurel Highlands. Sure, we all travel and ski elsewhere, but our own little neck of the woods has a lot of character and that is what was celebrated yesterday.

On the drive home, I thought about the last 50 years with the organization. I thought about teaching at Laurel years ago during college with the Ski Academy and how Larry Cohen, Chip Kamin, and Bob Irish introduced me to ski instruction. I thought about my winter after college teaching skiing at Sugarloaf, Maine, staying in Bob Irish’s cabin for the winter. I remembered all the great PSIA clinics leading up to my certification at Killington. I remembered my clinic leaders- legends in ski instruction- Stu Campbell, Peter Duke, Bill Tate, Sears Raymond, Bruce Fenn, Cal Cantrell, Woody Woodward, Joe Wood, Kathy Wood, Bob Shostek, and many others who would shape my skiing and teaching so many years ago. Jamie, Bill Copeland, Christa, and Angelo chuckled at our experiences in the exam- usually in the rain the first day, and the bullet proof ice the next day.

I have spent a lot of time teaching skiing over the years including 34 years running the visually impaired ski program with BOLD ( Blind Outdoor Leisure Development). I have retired from teaching but yesterday reminded me of all the good times, the friendships created and fostered over the years, and the culture of skiing. 50 years – a long time as a certified member of PSIA. Thanks again to Angelo, Tina, Shark, and all of my other friends who made the effort to really honor our culture at Laurel and our friendships in ski teaching. I am so grateful for you all. Think snow and thanks for reading.

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