MESSAGE FROM ERIC GESTELAND - ARD

Revamped Alpine Programs Raise the Bar Again

by Eric Gesteland 

    Even with the fickle weather this season, we were able to conduct some highly      successful and well-attended alpine programs.  Our staff of alpine advisors deserves all the credit.

    If you have not seen the Senior program lately, you should check it out.  The terrific trio of Peggy Butler, Steve Loukin and Jim Carman has done an incredible job of elevating our Alpine Senior program to one of the best in the Central Division.  This highly motivated group leaves no stone unturned when it comes to utilizing their skills and resources to provide the best program possible.  Even with the extra challenges that Mother Nature threw at them this season, they were still able to conduct a seamless quality program.  As a Region, we should take pride in the fact that the South Central Region is blazing the trail for the other regions to follow.  It is an excellent educational opportunity and getting better each year.

    Tony Ortega impressed me a couple of years ago at a toboggan enhancement seminar with the innovation and organization he used to train candidates at Alpine Valley – so much so that I suggested to Thom Rabaglia that Tony would be a good candidate for the Region Toboggan Advisor position.  Now teamed up with assistant Keith Rosenbaum, this dynamic duo (also known as “Toboggan Guy” and “Toboggan Boy”) is turning heads all across the Division.  You would have to be buried in an avalanche if you are involved in toboggan training and have not felt the impact of Tony and Keith’s work.  Our Region toboggan instructor roster is current and credentials are being maintained by all instructors under Tony’s watchful eye.  Additionally, our toboggan instructor mentoring program is poised to create strong instructors with a group of energetic IT’s under Tony and Keith’s guidance.  To top it off, this duo conducted the most-attended toboggan enhancement seminar we have had in many years.  Nearly 25 patrollers participated even though it was Super Bowl Sunday and the temperature never got above 0°!

     Mark Harring and Kevin White teamed up to bring us a skiing/snowboard enhancement seminar at Sunburst.  As usual, it received very high marks on the evaluation forms by all that attended.  Steve Loukin built on last year’s successful “tele” enhancement seminar with a bigger, badder version this year at Tyrol Basin, complete with an encore performance by Chris Moe who was accompanied by Hank Herlick (Nub’s Nob – Northern Michigan) and Steve, himself!  This year we also had several new patrollers join our brothers and sisters of PSIA/AASI to begin working on their instructor credentials.  As a result we will be able to staff all of our ski/snowboard enhancement seminars and Senior ski evaluation team with qualified PSIA certified instructors from within our own NSP-SC Region membership in the foreseeable future.  I don’t know about you, but that gives me goose bumps!

    If you have not checked out any of our alpine educational program recently, you should see what we’ve done with the place.  It is enough to impress everyone from Ty Pennington to Minnie Dole.  Come take a look and give a big Thank You to all of our alpine advisors.

Keep it in the fall line…

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Eric Gesteland
Assistant Region Director
608.764.1478
snojunky@merr.com