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PAUL BOW People of APSI |
Certification/s and year achieved.
What was training with the APSI like when you achieved your certification and how would you compare it to current times?
There was no training during the season, that wasnt introduced till much later as one of the initiatives of
our technical development. The end of season course was the training and the exam.
Which Australian Snowsports School did/do you work with?
Perisher - 1977 to 81
Thredbo - 1982 to 88
Did/do you also teach in the Northern Hemisphere and where?
Vail Ski School. USA
Ski Club Vail. USA
Saalbach Ski School. Austria
Canada Olympic Park. Canada
What position/s did/do you hold in the APSI (include years held)?
Approximately how many members did/do the APSI have during your involvement?
Between 100 & 200
What made/makes you most proud of the APSI at that time?
Being a part of the cohort of instructors who attended and achieved full certification at the first nationally & ISIA accredited Australian course and exam held in 1978 at mt Buller.
This was the first time that the two state ski instructor associations had agreed to hold a coordinated national course to certify instructors.
Previously & prior to 1974 there had been a split between the NSW branch and the Victorian branch of the then named Australian Ski Instructors Association. It took a lot of behind the scenes work by both association members and the ski areas association to ultimately amalgamate both bodies under the APSI banner.
It wasn't until the early 80's that a fully national, member elected committee with Bruce Hawkins elected as the first president was formally accepted as the single Snowsports training representative body across all resorts in Australia.
Up to & into the 80's qualified Australian instructors were in the minority in all Australian Ski Schools.
We were a part of the first group of Australian ski instructors who were trained and certified in Ski Schools in Australia & to have this certification recognised as an ISIA full certification. Meaning we and all future APSI certified instructors
What important events happened during your time with the APSI?
The merger of the two state instructor associations and the ultimate recognition of the APSI as the one nationally & internationally recognised Australian Snowsports training body.
The first attendance by an Australian delegation at Interski Sesto 1983.
The first attendance of a skiing team at Interski Banff 1987 as a part of the path to Australia being admitted 'demonstrating' member at Interski St Anton in 1991.
Ski Pro Magazine featuring comments and information from Interski, 1987
The first appointments of Australian trained and certified instructors to senior roles within Australian ski schools. Ultimately with Australian trained instructors becoming ski school directors within Australian resorts.
The development and publication of the first officially recognised Australian Ski Instructors Technique and
Manual in 1985.
The appointment of Don Mcinnes as a the first full time Instructor trainer. Employed by the APSI with
support & funding from the ASAA.
With regard to your work with the APSI, what accomplishment/s are you most proud of? (share all that apply)
Being a part of the first APSI technical committee of Australian trained Instructors who worked together to design, develop & operate the training and examination system that built the foundation of the modern APSI system.
Being the co author with Don Mcinnes of the first Australian Teaching Method Ski Instructors Manual.
First APSI Manual, 1985
Being a member of the APSI national delegation to attend Interski 1983 in Sesto SudTirol Austria.
Interski Patches from Sesto 1983 & Banff 1987
Being a member of the first Australian skiing team to be 'on snow' at Interski 1987 in Banff Canada.
Left photo: Interski, Banff 1997 Right Photo: Day After Banff Interski, 1987
Describe how the APSI compared/s to international instructor organisations at that time?
Australia was not considered a region that had or could have a Snowsports identity. The APSI was in its very formative years. The fact that it existed was a 'novelty' on the international stage. We were a long way behind the traditional Ski nations of Europe and even Nth America and almost a full decade behind New Zealand in having a cohesive national organisation & developing and presenting a Snowpsorts teaching system and of having this accepted within the Australian Ski Resorts & the industry Internationally.
How did/do international organisations view the APSI? Was/is there much communication/sharing of information between organisations?
As one of the newcomers to the international stage were 'eyes wide open' to learning everything possible from the more established countries in Europe & Nth America. The formation of the majority of ski schools in Australia had been dominated by the Australian Ski School system.
We undertook an active learning program to try to learn & adapt processes, methodologies & techniques from the best available from all international regions. To try to harvest the best aspects & develop a teaching system that was suited to the Australian customer.
During your time with the APSI, who were some influential/inspiring people within the organisation?
This is a long list of some absolute legends of the sport.
The early days, Australians such as Nick Dean & Bill Foster & Max Parker.
Austrian technicians, trainers and examiners like - Franz Pichler, Sigi Draxl, Georg Piermoser. Paul Romagna.
And the rest - Mike Porter, Jorge Dutsche, Alexi Sudan.
I cannot applaud enough how privileged I was to learn from and work with some of the greatest skiers and instructors in the world at that time. This is an international list of absolute masters !
From my cohort.
The foundation group that went on to become trainers and examiners through the 80's & beyond (that photo in Perisher Valley of the trainer examiner line up in 86 or 87, thats all of the players).
Perisher Trainers & Examiners
To name a few that stand out for me - Don Mcinnes, Brad Spalding, Peter Reynolds, Bruce Hawkins, George Perry and all of the others, there are so many.
So many people gave so much of their energy and so much of their time and talent to build this organisation.
Please share a funny or interesting APSI story from your time with the APSI.
I'm afraid that might only incriminate far too many guilty people. ;)
We had a lot of fun!