The Snowboard Level Three Certification (previously known as Stage Two) is aimed at working instructors wanting to progress within the snowsports industry to teaching students in all-mountain and elementary terrain park situations (SBI levels five and six). The minimum pre-requisite for the Level Three Cert is SBINZ Level Two or equivalent foreign qualifications and the Children’s Teaching Certification.
The course is split into a five-day Workshop with a three-day exam later in the season. Modules covered in the workshop include rider improvement in all-mountain terrain (off-piste), teaching advanced carving, advanced freeriding and advanced freestyle (level five and six) progressions, movement analysis, class handling and safety in all-mountain situations including off-piste and terrain park.
Candidates’ riding, teaching and movement analysis are assessed during the three-day exam. Riding is continually assessed over the three days with key requirements being:
- All-mountain riding on and off-piste (including black terrain) using various turn types and sizes.
- Switch riding including edged turns on piste and skidded turns off-piste.
- Competency jumping showing a variety of grabs, 180′s and frontside and backside 360′s
- Competency on straight rails/boxes showing 50-50′s, nose/tail presses, and boardslides.Candidates’ teaching is assessed during a 45 minute – 1 hour lesson presentation (based on SBI levels five and six) to other members of their group.Candidates’ movement analysis skills are assessed via a video clip followed by a technical discussion with their examiners.
Please note: If you pass only one portion of the Level Three exam you must re-sit the entire exam. If you pass two of the three components, you can re-sit the third component you were unsuccessful at within the same season. If you are not successful in passing all the components within the same season you must re-sit the full Level Three exam portion again. Your workshop will remain valid for life. However, as content continually changes it is recommended that you stay up-to-date by attending the workshop again after a few years if you are planning on taking the exam. The Children’s Teaching Certification is also a pre-requisite for the Level Three.
Summary
Length: 5 day Workshop, 3 day exam
Cert resource: The SBINZ Instructor’s Guide
Pre-requisites: You must be an associate member or full member and have Snowboard Level Two Certification or foreign equivalent (see FAQs), and the Children’s Teaching Certification.
Why take this certification: This is the highest standard of Snowboard Instructing qualifications you can reach in New Zealand. It is recognised as the ISIA standard and will make you a very employable instructor both domestically and internationally.
What’s next: On completion of the Level Three you may proceed to take the Trainers Certification, Freestyle Certifications, or gain your ISIA stamp with the Avalanche Course, second language, first aid course, and a second discipline (ski, telemark or adaptive). Alternatively you may look to diversify into other areas of the instructing industry. This includes snow school management, coaching, or even backcountry guiding.
Testimonials
Name: Sam Smith
Course and Resort: Snowboard Level Three (previously Stage Two) at Coronet Peak
Year passed: 2009.
“The Level Three Workshop was one of the funnest weeks of my season. We all had a great time riding together and talking about snowboarding. We learnt a huge amount and all agreed that our understanding of snowboarding had increased. It felt like we were given everything we needed to go for the exam and with enough experience you can pull it all together on the day. After five seasons of teaching I thought I knew it all, but I’m going back to Winter Park in Colorado with new life in my instructing!”
Name: Bjoern Aeschlimann
Course and Resort: Snowboard Level Three (previously Stage Two) at Coronet Peak and Mt Hutt (retake)
Year passed: 2008.
“Switzerland goes Kiwi for the Training and Exams – just because everything is perfectly organised! Going for the pre-course early season is the way to go. Get trained by professionals to the standard you need to be to pass the exam. Then you get the whole season for training to reach the level – so many fun training sessions with my friends. I went to the exam, had lots of fun riding with some strong snowboarders and learning from each other. I am now working in Wengen (Switzerland) in the Jungfrau Region which is the Top of Europe.”
Riding Tasks
The Snowboard Level Three is based on versatility and adaptability. Below is a list of possible tasks you may have to perform as part of the riding portion for your Level Three exam. This is a list just to get you started. This is not the full list. You should not only train to these tasks, but find more tasks that test your skills and awareness of your own abilities.
If you are unsure what these tasks are or what is involved in them please ask the Trainers at your home resort. If your Trainer does not know, ask him to contact the SBINZ for Clarification.
The Course Manager will choose eight tasks the morning of the event. Every group and individual will have a maximum of two attempts at each task. All groups will be assessed on the same tasks. Where possible the groups will be assessed at the same slope at a similar time to provide consistency for the candidates.
Versatility Tasks
- High performance or speed
- Toe-to-toe
- Heel-to-heel
- Flat-land 360s in bumps
- Turn type/size/shape (e.g. down-unweighted turns with changing turn size – hour glass, funnel, diamond, etc)
- Mixed toe and heel turn types (e.g. heel side retraction turn, toe side up-unweighted turn)
Freeride Tasks
- Small open retraction strong edged turns on-piste
- Small closed down-unweighted skidded turns off-piste
- Switch strong edge up-unweighted turns
- Switch skidded turns off-piste
- Off-piste free run
Freestyle Tasks
- Frontside AND backside 360′s – park or natural feature
- Boardslides (either) on a box/rail
- Nose/tail presses (either) on a box/rail
