NZSIA and SBINZ Snowboard Instructor qualifications
The SBINZ is the Snowboard division of the NZSIA
The New Zealand Snowsports Instructors Alliance (SBINZ) has been certifying snowsports instructors since 1971 and has an excellent international reputation.
SITCo.'s programs train you for two snowboarding qualifications, the SBINZ Level 1 and the SBINZ Level 2 certifications.
SBINZ Level 1 Snowboard Instructor Qualification
The Level 1 qualification focuses on the introductory levels of teaching, with emphasis on class handling abilities and presentation skills, and with a specific section on children's teaching. The Level 1 is a 5 day exam and is a prerequisite to the Level 2 qualification.
SBINZ Level 2 Snowboard Instructor Qualification
The Level 2 qualification is run over 5 days. The five-day course includes modules covering rider improvement, movement analysis, the teaching model, progressions for level three and four students, class handling and safety on mountain terrain.
Your riding is continually assessed over the five days with key requirements being: Riding all blue groomed and off-piste terrain with good form, tidy skidded and edged demonstrations on piste, tidy demonstrations of level three and four freestyle elements (switch riding, straight airs, ollies, nose rolls and air 180s).
You will be formally assessed on student movement analysis and lesson planning via a video clip followed by a brief discussion with your Examiner. Teaching is assessed on the final day during a 30-minute teaching presentation to other members of their group.
All your SITCo. trainers will be qualified SBINZ instructors, working independently of the SBINZ. Some trainers will also be involved with your final exam, and will at that point be working for the SBINZ.
After you have successfully completed your SBINZ Level 2 there are plenty more opportunities for further development:
- SBINZ Level 3 (the ISIA level of New Zealand certification).
- SBINZ Trainers Cert. (the trainer certification).
SBINZ Level 3
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.
Your 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.
Other NZSIA courses and qualifications
The SBINZ has a range of other course and qualifications that you can be involved with
The NZSIA also has a very active Ski and Telemark divisions.
Visit the SBINZ website for more information.