GEORGE PERRY

People of APSI

 

Certification/s and year achieved.

  • APSI Level 4
  • Trainer

 

What was training with the APSI like when you achieved your certification and how would you compare it to current times?

My Training, APSI hadn't started when I was certified. Our only training was after the season, we trained on Mt. Perisher. 7 day course and a 3 day exam. 1974

 

Which Australian Snowsports School did/do you work with?

Smiggins, Perisher, Thredbo, Perisher

 

Did/do you also teach in the Northern Hemisphere and where?

Yes, Ski Schools of Aspen at Snowmass

 

What position/s did you hold in the APSI?

  • Level 4
  • Trainer starting 1977
  • Joined APSI in 1976 (continuity of membership unknown) Received Full Certification in 1977 at the first ever Full Certificate Examination in Australia
  • Longest serving APSI Trainer and Examiner (1979), currently APSI Level 3 Examiner
  • Past Secretary of APSI (1986, 87) Past member of APSI Technical Committee (1986, 88)
  • 1987 APSI Demonstration Team
  • 1999 APSI National Education and Demonstration Team

 

Approximately how many members did/do the APSI have during your involvement?

Not sure

 

What made/makes you most proud of the APSI at that time?

  • My involvement for 25 years.
  • Being a trainer.
  • Being a member of Interski 1987, Banff, 1999 interski Norway.
  • Graduate from the first class of Instructors 1976, passed with the highest marks.
  • Brad Spalding and I were the first recipients of the "Lifetime Achievement" Award.

 

What important events happened during your time with the APSI?

  • Prior to APSI, there were separate organizations in NSW and Victoria.
  • Remember sitting in meetings 1974 starting our first organization to start Certifications. Merging with Victoria, becoming one organization

 

The Trainers for the first Australian Ski Instructor Course held in Perisher Valley

With regard to your work with the APSI, what accomplishment/s are you most proud of?

Listed above

 

How did the above accomplishment/s change the APSI moving forward?

Our first course both NSW and Victoria the trainers were all European Franz Pichler, Sigi Draxl, Hansi Bergumueller, and others and one Australian Billy Foster. Gradually the foreign trainers were replaced with Australians, George Perry, Don McGuinnes, Paul Bow, Tommy Peters, Peter Reynolds, and many others.

 

Describe how the APSI compared/s to international instructor organisations at that time?

At our first interski, we realized that our technical understanding, and skiing level was with the top tier countries, Austria France Italy.

 

How did/do international organisations view the APSI? Was/is there much communication/sharing of information between organisations?

It took some time for APSI, to get recognized by ISIA(?).
Contact Bruce Hawkins and Paul Bow for more details

 

During your time with the APSI, who were some influential/inspiring people within the organisation?

Yes, Don McGuinnes, Paul Bow, Tom Peters, Paul Romania

 

Please share a funny or interesting APSI story from your time with the APSI.
Too many

 

Is there anything else that you think would be interesting to share about your time with the APSI?
I have great photos from my 2 interski, but I cannot find them. They could be in Australia