Snowboard Level Three

The Snowboard Level Three Certification is aimed at working instructors wanting to progress within the snow sports industry teaching students in all-mountain, intermediate freestyle and other advanced riding situations. The minimum pre-requisite for the Level Three is SBINZ Level Two or equivalent foreign qualifications.

The SBINZ Level Three pathway can begin with either of the two workshops or the Children’s Teaching Certification. This Journey is now tailored to be more flexible so that the candidate can pick & choose their own pathway through the components and modules.

The Level Three certificate is split into two assessments; the Ride Exam/module and the Teach Exam/module.

The Level three journey will also need to include Children’s Teaching Certification or foreign equivalent. The above components or Modules can be assessed in any order that the candidate prefers as long as the workshop has been completed before the module / exam.

Summary

Length: 10 days total (6 days of workshops, 3 days each. 4 days of exam / modules, two days each.)

Certification resource: The SBINZ E-Manual is required reading for this course. The manual can be accessed through the Learning Portal (you will need to be logged in) or through the NZSIA member’s mobile app which can be downloaded for both Apple IOS and Android.

Prerequisites: You must be…

• An associate member or full member.
• Have SBINZ Level Two or foreign equivalent (view the complete prerequisites and equivalency doc here).
• The relevant workshop before attempting the module (i.e. – ride workshop before attending ride exam/module)
• Snowboard Children’s Teaching Certification or foreign equivalent (completed before attending ride or teach exam modules)

** Before attending either of the Snowboard Level Three workshops you must complete the Level Three online e-learning course, based on information in the SBINZ E-Manual. You can access the e-learning system through your member profile. Look at the course outline for further information. **

Workshops

It is recommended that candidates attend both the Riding Workshop and the Teaching/Analysis Workshop before attempting either of the module assessments. That being said, it is possible to attend just the Riding Workshop before joining the Ride Module / Exam and the Teach/Analysis Workshop before attending the Teach Module/Exam.

Ride Module – Workshop (3 days)

This three-day workshop focuses on advanced riding, including freeriding, carving and freestyle. Time will be spent to help develop the overall riding level of all candidates, based on their current ability levels. Your Trainer will make every effort to give you a realistic idea of the Level Three riding standards and how close to those standards you are currently. Watch the Level Three Riding Tasks video below to get an idea of these standards ahead of time.

Teach/Analysis Module – Workshop (3 days)

This three-day workshop focuses on advanced teaching and analysis techniques, covering both developmental and corrective teaching. Utilising the groups’ knowledge and experience, the Trainer will explore advanced teaching and analysis methodologies, tactics and situations, and provide a clear expectation for the Level Three Teach/Analysis Exam standards.

Module – Exam Process

The two exam assessments can be taken in any order, schedule permitting. It is recommended to focus on one portion at a time.

Ride Module – Exam (2 days)

Candidates’ riding is assessed during a two-day exam, with a series of challenging tasks relevant to the conditions. Candidates will have two attempts at each task, but BOTH attempts will be taken into account for the assessment. Scope laps will be given for terrain and situations that are more challenging – these scope laps are not assessed but brief feedback may be given to ensure that candidates stay on task. The specific tasks used are selected by the Examiners on the day. The following four areas of riding are assessed, with three different tasks in each area (switch riding will be included in multiple tasks):

• Freeriding off-piste on advanced/black terrain with variable snow conditions (both forwards and switch off-piste tasks are often used here) – assessing candidates’ control, rhythm, flow, board performance, versatility and creative use of terrain.
• Carving on-piste with tasks of varying levels of performance (high performance carving is typically included here), both forwards and switch – assessing candidates’ ability to regulate pressure, utilise edge angle and side-cut, make good tactical decisions with terrain and demonstrate a strong high performance stance.
• Freestyle riding with frontside and backside 360s on natural hits and one direction on small park jumps, as well as board slides on a box, grabs and potentially switch straight airs – assessing candidates’ precise use of ATTL and their ability to ride both park and all-mountain features.
• Versatility riding tasks bringing together freestyle, freeriding and carving (heel-to-heel and/or toe-to-toes are frequently used here) – assessing candidates’ ability to show both up and down unweighted movement patterns in various turn sizes and shapes, whilst also blending other freestyle or carve elements and movements.

Teach & Analysis Module – Exam (2 days)

Candidates’ teaching abilities and analysis skills are assessed across the following areas:

1. Written analysis – Candidates rider analysis skills and depth of technical understanding is assessed with a written exam watching a video of an advanced snowboarder. The video will play for 10 minutes on repeat. Candidate’s proceed to fill out the Level Three Written Analysis Exam (can be found on the downloads page), with 30-40 minutes total time available.

2. Verbal analysis – This assesses candidates’ ability to identify and prioritise an advanced riding inefficiency, and explain this to their student. Each candidate will be shown a rider on a smart phone or tablet, and will then explain the prioritised issue to another candidate (acting as their student). This will be followed by a short technical discussion with the Examiners.

3. Corrective lesson teach – This part of the assessment follows on from the verbal analysis assessment above, looking at candidates’ ability to construct and deliver a corrective lesson plan for advanced snowboarders (20-30 minutes). The corrective lesson plan MUST address the issue the candidate identified in the verbal analysis. The lesson should include a series of tasks, target specific movements and body parts, be relevant to the situation/skill/task the rider was attempting, and be presented using effective teaching methods (as outlined in the SBINZ Instructor’s Manual).

4. Developmental session – This is a peer-to-peer development teaching session, used to assess the candidate’s ability to construct and deliver a session for advanced riders, presented to other members of their group (approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour long). The chosen topic is up to the candidates and should be prepared in advance, but MUST be relevant to the people in the group and help them improve their own riding (regardless of their current riding level). This requires the ability to adapt to your audience and environment, adjusting your session as you go. Alongside all Level Two teaching methodologies, key areas of assessment here include; creating a positive learning environment, adjusting to your audience, use of different feedback methods, terrain and tactics, and question-based learning.

All of the above assessments must involve advanced riding scenarios and utilise advanced teaching methodologies (marked with a black diamond within the SBINZ Manual).

Achieving the Certification

To be successful in achieving the Level Three Certification you will need to be successful in both the Ride and Teach module / Exam portions. If you are unsuccessful in either of these, you must re-sit that module / exam portion of that module again. For example:

• Ride Module Exam – if unsuccessful here, you will need to be re-assessed during a two-day Level Three Riding Exam. All riding tasks will be assessed again. You may choose to do the Riding Workshop again but it is not compulsory.
• Teach Module Exam – if unsuccessful here, you will need to be re-assessed during a two-day Level Three Teach Exam again. All teaching and analysis elements must be re-assessed. You may choose to do the Teach/Analysis Workshop again but it is not compulsory.

Once a candidate has successfully achieved both the Ride & Teach/RA modules, also been successful in the Children’s Teaching Certification then the Level Three Certificate will be awarded.

If a candidate is partially through the L3 journey with either of the above components passed these will be held and valid for life with no time constraints or expiry date.

To book a resit, please use this link: SBINZ resit This link can also be found on the Dates and Prices page on the website.

Level Three Currency

To maintain your Level Three Certification, you must keep your membership up-to-date, but also complete the Level Three / ISIA Currency E-learning course in the members area. This must be completed every three years to ensure you are current with methodologies and the system.