The British Association of Snowsport Instructors (BASI) is internationally recognised by the International Ski Instructors Association

International Ski Instructors Association

The International Ski Instructors Association, known better by the acronym ISIA, is the world body for professional ski instructors. The ISIA promotes collaboration in respect of Ski Technique, methodology, didactics and the question of safety ensuring the highest standards of professional...

 (ISIA) as the certification organisation of professional snowsport instructors in the UK. The BASI Mission is

to create a national and international reputation for excellence through the provision of the highest quality of training and support services, for snowsport instructors

BASI courses are delivered by trainers who have been specially selected for their skills, knowledge, experience and teaching ability. Each Trainer leads a group of trainees through a course syllabus which includes lesson planning, personal performance, technical evening workshops, video feedback both on and off the snow. Throughout each course there is an emphasis on practical 'on snow' instruction and demonstration.

Qualifications

BASI offers qualifications in alpine skiing

Alpine skiing

Alpine skiing is the sport of sliding down snow-covered hills on skis with fixed-heel bindings. Alpine skiing can be contrasted with skiing using free-heel bindings: Ski mountaineering and nordic skiing – such as cross-country; ski jumping; and Telemark. In competitive alpine skiing races four...

, snowboarding

Snowboarding

Snowboarding is a sport that involves descending a slope that is covered with snow on a snowboard attached to a rider's feet using a special boot set onto mounted binding. The development of snowboarding was inspired by skateboarding, sledding, surfing and skiing. It was developed in the U.S.A...

, telemark

Telemark

is a county in Norway, bordering Vestfold, Buskerud, Hordaland, Rogaland and Aust-Agder. The county administration is in Skien. Until 1919 the county was known as Bratsberg amt.-Location:...

, nordic skiing

Nordic skiing

Nordic skiing is a winter sport that encompasses all types of skiing where the heel of the boot cannot be fixed to the ski, as opposed to Alpine skiing....

 and adaptive skiing. Like most snowsport certification organisations worldwide, it offers different levels of certification based on the instructors qualification progress. For example, in alpine skiing it offers four levels, namely:

• Alpine Level 1 Instructor, this qualification is for those instructors wishing to work on artificial slopes
• UK Advanced Instructor, this qualification is for senior instructors wishing to work on artificial slopes
• Alpine Level 2 Instructor, this qualification is for those instructors wishing to work in a mountain environment, part time or seasonal, working within a snowsport school
• Alpine Level 3 ISIA this qualification is for international instructors working full time within international snowsports schools
• Alpine Level 4 ISTD (International Ski Teacher Diploma) this qualification is for international instructors working in snosports as a career within snowsports schools or as an independent

There are similar certification levels across snowboarding

Snowboarding

Snowboarding is a sport that involves descending a slope that is covered with snow on a snowboard attached to a rider's feet using a special boot set onto mounted binding. The development of snowboarding was inspired by skateboarding, sledding, surfing and skiing. It was developed in the U.S.A...

, telemark

Telemark

is a county in Norway, bordering Vestfold, Buskerud, Hordaland, Rogaland and Aust-Agder. The county administration is in Skien. Until 1919 the county was known as Bratsberg amt.-Location:...

, nordic skiing

Nordic skiing

Nordic skiing is a winter sport that encompasses all types of skiing where the heel of the boot cannot be fixed to the ski, as opposed to Alpine skiing....

 and adaptive skiing.

The Alpine and Snowboard Level 1 can be extended to a "Senior Instructor UK" qualification via a shortened version of the mountain environment Level 2 course. The Senior Instructor qualification is targeted at those who only intend to work on artificial slopes.

BASI also provide their own set of alpine ski racing coach qualifications, known as the Alpine Development Coach Level 1, 2, 3 and 4.

History

As BAPSI (British Association of Professional Ski Instructors), BASI was founded in 1963 before changing its name to BASI in 1967 to more fully reflect its membership profile. In 1964 it was invited to join the International Ski Instructors Association

International Ski Instructors Association

The International Ski Instructors Association, known better by the acronym ISIA, is the world body for professional ski instructors. The ISIA promotes collaboration in respect of Ski Technique, methodology, didactics and the question of safety ensuring the highest standards of professional...

. In 1985 it took over the training of Nordic Ski Instructors in the UK from the Association of Nordic Instructors (ANSI).

It has grown to over 6000 members who work around the world. Initially BASI's courses were mostly held in Scotland

Scotland

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

, later moving to Tignes

Tignes

Tignes is a commune in the Tarentaise Valley, Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.It is also a ski resort near Val d'Isère, that are linked together as the "Espace Killy" region...

 and eventually to Zermatt

Zermatt

Zermatt is a municipality in the district of Visp in the German-speaking section of the canton of Valais in Switzerland. It has a population of about 5,800 inhabitants....

 in Switzerland

Switzerland

Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....

. BASI now runs courses in many locations worldwide including New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

, Argentina

Argentina

Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...

 and the USA.