When I was growing up, my Dad never hesitated to remind me that to be a good hitter one had to keep his eye on the ball. This lesson in baseball has helped me (and I suspect many others) in many ways, including in business and my personal life. While members focus on the new ski season and take steps to ready for it, I want to remind you to keep your eye on the ball. In this case, I am referring to the 2010 Board Election, which kicked off on October 15.

The leaders chosen in this election will have an impact on the organization for years to come. The sad part is that historically only 10 percent of the membership has voted in the national election. My challenge to the membership in 2010 is to double the historic voting record. Please cast your ballot for the candidates that you believe are capable and committed to guiding the NSP into the future.

Nine well-qualified members are currently running for the board. Information about the candidates can be found on the NSP website or by clicking here. Ballots were emailed to members on Oct 15. Members who have not voted should check their inbox for an e-mail from election_alerts@votenet.com. If you cannot locate the e-mail, or have not voted yet, a second e-mail will be sent November 18. Any new members not registered by November 8, or who have not updated their e-mail information, will not receive a ballot. Members without e-mail addresses were sent a postcard with voting instructions. Please contact Denise Cheney with any voting questions.

If you truly care about the future of your organization, please vote.

Sincerely,
Tim White
Executive Director, NSP

Board News

Board Election
The position statements and applications of nine candidates for the board election have been posted on the Election Page of the NSP website. The candidates will also have a series of weekly conference calls every Monday through November 22. The calls will last one hour, with the assigned board member moderator offering a 10-15 minute overview of the program. The calls begin at 8 p.m. EST, and instructions for accessing the calls are available on Member News of the NSP website.

From Nominating Committee Chair Ed Gassman
"In past years, board members have been elected or not elected by a difference of only a few votes. Your vote really does count. This is a member-driven organization. Please exercise your right to vote. To encourage everyone to vote, members who cast their vote will be automatically entered into drawings for a $100 gift certificate to the NSP Winter Catalog. Five members will be randomly picked in a drawing for the gift certificate after the election has closed and all ballots are verified."

NSP Member Profile Updates

Update Your Member Info!

Please take a moment to go to the NSP website, login, and click Member Resources above the scrolling banner on the welcome page to check that your mailing address, phone number, and e-mail address are up-to-date. This is especially important so that you can receive the board election ballots being mailed by Votenet, as well as other information and special offers from NSP.

NSP Seeks Young Adult Adviser

The current young adult adviser, Matt Abbadessa, has decided to step down due to extreme scheduling conflicts. NSP is grateful to Matt for his creative efforts in helping to formulate and restart the national Young Adult Program.

The National Ski Patrol is now eager to take this program to the next level and is looking for a committed leader to facilitate the development and deployment of this program.

The Young Adult Program (YAP) is a key program for the development of new patrollers, introducing them to patrolling between the ages of 15 to 18. This group of NSP ambassadors not only is important to the operation of active patrols, but serves as a key connection with a broader community (high school-age skiers and riders) and in developing the next generation of patrollers.

Applicants must:

Be a member of the ski patrol in good standing;
Have at least 5 years of ski patrol experience;
Be an instructor in at least one NSP discipline;
Have experience with a young adult program at the local, Region or Division level for at least three years;
Some NSP leadership experience is desirable;
Some teaching or mentoring experience is desirable.

To apply, send:

NSP/work resume.
One page vision statement for the national Young Adult Program.
Letter/letters of recommendation.

Applications must be submitted by November 15, and should be sent to Denise Cheney.

MTR

Update on MTR Manual Rewrite

The team has completed the first batch of rewritten chapters and is delivering them to our editor to start the work of creating a single unified voice for the manual. The next batch of chapters should be completed over the next couple of months, along with collecting photos, diagrams and images. We are targeting the release of the newly rewritten Mountain Travel and Rescue Manual for some time in the second quarter of 2011.

Nordic

Pilot Program

Tahoe Backcountry Ski Patrol, a Far West Division Nordic patrol based near Truckee, Calif., is undertaking a pilot program to test a new skills-based approach to Nordic training. Nordic Program Director Kevin Johnson begin_of_the_skype_highlighting end_of_the_skype_highlighting and the NSP Education Committee approved the new skills-based program for study this season.

At the heart of this program is a Nordic Skills Course for candidates taught by Nordic Toboggan and Mountaineering instructors that covers 50 specific skills that Nordic candidates must learn before they can test for Basic Patroller. Skills range from how to use a GPS receiver to operating a rope rescue system. Nordic patrollers have their proficiency in the same skills tested at the annual On-the-Trail Refresher, which is not a substitute for the OEC Refresher.

If the program proves successful in the Far West Division, it may be adopted nationally, providing standardized Nordic training and quality assurance across the country. Look for more in the winter issue of Ski Patrol Magazine.

Telecommunications

National Telecom Adviser Dick Woolf has informed Final Sweep that many new information documents have been posted to the NSP Telecom Program webpage. Detailed FCC licensing procedures and fees for both VHF and UHF systems are now available for review, in addition to FAQ documents for both licensed and unlicensed frequencies. Also, all Ski Patrol Magazine telecom articles for 2008, 2009 and 2010 are available. All documents may be read on the site, or downloaded and printed for future reference.

Women's

In preparation for the upcoming ski season, many women patrollers across the

Jeannie Thoren

Jeannie Thoren helping a skier with alignment.

country have taken advantage of Jeannie Thoren's fall tour stops. Jeannie is a significant advocate of the NSP, and the women's program has been promoting her fall tour.

Most ski equipment can only accommodate a limited number of skiers, as not all skiers are built on the same blueprint. Each one of us can benefit greatly from spending the time to adjust our gear for our unique physical attributes, including foot alignment and aligning the center of mass of the knee over the toe of the boot.

Some of the adjustments that can be made include custom footbeds, canting, and changing the position of the binding mount on the ski to accommodate a woman's lower center of gravity.

The next time you are in Vail, stop by Jeannie's shop, Jeannie Thoren's Women Ski Center, located at Lionshead Circle. You can also check her website to see her travel schedule, and keep current on her Facebook page. The experience will revolutionize your skiing.

Marketing/ Communications/ Events

"Patrolling is Life" Photo Contest

Polarmax, H2O Guides, GoPro, Ortovox, Bolle, Auclair Gloves, Mountainsmith, Cascade Rescue, Columbia and Subaru have joined with NSP to bring you the "Patrolling is Life" photo contest. This is your opportunity to share with other patrollers the life we all live on our mountains day in and day out. The contest will run from November 1, 2010 through January 14, 2011. The GRAND PRIZE is a Heli Ski/Board trip with H2O Guides in Alaska in April 2011. Read more about it here! Check out the complete list of prizes on the NSP Patrolling is Life webpage at nsp.org. All details and rules of the contest can be found at nsp.org under the Patrolling is Life tab.

Sponsor Spotlight: GoPro Sponsors NSP

GoPro® has partnered with the National Ski Patrol (NSP) to offer patrollers technology to capture and share some of their lives' most exciting moments. GoPro's cutting-edge technology can also be used to improve performance while skiing and training. GoPro's HD Helmet HERO® is the highest-performance wearable 1080p HD video and still photo camera available. It comes with a variety of mounting mechanisms patrollers can use to get some of the best action photos available. The HD HERO can shoot 5 megapixel photos or record up to 1080P HD video, and stores data on SD memory cards.

"The HD HERO is designed to be easy to use even in the most demanding of conditions, so it's the perfect camera for the National Ski Patrol to document their experience on the mountain," said Nicholas Woodman, founder and CEO of GoPro.

NSP patrollers can purchase GoPro products through the NSP Pro Page on the NSP website.

Sponsor Spotlight: DeFeet creates NSP logo sock. ON SALE NOW! DeFeet

DeFeet ski socks have been worn to win the alpine ski World Cup overall title; they were also worn by Chris Davenport to complete his skithe14ers.com project. We make them thin, warm, and strong so they perform season after season. To celebrate our involvement with the National Ski Patrol, DeFeet is proud to offer the exclusive National Ski Patrol logo 'Ski-D' sock. The NSP logo sock can be ordered directly through DeFeet, through the NSP Online Catalog, or the Pro Page at nsp.org. In order to receive a discount on the sock, you MUST enter the coupon code NATIONALSKIPATROL.

Sponsor Spotlight: Auclair - Spirited glove-makers for hard-working hands

The NSP is part of an exclusive group of high-performance skiers who have selected Auclair gloves as one of the answers to their handgear needs. The NSP joins U.S. and Canadian winter athletes who have turned to Auclair's 90-plus years of experience to select hard-working gloves and mitts suitable for warmth and rugged wear. Look in your print or online catalog for the selection of specially-priced Auclair gloves.

alt="NSP Recruitment Poster Passion" border=0 name=ACCOUNT.IMAGE.283 v:shapes="_x0000_s1029">Recruitment Posters and Stickers NSP Recruitment Poster Perfect Line

This year's NEW Recruitment posters and stickers are FREE and available through the NSP office for the cost of shipping. We have printed new posters, including a female and a snowboarder. This is a great chance to reach out to the community and invite new skiers and riders to your patrol. Hang the posters in ski shops, high schools, colleges, and around the mountain. To order your posters, plus shipping, call Christine Albertson at 720-963-2621. You can also download the recruitment brochure as a PDF.

Natural Ice logo Sponsor Spotlight: Natural Ice Lip Balm FREE!!

Need a small item to hand out in lift lines or at OEC refreshers? The NSP national office has what you are looking for! Natural Ice Lip Balm has donated NSP Logo Lip Balm. Get yours while supplies last! Call Christine Albertson at 720-963-2621 to place your order. The lip balm is FREE, except the price of shipping!

NSP Photo Site
Roundtop Mountain has uploaded some pictures from their testing day last spring to the NSP Photo Page on Flickr. You do not need a login ID to view the photos. Simply click the link, or go to Flickr and search for NSP Photos. The login ID is used if you want to post new photos of an event or your patrol. To post photos, go to Flickr, click Sign In, enter the login ID nspphotos and the password. The password for November through January is photocontest; if the login does not work, e-mail Candace Horgan.

Business cards

NSP and OEC business cards are available through the NSP website for a discount! Staples is working with NSP to offer 100 professionally-printed cards for only $39. Login to Member Services and go to the NSP Pro Page and click on the Staples Easy Print button. Use login ID NSPCORP and password CORP01 to be directed to the page to enter your personal information. Cards can be billed to a credit card and mailed directly to you. If you have questions, please contact Chris Albertson.

Education

A Message from Education Director Darcy Hanley

It is the start of a new ski season, and for me it is an exceptionally exciting season! There will be new mountains to explore, new NSP patrol members to meet, new education projects to start, and some to finish. I will be making the trip from Cincinnati to Denver the week of October 25, and am eager to begin working with the NSP team. If you want to contact me, I will be picking up e-mail and phone messages along the way. My extension at the national office is 2660, and my e-mail is dhanley@nsp.org. I am looking forward to working with and meeting all of you! I know there are big expectations for me as the education director, and I will work with the National Program supervisors, the board, Tim White and the NSP team to provide the kind of leadership your (our) organization requires. Look for Education Updates in future Final Sweeps. In the meantime, I will begin my season working remotely as the education director!

Sincerely,

Darcy Hanley

NSP Education Director

Fundraising

Cookbook Cover 2010 NSP Cookbook has arrived!
The 2010 NSP cookbook has arrived in Lakewood! The cookbook contains over 500 recipes from more than 200 patrollers from across the nation, and even a few from our European patrols. With fun sections such as "Boot-up Breakfast" and "Après-Ski Beverages," this is sure to be the most unique cookbook in the kitchen. Cookbooks are available in the 2010-2011 National Ski Patrol Winter Catalog, on the NSP online catalog, and will also be part of the 2010 NSP Online Auction. All proceeds go toward the NSP Anniversary Fundraising Campaign. Cookbooks are $18.00 plus shipping. E-mail Josh Jacobson with any questions.

2010 NSP Online Auction is near! Ride Snowboard

Mark your calendars: the 2010 NSP Online Auction is just around the corner. Auction items will be available for preview beginning November 11. The bidding and buying will begin November 25 and run through December 9. The auction is loaded with great ticket packages to ski resorts, vacation packages, NSP memorabilia, and of course awesome outdoor gear. Ticket packages include a "Winter Get Away" to Snowbird, Utah with a one night stay at the Cliff Lodge, and two all-day, all-area lift tickets. Some gear items include a Ride Snowboards' Yukon (size 159 centimeters), and a pair of Head i.PEAK FLR Pro Skis in a 171 centimeter length. When the auction opens for preview, potential bidders will be able to register to participate in the auction. The auction is powered by Auction Frogs, and a link to the NSP auction page will be coming soon. This auction is open to anyone and everyone; tell your friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, and everyone in between. Look for an e-mail from NSP early in November with the link to the auction page. We need your help to make this year's auction even more successful than last year!

Industry News

Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month
January 2011 is the annual Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month, which was previously called "Learn a Snow Sport Month." It's a grassroots approach to increasing participation in snow sports, and the National Ski Patrol will play a crucial role in determining the event's success. "Humans Were Never Meant to Hibernate" is the slogan for the initiative. The initiative also is supported by the National Ski Areas Association, the Professional Ski Instructors of America/American Association of Snowboard Instructors, SnowSports Industries America, numerous state and regional resort associations, and the snow sports media. Organizers wanted to get the message across that it's fun to go outside in the winter and learn a new activity by taking ski and snowboard lessons from a professional instructor.

"Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month in January is the perfect time for patrollers to share with friends and colleagues the exhilaration of skiing and snowboarding and the importance of safety and taking lessons, even if they already are involved," said NSP Executive Director Tim White.

Magnestick Chairlift Safety System

Alpine Meadows in California has become the first resort to install the Magnestick Chairlift Safety System for kids. Child skiers and riders wear a magnetic vest, and a magnet on the chairlift seat holds the child securely in place on the lift ride up. It is designed to prevent children from falling out of the chair. At the unloading platform, the vest is demagnetized so the child can exit the lift. The system has been installed on two lifts that service mostly beginner terrain. Skiers and riders who enroll in Alpine's ski and snowboard programs automatically receive a vest; vests are also available for rent.

Leadership

Attributes of Leadership: Part 17
NSP National Marketing Adviser Dave Esty again brings some valuable leadership knowledge in this month's newsletter. Esty's latest column discusses the importance of being ready and able to wear your ski patrol uniform and what that preparedness entails.

Dave welcomes feedback from our members on his column and how you have incorporated some of these precepts into your lives.

Print Sale NSP Holiday Sale

NSP is extending a special holiday offer to members purchasing $100 or more from the NSP Winter Catalog. When you order $100 or more during November and December, you will receive a FREE NSP "Through the Years" Limited Print. This is a $20 value FREE. *Quantities are limited*

Featured Closeout Items!!!!! (available at nsp.org)

Micro Puff Vest

Micro Puff Vest, one sale item.

Patagonia Micro Puff Zip Vest

At only 10 ounces, this exceptional vest is insulated with 3-oz. Climashield ® Green conscious-filament recycled polyester, making it one of the lightest, most powerful layering pieces on the market. The wind-resistant shell is 1.3-oz, 22-denier ripstop recycled polyester. This hard-working vest is contructed with two zippered hand warmer pockets and an internal chest pocket that doubles as a stuff sack. The Micro Puff Vest comes with a rubberized NSP logo on the chest. Price was $83.25, but is now offered at the low cost of $50.00! Available sizes: XS, M, L, XL, and XXL. This product can be found in the CLOSEOUT section of the online catalog.

Swix Mach CT1

The ultimate pole for the skier who wants the best. This pole is a great choice for slalom, giant slalom, and free skiing, and offers a terrific swing weight. Mach CT1 features composite IPM (internal pressure molding) technology, an airfoil design for superb windflow, and a DD4 (dual density) handle with the improved patented Swix Add Tab system and alpine racing strap. The pole is red in color and is available in 44, 46, 48, 50, and 54-inch lengths. This pole is top of the line, and at the extremely discounted price of $85.00, it is a true deal! Check this and other poles out in the CLOSEOUT section of the online catalog.

Stepahnie Azeltine Stephanie Azeltine Joins Member Services Support Team

Stephanie Azeltine has been hired as the NSP's new receptionist. Stepanie grew up in Leadville, Colo., and worked as a ski instructor for many years at Ski Cooper. She attended college at the University of Massachusetts Amherst for four years, majoring in English, and is happy to have left the New England winters behind. Stephanie also enjoys kayaking, snowmobiling, biking, and snowboarding.

NSP Welcomes Zoee Turrill as Member Services Assistant
Zoee Turrill has joined the NSP staff as the new membership assistant. She will be working closely with Cheri Overton to keep all member records current and enter new member information. Zoee grew up in Portland, Ore. and attended the University of Denver, where she was a resident assistant, worked in the Study Abroad office as a peer adviser, and connected students to nonprofits as president of DU Volunteers. In her senior year, she chaired the Undergraduate Student Senate's Sustainability Committee, facilitating the creation of DU's bike sharing pilot program, which has grown to the red bikes parked at Light Rail stations around Denver. She graduated with honors and worked for a year in Missoula as an environmental organizer.

Final Sweep was created to keep NSP members informed about national news. An archive of all issues of Final Sweep is maintained under the Newsletters section of Member News. After logging in, click Newsletters from the Quick Links menu. If you have news that's relevant to the national ski patrol audience, we invite you to submit it for consideration for Final Sweep. Please e-mail it to editorial by the 15th of each month.

This email was sent to rpetry@d.umn.edu by editor@nsp.org.

Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe™ | Privacy Policy.

Email Marketing by