THE TRAINERS
Below we have included a short bio of some of the main players so you can get to know us a little better. But if there’s anything else you want to know, don’t be afraid to ask!
Matt Phare
Matt began skiing in 1991 and snowboarding in 1992, and has been working in the industry since 1999. He started his career as a Terrain Park Ranger at The Remarkables, Queenstown and the following year started instructing over the valley at Coronet Peak.
Matt was training instructors in 2002 and has been an Examiner for the SBINZ since 2003. During the Northern Hemisphere winters Matt spent four seasons instructing in Steamboat, Colorado, enjoying their ‘champagne powder’. Just when he thought it didn’t get any better, he discovered Japan where he has been working and training instructors since 2007 - in the lightest, deepest powder in the world!
In 2003 Matt formed the ski and snowboard instructor training company Snow Trainers and now manages the Snow Trainers courses at Coronet Peak, NZ and Niseko, Japan - where he organised the first ever NZSIA exams held outside of New Zealand.
Matt has a range of qualifications from NZ and the States including Coaching and Freestyle Certs, Childrens Certs, NZSIA Ski Levels One and Two, his ISIA stamp, and is an Examiner for Snowboard Levels One, Two and Three. In 2008 Matt became the Snowboard Representative on the Executive Committee of the NZSIA, and in 2011 he was chosen to represent New Zealand on their demo team at INTERSKI in St. Anton, Austria.
Matt is currently the Snowboard Course Manager for the NZSIA/SBINZ.
Tony Macri
Tony has been skiing since 1990 and snowboarding since 1998. After getting his qualification in the US, he visited New Zealand for the first time and spent four years at Whakapapa training instructors as well as coaching the North Island’s first freestyle Development squad. He then moved to the South Island to train instructors at Treble Cone and after three years he finally settled at Coronet Peak where he currently co-manages and trains the Snow Trainers crew.
Over the years Tony has been involved with many integral projects with SBINZ from helping develop resources such as the manuals, and creating new certifications and exams. Tony has also served many years on the Snowboard Divisional Committee.
Tony spends his Northern Hemisphere in Colorado USA where he manages the Snow Trainers courses at Copper, and is the AASI-RM Chief Examiner. Tony has also worked in many different facets within ski and ride schools such as Training Manager, Youth School Manager, and Snowboard School Manager.
Back in NZ Tony has been a Snowboard examiner since 2000 where he examines Level One, Two, Three and Trainers Cert. He is also a snowboard Freestyle Examiner, and a Childrens Cert Examiner, and in 2011 he was chosen to represent New Zealand on their demo team at INTERSKI in St. Anton, Austria.
Tony is currently the Snowboard Committee Chairman for the AASI-RM in the USA.
Most people don’t know that Tony used to compete as a Freestyle Bumps Skier when at university in the States. Tony is also a fully certified ski instructor and has his freestyle accreditation.
Doug Benson
Doug began skiing in 1979 and snowboarding in 1992, then started teaching skiing in 1995 in Pennsylvania. He spent two years working on the east coast of the U.S. attaining his level 1 and 2 skiing certifications. After the end of his second season he moved to Colorado and began teaching skiing at Keystone Resort in Summit County, Colorado.
While at Keystone, Doug attained his skiing Level 3 certification, Resort Alpine Trainer and Resort Freestyle Trainer accreditations and held many positions within the Ski & Ride School which included Children’s Supervisor and Private Lesson Supervisor.
Following Keystone Doug spent and few years at Breckenridge as the Children’s Ski & Ride School Manager, and then in 2010 took the position of Snowsports School Director at Teton Pass Resort in Montana. While in Montana, he attained Examiner Status for Freestyle and Alpine in PSIA Northern Rocky Mt. Division.
He currently instructs at Beaver Creek Ski and Snowboard School and Arapahoe Basin Snowsports School.