About Us

The Team

• Qualified under the BASI (British Association of Snowsport Instructors) system, the team are qualified to teach you anything on a snowboard and have the qualifications to do so...This is a must if you want your insurance to be valid whilst under instruction or coaching. If you use anyone else ask your instructor for their proof of qualification and make sure it’s valid.

  All of the crew here have extensive experience of coaching everyone from complete snowboarding beginners through to top level sponsored riders. We have over 100 years of combined experience in snowboarding and instruction gathered from riding and teaching all over the world. We can pass this on to you.

  Please scroll through our profiles to find out more about us. We will be more than happy to talk about our qualifications or answer any questions you may have about what they mean.

  

• Ash Newnes

  Ash is one of the most well-respected coach’s in the British snowboard scene. He has been riding since the early 90’s when neon and zinc were cool. Before getting into teaching Ash was a K2 team rider spending the majority of the time riding in various resorts around the world, including New Zealand, France, USA, Andorra, Bulgaria and Canada. He started teaching in 1997 and loved it.

  Since then Ash has gone on to gain the highest qualifications achievable. He holds full Equivalence to legally work in France as a Snowboarder but chooses not to due to the price of a pint. He has worked and rode many a ramp night at Tamworth and started the Snowboard School at Milton Keynes where he left in 2002 to start Snowboard Coach. Alongside SBC, Ash also created and ran a successful Ski School in Bansko Bulgaria from 2005-10, before realising that you can't work with the mafia. Selling it on in 2010 and returning to Andorra where he now lives year round.

  Ash now trains instructors for ALL the Snowboard Governing bodies in Great Britain – The British Association of Snowsport Instructors (BASI), Snowsport Scotland (SNSC) and the Irish Association of Snowsport Instructors (IASI) as well as delivering BASI courses for the Chinese Association of Snowsports Instructors (CASSI). He also holds full worldwide accreditation from the International Association of Snowsport Instructors (ISIA) and the International Ski Teacher Diploma (ISTD), the highest levels attainable for instructors and coach’s.

  Over the years Ash has appeared as a rider and been a contributing writer to all the UK Snowboard magazines such as Document, Whitelines and the legendary Snowboard UK (RIP) as well as The Times and Daily Mail newspapers.

  He has also been on Radio 1 and Blue Peter and many other BBC/ITV programs. He was also the Snowboard Coach for Channel 4’s TV reality show “The Jump”.

  

  qualification

  since

  • British Association Snowsport Instructors (BASI) - Snowboard Instructor Trainer

    2003

  • Irish Association of Snowsport Instructors (IASI) - Snowboard Instructor Trainer

    2006

  • Snowsport Scotland Instructor Trainer

    2003

  • BASI Freestyle Coach

    2005

  • International Snowsport Instructor Association (ISIA) accreditation

    2002

  • BASI Level 4 - Full International Snowboard Teacher Diploma (ISTD)

    2003

  • IVSI - International Coach Accreditation

    2007

  • Jeunese D' Sport - Full French Equivalence

    2007

  • Child Protection Course Trainer

    2007

  • IASI Level 4 Snowboard Instructor

    2006

  • BASI Level 3 Snowboard Teacher

    2002

  • SNSC Snowboard Performance & Freestyle Coach

    2002

  • BASI Level 3 Mountain Safety Leader (Off Piste)

    2002

  • BASI Level 2 Snowboard Instructor

    1997

  • Sports Coach UK - Sports Injury management and Prevention

    2003

  • Sports Coach UK - Coaching Young Performers

    2003

  • Sports Coach UK - Sports Psychology

    2003

  • CRD/DBS Criminal Record Disclosure

    Anually

  • First Aid Provider

    Every 3 years

• Olly Bowley

  Olly first put a board on in Snozone Milton Keynes over the summer of 2003 at the age of 12. He has loved snowboarding since that point. His first experience of mountain riding was over that winter, where he fell in love with the idea of becoming an instructor.

  Olly became a level 1 instructor in the autumn of 2009. This is where he met Ash and Lyndon who were delivering the course. He then knew he'd definitely made the right decision. At 18 he spent two years working as an instructor at Milton Keynes Snozone. Whilst there, Olly worked on improving his skills, attending many Snowboard Coach training days, in preparation for a BASI level 2. He then did the 13 week Snowboard Coach program prior to taking his level 2, which he passed in the winter of 2012.

  Olly didn’t stop there and has taught and trained hard and in 2017 achieved his BASI Level 3 – the highest attainable. Olly has also qualified as an Adaptive Snowboard Instructor and a BASI Level 2 Ski Instructor. He is now training and studying to gain his ISTD and ultimately become a BASI Trainer. Something he hopes to achieve in the next 3 years.

  Olly and Ash work together on the SBC Level 2 and Level 3 Instructor training programs as well as the Riding weeks during the winters in Arinsal, Andorra . The summer sees Olly travelling down under to Australia working as a sponsored instructor for Mount Buller before returning to the UK in the Autumn and helping with the day courses at Tamworth and Hemel.

  

  qualification

  since

  • BASI Level 3 Freestyle Coach

    2019

  • BASI Level 2 Ski Instructor

    2018

  • BASI Level 1 Adaptive Instructor

    2017

  • BASI Level 3 Snowboard Instructor

    2017

  • First Aid Provider

    Every 3 Years

  • BASI UKCP Level 1 Freestyle Coach

    2014

  • BASI Level 2 Snowboard Instructor

    2012

  • BASI Level 1 Alpine Ski Instructor

    2011

  • BASI Level 1 Snowboard Instructor

    2009

  • Full Criminal Record Disclosure

    Annually

  • BASI Safeguarding Children Accreditation

• Chris Skinner

  Chris has been riding since the late 90’s and coaching since 2001. He has trained in both the Canadian and British system and ridden all over Europe as well as Canada and North America. With over 16 full seasons of coaching behind him, Chris brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to every session he runs. He has known Ash since 2003 and spent the 2008 season with him training in preparation for his BASI level 3 course – the highest riding level. Chris passed this top level course in 2009, along with only one other person.

  Since then, Chris has been with Snowboard Coach working closely with Ash and the rest of the Snowboard Coach crew and looks after our UK courses at Hemel and Tamworth and is a guest trainer on the Level 2 programme in Arinsal.

  Chris is also a Level 2 Freestyle coach and a qualified mountain safety leader.

  In the summer months, when not helping out in the UK on day courses, Chris can be found either with his head in a laptop, reading up on JavaScript and other programming nonsense. Chris is also training to be a stunt extra.

  

  qualification

  since

  • BASI Level 3 ISIA Snowboard Instructor

    2009

  • BASI Level 2 Freestyle Coach

    2010

  • International Snowsports Instructor Association (ISIA) Accreditation

    2010

  • BASI Level 3 Mountain Safety Leader (Off Piste)

    2009

  • Diploma in Anatomy and Physiology

    2006

  • BASI Level 2 Snowboard Instructor

    2008

  • CASI (Canadian) Level 2 Snowboard Instructor

    2004

  • CASI Level 1 Snowboard Instructor

    2001

  • PSIA (American) Level 1 Alpine Ski Instructor

    2001

  • First Aid Provider

    Every 3 Years

  • Full Criminal Record Disclosure

    Annually

• Lyndon Boddey

  Lyndon has been involved in sport since he learnt to walk, competing up to national level in swimming and gymnastics before he left school. He studied percussion at the Royal Academy of Music in London and at the same time discovered snowboarding, riding at Milton Keynes and the High Wycombe ‘diamonds of death’.

  In 2002 he attended his first snowboard instructors course with Ash and hasn’t looked back since. He worked his way through the BASI system in record time whilst teaching and snowboarding throughout Europe and the USA, amassing a wealth of experience in both instructing and coaching.

  Not one for sitting still, within this hectic snowboard schedule he managed to learn to skydive and become Rookie British Skydive Champion. Since these early beginnings Lyndon has gone on to gain the highest qualifications possible and like Ash, he is one of only a handful of people who has gained his full French Equivalence through snowboarding.

  Lyndon also trains instructors for The British Association of Snowsport Instructors (BASI) and Snowsport Scotland. His time is spent working with Ash on the Level 2 Instructor Program and our Freestyle Coaching programme in Arinsal, Andorra. When not on the snow you’ll find him running a busy creative design agency in the UK.

  

  qualification

  since

  • BASI Snowboard Trainer

    2009

  • First Aid Course Trainer & Examiner

    2016

  • Snowsport Scotland Instructor Trainer

    2003

  • BASI / UKCP Freestyle Coach Trainer

    2010

  • BASI Level 4 - Full International Snowboard Teacher Diploma (ISTD)

    2003

  • International Snowsports Instructor Association (ISIA) Accreditation

    2007

  • Jeunese D' Sport -Full French Equivalence

    2007

  • BASI Level 3 Snowboard Teacher

    2007

  • BASI Level 3 Mountain Safety Leader (off Piste)

    2007

  • BASI Level 2 Snowboard Instructor

    2005

  • BASI Level 2 Alpine Ski Instructor

    2007

  • BASI Level 1 Snowboard Instructor

    2004

  • Full Criminal Record Disclosure

  • BASI Safeguarding Children Accreditation

• Andy Bridgman

  Snowboarding for over 20 years, Andy passed his first BASI Snowboard instructor course when he was 18 and completed his BASI Level 2 shortly after. Since then Andy has been away for many seasons working as a ski and snowboard technician as well as completing a degree in Sports Science which he passed with First Class honours.

  During this hectic schedule Andy also worked his way through the BASI Snowboard system and thanks to training from Snowboard Coach has gone onto gain the level 3 qualification and has gained full worldwide ISIA accreditation.

  Andy is also Head of the Snowsports School at Tamworth Snowdome and steps in and helps run our Snowboard Coach program at Snowdome alongside this.

  With his background in sports science Andy enjoys the technicalities of snowboarding, combined with an in depth understanding of physiology, biomechanics and sports psychology. This comes across in his teaching as he can really make you understand why we do what we do on a board.

  

  qualification

  since

  • First Aid Course Trainer/Examiner

    2016

  • BASI Adaptive Instructor

    2015

  • BASI Level 3 ISIA Snowboard Instructor

    2010

  • International Snowsports Instructor Association (ISIA) Accreditation

    2012

  • BASI UKCP Level 1 Freestyle Coach

    2010

  • BASI Level 3 Mountain Safety Leader (Off Piste)

    2009

  • BSC First Class (Hons) in Sports Science and Psychology

    2008

  • BASI Level 2 Snowboard Instructor

    2002

  • BASI Level 1 Alpine Ski Instructor

    2011

  • Full Criminal Record Disclosure

    Annually

• Gary Ashby

  With 20 years of snowboarding under his belt, Again Gary is one of the most qualified instructors in the UK. He has over 14 years of teaching experience gained in the UK & Europe, combined with numerous seasons away. He started teaching in 2004 and worked amazingly hard on both his riding and teaching skills, both of which have helped him work his way up through the BASI system, achieving the highest snowboarding qualification in 2008.

  Gary is involved in running the Snowboard Coach Program up north coaching freestyle, advanced riding, and running instructor training. Gary has coached people at all levels, from beginners through to people going on to complete BASI level 1 & 2 instructor courses.

  During the winter Gary is a guest coach the Level 2 Instructor Program in Arinsal, Andorra.

  When not snowboarding, Gary is usually found road or mountain biking. On some occasions he can also be found crying in a corner of his new house he is renovating after spending nearly £2,000 on 3 radiators.

  

  qualification

  since

  • BASI Level 3 Snowboard Instructor

    2008

  • BASI Level 3 Mountain Safety Leader (Off Piste)

    2012

  • BASI Level 1 Freestyle Coach

    2014

  • First Aid Provider

    Every 3 Years

  • BASI Level 2 Snowboard Instructor

    2006

  • BASI Level 1 Alpine Ski Instructor

    2009

  • BASI Level 1 Snowboard Instructor

    2004

  • Full Criminal Record Disclosure

  • BASI Safeguarding Children Accreditation

• Frazer Waller

  Frazer has been a friend since 2000 when he first took a photo of the Milton Keynes Snozone Snowboard Instructors, headed up by Ash. They have stayed friends ever since.

  Frazer has joined the crew on many a winter away, and is also a qualified snowboard instructor as well as a damn good photographer. The majority of the photo’s on the site and in our brochures are his handy work….the good ones anyway.

  When not riding his board, Frazer is a very accomplished freelance snapper. Not only has he worked with a wealth of snowboard, ski, skate, bike related athletes and brands, he has created photo works for the likes of Harley Davidson, Bridgestone and Aston Martin.

  Off camera, Frazer is never at home...Climbing, skating, biking - not only does his photograph it all, he does it all.

  If there is one person who will get you up in the morning to do something different...it’s Fraz