Clubhouse Chronicles: AVSC senior spotlight – freestyle part I

As the 2024-25 winter season comes to an end we want to congratulate and celebrate all of our graduating Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club seniors! To celebrate their careers and dedication to AVSC, we asked each of them a few questions about their time with the club and what lifelong values they will carry with them from their time with AVSC.

Below are some responses from our graduating freestyle athletes, Harrison Foreback (HF), Annabelle Francis (AF), Daniel Hilleke (DH), Lenna Persson (LP), and Jaelyn Spraker (JS).

The remainder of our freestyle athletes will share their responses in Part 2.

AVSC: What’s a favorite memory or defining moment from your time at AVSC that you’ll always carry with you?

AF: I had a pretty severe injury in the summer of 2024 that left me hospitalized for the majority of the summer. AVSC staff and athletes continued to reach out, fundraise, and visit day after day. But, when I walked into the club for the first time in months I was immediately surrounded by coaches and athletes of all disciplines. The room was buzzing and it was when I felt that I was a part of a very unique and special family.

LP: It is basically impossible to choose a favorite AVSC memory since I have had so many incredible experiences and just fun times with the mogul team and all of AVSC. When I think about all of my memories with AVSC all I see is me smiling and laughing, always having a good time, even when days weren’t always the best there was always a teammate or a coach or a good laugh to cheer me up. But if I had to choose one defining moment to carry with me it would be when I got to duel my teammate and one of my closest friends for first and second at junior nationals. We were both so beyond excited when we got into that final round and we were just so proud of each other for being there. I ended up winning the duel, but being at the top of the course with her and our coach was just really special and a feeling I will never forget.

JS: My favorite memory from AVSC is going to Vermont and when we flew into LaGuardia, and I made Mido drive through time square and Manhattan because I’d never been there and it was so fun, I’ll never forget it.

AVSC: AVSC is built on commitment, integrity, and teamwork. Which of these values has shaped you the most, and in what way?

HF: Teamwork has shaped me the most. This past season I progressed and learned so much about the sport, which I attribute to my coaches.

AF: Integrity resonates deeply with me because I believe that the other values, commitment and teamwork, come naturally with an athlete with great integrity. Doing more, helping teammates, showing up, and bringing positive energy when nobody is watching. These are all things that create not only an incredibly efficient and high-performance athlete, but also member of society.

LP: The core value of commitment has shaped me the most. Being a committed athlete has taught me so much. Not only that it will take you far in achieving your goals but it will also prove to others how hard you are willing to work. Which in turn has opened up so many opportunities for me. I strive to be committed in everything I do and that is how I approach everything in life, with commitment. I am committed to working hard to achieve my goals. This AVSC value has given me the discipline to work towards where I am today.

JS: I think teamwork has shaped me the most, I absolutely love my teammates. We all support each other above and beyond, and we have such good camaraderie.

AVSC: What are you most excited about as you look ahead to what’s next? How has AVSC helped prepare you for that next step?

AF: I am very excited to be traveling independently and gain new experiences. AVSC has taught discipline, and how to be the strongest most self-aware version of myself. From Johno McBride’s infamous bike workouts, to battling comp day nerves, I trust that I will be able to use those experiences to climb the competition ladder.

LP: AVSC has given me the life skills to help me prepare for what I am doing next. I am still currently making a big decision in terms of next year. But I know that whatever I do after high school I will be prepared for it. AVSC has taught me the value of being a leader and has prepared me for life in so many ways. I know how to pack for a large ski event, I know how to book flights to travel across the country, to cook breakfast and dinner, and wake up at my first alarm. I know to take care of my body by stretching and working out and eating proper foods. A lot of these things I would have been able to do just with how my parents raised me but not to the same extent as I do with all of the stories and experiences I have had with AVSC.

JS: AVSC has really helped me for my next steps because I am taking a gap year to continue on with my skiing career. I’m so grateful AVSC has brought me to where I am today.

AVSC: If you could go back and share one piece of advice with your younger self when you first joined AVSC, what would it be?

AF: First, I’d probably tell myself to switch to freeride a couple years earlier. Beyond what discipline I chose, I would tell my 7-year-old self to love the game, enjoy the hard work, and do scary things.

DH: One piece of advice I would like to share with my younger self when I first joined AVSC is that it is OK to fall. I used to always get very frustrated and scared when trying something I haven’t done before and this limited how fast I was able to progress. I know this because the last two seasons I had with AVSC I took on challenges with a different mindset which allowed my level of skiing to grow faster.

LP: If I could give my younger self a piece of advice when I first joined AVSC I would tell her to trust the process and branch out. When I first joined AVSC I was so shy and nervous and it took a long time for me to branch out and become friends with people from other disciplines. But now some of my closest friends are all of the older kids in AVSC and it makes me sad to realize that we all got so close so late. I am so grateful for the friendships that I have made through AVSC but I do wish that I had branched out sooner. So that is what I would tell my younger self.

JS: I would tell myself to have a better mentality with doing tricks, I’ve struggled with it my whole life. I would also tell myself to not take this team and time for granted because the end comes way too quick.

AVSC: Can you describe your AVSC journey in one word or phrase? Why does that word or phrase feel right to you?

HF: I would describe my AVSC journey as a new beginning. Being a part of AVSC for my first year gave me a new drive with skiing and I plan to continue competing and progress in the sport.

AF: A word that comes to mind is something a fellow teammate talks about. Blithe is a state of happiness even during a crisis or dilemma. That’s what I think about when I go skiing. I love being able to look out across the Elk Range and feel immense gratitude. No matter the stress or hardships going on in my life whether it is academically, socially, physically, etc. I know that even a couple runs can make all the difference in my perspectives and mood.

LP: One phrase I would use to describe my AVSC journey is “do the right things, and the good stuff happens.” That quote is something that my coach Mido Morimoto tells me all the time and it applies to everything including my skiing. You have to have good form to do good flips and score well. You have to work hard to get the results you want. You have to treat people with kindness and respect to be treated with kindness and respect. That phrase is so powerful and so true, if you do the right things in life the good stuff does happen and that is why I would use it to describe my AVSC journey.

JS: Laughter! AVSC is filled with way more than skiing, and I have had so many connections, friendships, and coaches that I’ve laughed hard with everyday of training and I’m so lucky to have had those relationships with everyone.

AVSC: What’s coming up for you after graduation—college, travel, new adventures? We’d love to hear what’s on the horizon!

HF: After graduation, I plan on going to Colorado Mountain College in Breckenridge. While I don’t know what I will major in, I will be skiing a lot!

AF: After I graduate in early June, I’ll spend the summer in Aspen working and riding bikes, then I will be taking a gap year in which I’ll spend several months back home in New Zealand where I’ll be training and competing with the Treble Cone Freeride team with coaches Ben Richards and Sam Lee. I’ll be home in time for Aspen winter where I will continue to compete and train with AVSC.

DH: Next year I will take a gap year to focus on my skiing and physical condition after a recent knee surgery. This will give me time to compete and practice without the stress of school while also maintaining the strength I need to progress in my abilities. Hopefully I will be able to compete in the revolution tour next season if my recovery continues to go well.

LP: That is still to be determined for me. But all I can say is that I have two incredible opportunities and I know that no matter what happens next year, I can’t make the wrong decision.

JS: I am taking a gap year and moving to a ski team with more athletes that have also graduated high school. I am super excited to have another ski season under my belt after being injured this whole ski season.