Clubhouse Chronicles: AVSC senior spotlight – Freestyle part II

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: Luke Geiser (LG), Nico Savi (NS), Kai Walterscheid (KW), and Monte Musselman (MM).

The remainder of our Freestyle athletes were shared in Freestyle Part I, which you can read here: aspentimes.com/news/clubhouse-chronicles-avsc-senior-spotlight-freestyle-part-i.

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

LG: My favorite memory is getting 2nd place at a Mammoth Futures Tour this past year. This really helped me start to realize that I am capable of great things and that helped me out a lot. 

KW: My favorite memory from AVSC was one Saturday summer dryland session when I first joined the big mountain program. We got to the clubhouse at 9 a.m. and did a bunch of different activities to help us with mobility. Johnny and Forrest set up an obstacle course, and we listened to reggae jams as we raced each other to get the fastest time through. The races were fun and lighthearted, but not one of us wanted to come in second place. After our exciting races, we ventured to the super tramp where we bounced for a while, followed by games. We played “crack the egg” or “fry the bacon,” laughing and smiling; the vibes were high and so was the temperature. There wasn’t a single cloud in the sky to dim the day. I appreciate this memory the most because it reminds me that this program wasn’t only to make me a stronger skier but to build community and a sense of self. I appreciate everything AVSC has done for me over these years, and I’m thankful for the lessons I will continue to hold with me for the rest of my life.

NS: My favorite memory at AVSC was the Mammoth-North Star California trip. We got snowed out of almost every competition, and after driving the van all the way there without the right equipment, we found out Mammoth had gotten nine feet of snow that week. It turned into an unforgettable trip not just because of the skiing but because Dave and the team taught me some real-life skills along the way. I learned how to put chains on tires, fix a snapped windshield wiper in a blizzard, dig a van out of a ditch, and, most importantly, beat Dave in Mario Tennis. Thank you to everyone who made that trip amazing.

MM – Some of my favorite AVSC memories involve building jumps with the team and hiking Highlands Bowl with Coach Ethan. From stomping out little lips off catwalks with Ridge Runners to spending entire days building massive ramps with Johnny Rossman and later George Rodney, I always loved plotting and analyzing how and where to make jumps. Even if the jumps don’t work out as planned, it’s still a good time with a lot of laughs.  And, whenever we skied on Highlands, Coach Ethan and I would always hike the Bowl. The beauty of our natural landscape and the fact that I could go from sitting in a classroom to standing at the top of the Bowl, at over 11,000 feet, in just under two hours will forever amaze me. These are experiences that I will never take for granted and will always carry in my heart. 

AVSC: AVSC is built on Commitment, Integrity, and Teamwork. Which of these values has shaped you the most, and in what way?

LG: The most important value to me is definitely integrity. I strive to be the best I can, and our coaches do the same. Integrity has shaped my skiing journey as it allows me to stay focused on my goals, never drifting away from them.

NS: The AVSC value that’s stuck with me the most over the past eight years has been a mix of commitment and teamwork. Up until my final year of AVSC, I was always pushed by my coaches and constantly committing to attend different camps and bettering my ski career and level. The teamwork experience I’ve had on the team has been amazing, and I’m glad to have built lifelong friendships with all of the teammates.

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?

LG: I am excited to keep pursuing skiing with the club. AVSC has taught me many important values and lessons, making me much more disciplined, respectful, and motivated to pursue my goals in a determined effort. 

NS: I’m most excited about starting college and exploring new opportunities off the slopes. AVSC has prepared me for this next chapter by teaching me the importance of hard work, resilience, and staying committed to my goals. The dedication I’ve built through training and competing will definitely help me achieve the goals I have.

MM: The most valuable skills that I continually developed throughout my time as an AVSC athlete are time management and communication. Ever since elementary school, I knew that if I wanted to go skiing during the school week, I had to keep my grades up. As the years progressed and I missed more and more school, I got better at dividing my time between school and sports, which meant sacrificing other free time and activities. I know that having good time-management skills will help me in the future by allowing me to balance work and play.  Similarly, I grew to understand that it is important to pro-actively communicate with teachers, peers, and employers, especially if it entails scheduling scenarios. I would not have been able to succeed as a student athlete without strong time management and communication skills. 

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?

LG: Don’t be scared of coaching from the top coaches. The reason I have experienced such a surge in my skiing ability is thanks to my coaches, and my younger self did not truly value the importance of coaching. 

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.

NS: If I could go back and give myself some advice I’d only have two things to say. I’d tell myself to keep pushing myself to do new tricks and scare myself. I wish I had learned that concept sooner in my ski career. The second piece of advice I’d share with my younger self is to spin right. Thanks, Greg and Dave.

MM: If I could go back in time to share some advice with my younger self, it would be to spend more time exploring all the different disciplines of skiing. I loved skiing with Ridge Runners in elementary school because we skied a bit of everything: park, moguls, big mountain, and racing. Then, I had a great time skiing with the racing team for two years and, of course, skiing on the Big Mountain team for the past six years. However, if I could go back in time, I wish I dedicated more time to skiing park and pipe. Freestyle would have given me more skills, and I know I would have had fun skiing a different discipline. 

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

LG: GOAT. Greatest of all time. I love this club and can’t wait to be a part of it for the next year to come, truly the greatest club of all time.

NS: If I had to describe my AVSC journey in one word, it would be DAVE. Not only because Dave is my coach but because D.A.V.E. has constantly been repeated in all of our ears planning comp runs: Difficulty, Amplitude, Variety, and Excellence. Dave has pushed me to embody these four pillars into my runs and has changed my skiing for the better with the terms.

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

LG: Skiing with AVSC!!

KW: The thing I’m most excited about as I look ahead is the new experiences I will be facing in California and the opportunities that come with college. I’m excited to learn new things both in school and out (I plan on getting better at surfing), and I’m excited to work hard. Through AVSC, I’ve been put in many scenarios where I was uncomfortable with my surroundings or a workout, but I was taught that if I wanted to get better, I would need to push through to the other side. AVSC has taught me so much about myself as I’ve been skiing with the club since I was four-years-old. Between all the different coaches I’ve had and all the different places I’ve been, I’ve been taught to push through. I will be taking these lessons with me and will use them to do my best in school and in the activities I choose to pursue as I continue with my life.

NS: After graduation, I’m heading to college at Clemson University to study business. I’m really looking forward to exploring new places, meeting new people, and continuing to ski whenever I can. AVSC has helped me gain the confidence to take on these new challenges and make the most of every opportunity.