Clubhouse Chronicles: AVSC senior spotlight on graduating Alpine skiers
Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club
Courtesy photo
As the 2022-23 winter season comes to an end, the Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club wants to congratulate and celebrate all of our graduating seniors. To recognize 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.
Below are some responses from our graduating Alpine athletes Noah Bindas, Turner Estock, Kenny McPhee, Stella Sherlock, Connor Stephen and Asher Weinberg.
Question: What is your favorite memory from your time at AVSC?
Noah: My favorite memory is forerunning the World Cup downhill and super-G courses this past March!
Turner: Traveling to the races with friends and coaches!
Kenny: I think my favorite memories are all from traveling with the team to new places.
Stella: I have been an athlete at AVSC for as long as I can remember, between bowling parties, bowl hikes, powder days, birthdays and races it is hard to select one memory. Something that really sticks with me, however, were our Zoom workouts during COVID. While nobody wanted to work out at home and would much rather be at the club, our coach, Erin put together workout plans and we would all join a Zoom to work out. I remember being on my porch jump roping air with my peers on my computer screen, which was just a funny experience.
Connor: Skiing to seventh place at U18 Nationals slalom in Mittersill, New Hampshire, while surrounded by my teammates and friends.
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Courtesy photo
Asher: My favorite memory from AVSC was from a summer camp trip at Mt. Hood. All the boys skied all morning, came back to the house, then went for a bike ride together after.
Q: What skills has AVSC given you that you will carry with you in your next steps in life?
Noah: AVSC has given me many life tools. They have reinforced hard work, dedication and commitment to my craft. No one is going to do it for you — get out there and chase it!
Turner: Skiing, time management, and pushing myself to learn new things.
Kenny: I think that AVSC has given me more skills than I could ever fit on one page, but the most significant would include self reliance, dealing with poor performance, and time management.
Stella: AVSC has helped me become an advocate for myself. I have learned to chase after the things I want and need and speak up for myself. I have learned what I need to do to perform to the best ability, whether in school, on the slopes, or in life in general.
Courtesy photo
Courtesy photo
Courtesy photo
Connor: AVSC has helped me to become independent and resilient. Spending months traveling around the U.S. and experiencing the many highs and lows of ski racing has taught me how to take care of myself and overcome difficult situations.
Asher: AVSC has taught me the skill of having fun while staying focused at the task hand. Ski racing is very demanding and can be very frustrating at times. It’s important to make sure that you can have a laugh with some good friends even during rough times. My teammates and coaches at AVSC always know how to have a good time.
Q: What AVSC core value most resonates with you and why? (Commitment, Integrity, Teamwork)
Noah: Commitment resonates most with me. I’m not from here, the awesome Hendrickson family has taken me in and made this possible for me. I appreciate their commitment to me. That enabled me to be committed to my sport at AVSC. I left friends, family and school behind to train at the best place on Earth!
Turner: Teamwork!
Kenny: All of the core values are extremely important to me. However, I find that commitment resonates deeply with me because I think if you love something you should always try your hardest to get better.
Stella: Teamwork is an AVSC core value that resonates with me. While ski racing is an individual sport with a good team, it is so much easier to excel and make the most out of each and every race. Training, eating, living and sharing a passion with my team have made each and every step more exciting, fun, meaningful and fulfilling.
Connor: I strongly believe in integrity and strive to bring it into my everyday life. Whether it be making the right decision or helping a teammate out, it is important to be honest and uphold one’s morals. Having integrity allows one to gain more out of skiing and life in general.
Q: What’s next for you?
Noah: In the next few years, I’m going to try and reach my skills while setting a course for the rest of my life. I plan on taking a gap year over the next season. I have been accepted at multiple colleges, just need to decide my path — furthering my skiing career or helping others do the same.
Turner: CU Boulder
Kenny: I am not completely sure what I’m doing next year. I might go to college, but I am also thinking about taking a gap year.
Stella: I will be taking a gap year to travel and pursue skiing farther.
Connor: I will either be taking a gap year to further pursue skiing, or be attending Middelbury College in the fall.
Asher: I will be attending Montana State University next year. I will be independently ski racing, trying to find help where I can, pursuing downhill and super-G. I will also be in search for face shots whenever I can!
Q: If you could tell the community one thing about AVSC, what would it be?
Noah: AVSC encompasses amazingly dedicated people that are helping students not only reach their athletic goals, but grow in discipline, commitment and perseverance. AVSC deserves the support of the community and the school without fail.
Turner: It’s fantastic!
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Kenny: AVSC is the best program for kids to learn about skiing, as well as learn important life skills that will help them grow as people.
Stella: AVSC is a community within itself. It has a huge part in preserving our ski culture of Aspen and helps cultivate the love for skiing from a young age in addition to respect for the outdoors. The people I have met in and through AVSC are my closest friends and are relationships that I will have for the rest of my life. The AVSC community is a safe place that will always be there for me and I am so glad to have it as a part of my life.
Connor: I am grateful for the many opportunities and experiences AVSC has provided me and appreciate each and every dedicated staff member. Without ski racing, I would not be the same person I am today.
Asher: AVSC creates a community of friends who love to compete against/with each other. The staff and coaches are great and have made a big impact on my life by not only helping me become a much better skier, but a better individual ready to take on whatever may be thrown at me in the future. Shout out to all the coaches for making every day a great day!
Clubhouse Chronicles is a behind-the-scenes column written by the Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club that runs periodically in the Aspen Times sports section.
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