Clubhouse Chronicles: AVSC senior spotlight with freestylers, Part 1
Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club
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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 select responses from graduating freestyle athletes Selby Hall, Tucker Livingston, Mateo Bakken and Wyatt Eaton. We will highlight the remaining freestyle athletes in the next Clubhouse Chronicles!
Question: What is your favorite memory from your time at AVSC?
Tucker: Skiing around with Johnny and the fellas, getting pillow lines and cliffs.
Mateo: I have been in AVSC for about 10 years, starting with pre-devo, alpine and big mountain. I can’t choose a specific memory, just all the fun times with my groups and coaches.
Wyatt: After my final competition last week (NorAms), I skied my final run as an athlete with Johnny Rossman. He has been my coach for many years and has seen me improve both as a skier and a human. It was super fun that our last time together was in Kicking Horse, Canada.
Courtesy photo
Courtesy photo
Q: What skills has AVSC given you that you will carry with you in your next steps in life?
Selby: While AVSC has given me the ability to develop and harness my skills as a skier, it has also, most importantly, allowed me to develop mental endurance and see challenges as an opportunity for growth. I have developed mental tenacity by pushing myself through many leg-burning workouts and making myself hold that plank for an extra five seconds when I feel like my arms are about to fall off. I have learned how to stick with things until they are finished by doing homework at the end of an exhausting day at training. I have learned to push through long hikes and freezing days to reach my goals. Being an athlete at AVSC has allowed me to develop an “I can do this” mindset toward any life challenge that I may encounter in the future.
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Tucker: They taught me integrity and drilled all of the core values into my brain.
Mateo: To have fun and be more confident with skiing and in life.
Wyatt: The ability to win and lose with class and integrity.
Q: What AVSC core value most resonates with you and why? (Commitment, Integrity, Teamwork)
Selby: Integrity is the core value that resonates with me most because I like holding myself accountable for putting in extra work. To reach my goals in skiing, I make sure I am putting in the work always, not just when others are around.
Tucker: Integrity in skiing and in life. It’s a good guide to lead from.
Courtesy photo
Courtesy photo
Mateo: A little bit of all of the core values resonate with me. I had a great team to ski with and learned how to read the terrain and be safe. I can apply these skills with me when I go to college and future jobs.
Wyatt: Integrity. I believe that if everyone does the right thing, even when no one is looking, then our world will be a better place.
Q: What’s next for you?
Selby: I will attend Montana State University in Bozeman as a business major and compete in the Freeride World Tour qualifier series.
Tucker: College at Fort Lewis and skiing in the backcountry near Durango.
Mateo: I am going to college at University of Colorado, Colorado Springs (UCCS) next year. I hope to continue to be part of a ski club there.
Wyatt: I am going to attend college at Ole Miss, and then see where life takes me.
Q: If you could tell the community one thing about AVSC, what would it be?
Selby: AVSC is such an important program because no matter how serious you want to be about winter sports, being in AVSC allows you to be part of a close community and make friends you will have for the rest of your life.
Tucker: The coaches are the best people you could ever meet. They are great mentors and people to look up to. Also, the friends you make on the team will remain your friends forever.
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Mateo: AVSC taught me to appreciate the joy of skiing and spending time in the mountains. Also, a big thank you to everyone at AVSC who works to keep such an amazing program going!
Wyatt: You meet lifelong friends and mentors who want to see you succeed.
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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