Clubhouse Chronicles: AVSC seniors look back on careers at ski club

With the 2025-26 winter season having come to a close, we want to congratulate our 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 as they move forward.

Below are responses from some of our graduating athletes from across AVSC programs: Luka Smalls (LS); Ryder Hutchison (RH); Owen Cruz-Adams (OCA); Juliana Pittz (JP); Jack Kravitz (JK); and Hazel Barker (HB).

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

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LS: Honestly, just growing up through AVSC when it was all just fun and being with all of my friends. Those early years, just skiing around, laughing and goofing off are probably my favorite memories. It was just so fun and I think that’s really when I fell in love with skiing and ski racing.

RH: My favorite memory from my time at AVSC is landing my first double-cork 1080. This moment was very special because everyone was so proud of me and happy that I landed it the first try. From that moment on, I felt so connected with my team and felt like I had people supporting me every step of the way.

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OCA: My favorite memory from AVSC is from my first over-distance run with the team. I’d never run more than 10 miles before. We ran 17. My brother spent the summer training with us, so I got to run with him. I remember finishing the run at Arbaney Kittle and going into the creek at the end. The cool water was so nice, and I was happy to have gone on such an adventure. A close second is another over-distance run that we did in late September 2024. It was really snowy, and August, Lars, Ben and I spent six hours plowing through the snow. We were deep in the wilderness but never lost because August knew exactly where we were going. The feeling of freedom and beauty out there was remarkable.

JP: One of my favorite memories from AVSC is one of my first competitions in Winter Park six years ago. That was the moment I realized how much I truly loved the sport and decided to fully dedicate myself to it. It was also when I grew close with my best friend, Natalee Nelson, someone I wouldn’t have met without skiing and who has become such an important part of my life.

JK: My favorite memories are definitely the training camps we went on together. These camps were the best part of the experience because they gave the whole team a chance to really bond and get to know each other away from our normal routine. Spending that much time together in a new place created a lot of great moments that I will always carry with me.

HB: My favorite memory from AVSC that I will carry with me will be our experiences in our trip to France. It was just so fun and I had so much fun with my favorite people.

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

LS: Teamwork has shaped me the most. Even though ski racing is individual, you’re always surrounded by your teammates and they push you every day. Being around people who care and want to get better makes a massive difference. It taught me how to show up for others and not just focus on myself.

RH: I believe teamwork has shaped me personally because even though we are all competing against each other, we are so supportive as a whole through this process and our team shines with teamwork. We help each other with confidence when trying new tricks or just even helping to get out of our heads.

JP: Commitment has shaped me the most. AVSC taught me how to truly dedicate myself to something and that mindset has carried over into other parts of my life. Whether it’s sports, school or work, I’ve learned how to push myself and be proud of my effort. It’s made me a stronger and more driven person overall.

JK: Commitment has shaped me more than any of the other values. Nordic skiing is a very demanding sport that requires you to show up and work hard even when you might not feel like it. Through my time at AVSC, I learned how to stay dedicated to a long-term process and how to keep pushing myself to reach my goals.

HB: I think teamwork shaped me the most working with my team and my coaches to achieve my goals and work hard and having my friends right beside me really shaped me.

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?

LS: I’m most excited to keep pushing my skiing and see where it can take me. AVSC has helped me a lot, not just as a skier but as a person. It made me more disciplined, tougher mentally, and able to deal with setbacks. It definitely shaped me into a better athlete but also just a better person overall.

RH: I’m most excited for next year because I get to compete at the World Cup-level with my teammates, alongside our amazing coaches. Team AVSC has supported me the entire way here and I am looking forward to performing at my best at this level of skiing.

OCA: Next year, I’ll be in college. It won’t be easy, but the values AVSC taught me, especially perseverance in the face of extreme athletic struggle, will help me succeed. I’m incredibly excited to challenge myself both academically and athletically.

JK: I am really looking forward to going to school at Williams College next year and getting to experience a different part of the country and make new friends. AVSC has been a huge part of my preparation for this next step because it taught me how to be disciplined. I feel ready for the challenge of college because I know how to handle a busy schedule and stay focused on my responsibilities.

HB: I am most excited about going to CU Boulder and continuing ski racing with their club ski team. AVSC has helped me prepare for this new step by giving me experiences and helping me make achievable goals to work for.

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?

LS: I’d say just enjoy it and don’t stress so much about results. Just focus on getting better and having fun with it.

RH: One piece of advice I would give to my younger self is to trust in your coaches because they know what you’re capable of. They help you trust your abilities and push you to your limits. My younger self would appreciate hearing this encouragement.

OCA: I would tell my younger self to enjoy the long, easy sessions and the hard sessions equally. Through Nordic, I get to be out in nature in a really special way. Whether I’m suffering through roller-ski intervals up Independence Pass or running across a beautiful mountain ridge above that same road, I wish I had paused each time to truly take in my surroundings.

JP: I would tell my younger self not to be scared of the boys. I used to feel intimidated and avoided skiing with them because I was afraid of embarrassing myself. Now, after being on a team that is mostly boys, I’ve learned that everyone makes mistakes and crashes. These boys I was once scared of support me in so many ways and have helped me grow as a skier and a person.

JK: If I could talk to my younger self, I would say to remember that the sport is supposed to be fun. It is very easy to take everything too seriously when you are young and just starting out. I would tell myself to focus more on the friendships and the enjoyment of being outside instead of worrying so much about racing or how fast I was skiing.

HB: My advice to my younger self joining AVSC for the first time was really enjoy it and cherish that time with your friends and working hard with the team and being grateful.

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

LS: Probably “growth.” There’s been a lot of ups and downs, but I’ve learned a lot through all of it and it’s made me who I am now.

RH: My one word would be “perseverance.” I had a very big setback with a head injury in 2025 and I had to overcome the thought that it could happen again at any moment. This drove me to trust my skiing all over again. I am grateful for the people who helped me persevere through this and keep me going.

OCA: My word for AVSC would be “fulfilling.” Through my years at AVSC, I made friends, trained hard and experienced so many amazing things. Trail runs in the wilderness. Trips to compete in other countries. Skiing in some of the most remote, and some of the most urban, places I’ll ever visit. In the end, I feel fulfilled.

JP: “I can do anything, I can be anything, because I am everything. I am confident, I am strong, and I’ve got it going on.” It might sound a little corny now, especially on paper, but my friends Natalee, Alexa and I used to say this to hype ourselves up when we were younger. I still repeat this phrase before every competition. It represents the confidence I’ve built over the years and reminds me of all the moments I was able to overcome fears and push my personal boundaries.

HB: If I were to describe my journey with AVSC in one word, I would say “Adoring,” because I adore my friends and I adore the team.

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

LS: After graduation I’m planning to do a post-grad year in Aspen. I want to keep focusing on ski racing.

RH: After graduation I will continue skiing with Team AVSC and will be competing at the World Cup-level. I am going to be traveling to competitions all around the world and I’m very excited to pursue doing what I love the most. This summer I am planning to coach the younger skiers at AVSC. I want to inspire younger athletes, while still training on my own this summer.

OCA: I’m going to Harvard next year! After college, I might want to go to medical school, but I don’t know how that will turn out. I’m so excited to see what the next four years bring.

JP: Next year, I’ll be attending CU Boulder and majoring in business. I plan to continue coaching younger AVSC athletes during the summers and school breaks. I’m also excited to join the freeride team at CU, as well as the club lacrosse team.

HB: I will be graduating high school at Roaring Fork and I will be going CU Boulder next year and working as a raft guide this summer in Glenwood and hopefully many ski trips to come!

Clubhouse Chronicles is a behind-the-scenes column written by the Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club that runs periodically in the Aspen Times.