AVSC athletes keep the winter stoke going all summer
Beau Toepfer/The Aspen Times
As dirt replaces snow on the other mountains, the Buttermilk glacier remains. Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club (AVSC) athletes who have done 60 backflips on the trampoline are finally cleared to do a backflip on snow — in the middle of June.
“(Teams) will travel to Mount Hood and do more training there,” AVSC Freestyle Program Director Eric Knight said. “Mt. Hood has an airbag and a halfpipe open, as well as mogul lanes. So that’s a great place to take some of the new skills built from Buttermilk and take them to more applicable terrain like the halfpipe and mogul courses.”
Summer camps typically start around June 3, and to complement their training, AVSC sends them to places like Oregon’s Mt. Hood or the water ramp at the Utah Olympic Park.
The purpose of these camps is to not only keep athletes fit and continue training during the summer months, but also to build commitment and passion to the athlete’s respective sport. They run camps for nordic, freeride and freestyle, snowboarding, alpine, and mountain biking.
AVSC supports almost 1,000 athletes during the summer, ranging from beginner to national team level. They join other teams from around the world to ski on the glaciers on Mt. Hood or to practice freestyle tricks on the water ramp at the Utah Olympic Park, among other destinations.
According to AVSC Nordic alum Lars Earl, club athletes benefit from more team cohesion and a more inclusive team spirit. They have the ability to further connect with their teammates and build more skills in their sport.
“It keeps the team together and makes sure that we train together through the summer, so it’s not a shock when we come back,” Earl said.
One of the major focuses and core values of AVSC is commitment to the sport. Having robust summer programs — like the Buttermilk glacier, trampoline training, and the Nordic program’s dryland training — fosters the athlete’s connection to their sport. Teamwork is another major value that AVSC instills in their athletes, and the summer programs build these qualities in them.
“We keep training, and those bonds keep building and staying tight all the way through the summer, and the athletes stay focused,” AVSC Freestyle Program Director Eric Knight said.
Not only does this allow prospective athletes to try out new sports in a less rigorous setting than competition season, but it also allows athletes to crosstrain in other disciplines.
“Even if it’s something that is more like cross training for the sport that you’re doing, it’s not specific to either skiing or whatever discipline you’re enrolled in,” AVSC alumni Zala Smalls said. “It’s just a fun way to stay active, stay fit, and stay committed to training and bettering yourself for your sport.”
It’s critical for athletes to have the ability to practice in the low stress, safe environment these camps provide them with. AVSC trampoline camps allow kids over seven years old of all levels to begin their progression. It doesn’t matter how much experience you have. The away camps provide this environment where the valley might not have the resources to do so.
Not only can athletes have better facilities to train at, but the social environment provided by the away camps are fundamental for an athlete’s development. The mix of ages and teams allows athletes to connect with more people and helps younger kids find more mentor figures.
“I did a bunch of the Mt. Hood glacier ski travel camps, and they were probably one of the biggest forming factors in gaining some independence at a young age,” Smalls said. “I definitely learned a lot about myself on these camps and was able to gain a lot of independence and feel more confident traveling.”
To register for AVSC summer programs, visit teamavsc.org/summer-programs, or call 970-205-5101.
