Photo by Jason Connolly/Jason Connolly Photography
The ideas of dedication and team are paramount to the foundation of the Aspen High School ski teams. And in the year of COVID-19, where gatherings were limited and being a team was more challenging than ever, the AHS skiers really stood out in the way they navigated the unknown to even more state titles.
“Obviously it means a lot, especially with the COVID challenges. But what means even more is how they just came together. It was really inspiring,” AHS Alpine coach Jennifer Morandi-Benson said. “The girls and the boys both really banded together to keep each other on track and trying to be as I hate this word but as normal as possible while really trying to maintain that sense of team we try so hard to cultivate.”
Summit Daily
Aspen High School Alpine ski team racer Chase Kelly navigates gates while skiing the slalom course during the Colorado High School State Alpine Ski Championships at Loveland Valley Ski Area on Thursday, March 11, 2021.
Photo by Jason Connolly / Jason Connolly Photography
Freshman Chase Kelly had nothing to do with Aspen High School’s three previous state championships in boys skiing. He had a whole lot to do with the fourth one, won Thursday at Loveland Ski Area.
In an odd year where the Nordic races were held days earlier at an entirely different venue, the AHS boys Alpine team got their turn with the slalom and giant slalom races and turned the head start the Nordic skiers gave them in the team standings into a rout.