The Class of 2023 took time to reflect on their time with BSF, which was full of highs and lows, of powder days, shenanigans, powerful learning moments, and most of all, full of meaningful friendships and time with their teammates and coaches. Every time we asked them what they'll miss most, the said "the people."
We loved watching these athletes grow into strong, resilient young people, and we can't wait to see what they do next.
Senior Orrin Coleman's favorite Nordic team memory: everyone running out of water on the last day of adventure camp. His next adventure: attending the University Of Washington.
Henry's favorite memory from BSF: training with the team in Park City last year. He plans to attend Montana State University and major in architecture.
Connor grew up racing Alpine with BSF, and then branched out to join the new BSF Freeride/Big Mountain Team. Best BSF memory: his very first downhill race at Schweitzer. Next adventure: Attending Western Washington University to study computer science and hopefully joining the WWU Freeride Team and continuing to compete.
After nine years with BSF, Anders Fanning is on his way to the University of Utah, where he plans to continue freeskiing. Anders says, for him, "BSF means charismatic coaches who have always kept skiing interesting." His favorite memory? Saturday mornings, waiting by the tree, with his brothers and friends, for the adventures to begin.
BSF Freeskier Keelan Gaines says his favorite BSF memory is being snowed-in at Tahoe this year and building a jump on the hill next to the team's house. Keelan is headed to Salt Lake City to attend the University of Utah and to keep on skiing.
Winning this year's 17-18 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP in Slopestyle might be how some remember him. But for senior Nicky Johnson, his favorite memories of BSF are "hanging out with my buddies and learning from the best coaches." He's headed to the University of Utah to study writing and rhetoric in the fall. And of course, he'll continue to ski.
Freeskier Miles Hundhausen's favorite BSF memory is of his first trip to Park City, Utah, with the team. Seems fitting that he is on his way to the University of Utah to study pre-dental/biology and to do as much freeskiing as he can.
Max Kluck says his favorite BSF memory was during the COVID spring in 2020: "We all met at Crosscut and went out and filmed a video of us trying to hit jumps. We named the video "A day with the boys". It was really fun, because we all hadn't seen each other in a while, and especially because Soren was there, and I got to spend the rest of the afternoon with him, which ended up being one of the last times I spent with him."
Max was just named to the U.S. Ski Team, and he also plans to attend the University of Utah and be on the Utes Ski Team.
Freeski athlete Casper Lemley will be attending Westminster college in Salt Lake City, majoring in engineering and minoring in film studies, and he plans on continuing skiing.
Casper's favorite memory from BSF: Going to competitions and skiing with the whole team while playing cod mobile and watching ski movies at night.
For senior Makayla Papke, there are too many memories to choose from. But one that sticks out is last summer's water ramps camp with the BSF park & moguls teams and Missoula mogul team. After training and hitting the hot tubs, they all went on a walk and played basketball. Makayla's next adventure: she'll ski on the NorAm Tour next season and coach moguls in North Star, California!
After 13 years with BSF, Nordic skier Phin Fischer will make a big (but local) move to ski for the MSU Bobcats Ski Team. "My favorite BSF memory is probably skiing on the Sognefjellet glacier in central Norway with the Comp Team last year. We got to travel to Norway and stay on the Sognefjellet Glacier, where countless Olympic cross-country medalists have stayed and trained. We skied all week in super overcast and rainy weather but finally on the last day it opened up just enough to see the mountains and the rest of the glacier."
Elise Wadle says her favorite memories of BSF will be the conversations with teammates while out on skis, in the van, and at hotels. She is headed to the University of Puget Sound to study in the honors program and play violin in the university orchestra.
Freestyle skier Alex Whitley: "My favorite BSF memory was trying a backflip on my skis for the first time. Last year, towards the beginning of the season, two teammates and I all tried a backflip for the first time. I remember being slightly nervous; I wasn’t exactly sure if my skis were going to follow me around the flip. However, I knew I just needed to go for it, so I did. When I made it around, and surprisingly landed it, I was so excited! It was the most incredible feeling, and what made it even better was that all three of us did it the same exact day. We were all thrilled!"
Alex is on her way to Johns Hopkins University where she plans to double major in math and neuroscience on a pre-med track.
