Balogh, who skied with the JHSC Freeride Program to USASA Nationals in 2019, qualified with his win at USASA Nationals in April, 2022 (see the News & Guide Article) for his first World Cup, the Grand Prix at Copper Mountain December 12-17; he finished 29th in the half pipe. He will be competing at the Toyota US Grand Prix at Mammoth Mountain Feb. 1-4. Read on to learn a bit more about his time with JHSC.
15-16 Half Pipe at USASA Nationals, April 2022
Bennett Balogh
Age: 17
Discipline(s) with JHSC: Freeride
How old were you when you joined JHSC?
When I joined JHSC I was 11 years old.
How long were you a part of JHSC?
I was a part of JHSC for 3 years.
In three sentences or less, explain your entire experience with the club.
JHSC is a fun environment where you can ski and learn with your friends!
What was the most fun part of being with the club?
The best part of being with the Ski Club is skiing with your friends and coaches that push you to try new things
What do you do now?
Right now I compete in slopestyle and halfpipe for freeskiing! Just recently I competed in my first ever World Cup halfpipe event in Copper Mountain, Colorado. This summer I spent a month in Prime Park Stubai, Austria, and a month in Cardrona, New Zealand, training and competing in order to better my skills for future events!
How does your experience with JHSC affect you today, if at all?
JHSC has helped me in many ways, from learning how to wax my skis to helping me learn new tricks. Through JHSC I learned how to be a well-rounded athlete, whether that's skiing big cliffs or competing in slopestyle competitions.
What skills did you learn while competing that apply to life outside of the club?
While competing, I learned how to be resilient through failure and how to balance my time. Time management is a very underrated skill that many have yet to learn - I think through competing and JHSC, I learned how to balance skiing, competing, school, and other obligations like work or another hobby.
What is your all-time favorite memory of JHSC?
One of my favorite memories from JHSC was at 2019 USASA Nationals where I placed 3rd overall between the three events: slopestyle, halfpipe, and ski cross. My coach at the event, Kevin Bradford, was so stoked when I landed my final slopestyle run after crashing the first.
If you knew a kid that was thinking about becoming a part of the Club, why do you think they should join?
I think there are many reasons to join. For one, if you are interested in competition, JHSC is a great way to prepare yourself for events like USASA or IFSA. Even if you don’t like to compete, JHSC is a great environment to bring you and your friends together on the hill and learn new things like a new run, new turn, or even a new trick!
