Kyja Fitzgerald BY SARAH MORIN
Skiing doesn’t end when the snow stops falling; it just begins. Kyja Fitzgerald, 17 years young, is an indispensable member of Winter Park’s elite Competition Center. This grommet lives for mogul skiing, powder days, friends, family and everything about the outdoors. Kyja owned her first set of skis at three-years-old. Now, competing with the Competition Center for six years, she spends six days a week in the winter season skiing mogul runs. Kyja trains over 100 days a year on the ski slopes and at Utah’s Olympic Park during summertime. Whatever the season is, you’ll find this poised, passionate, and kind-hearted team player soaking up the Rocky Mountains outdoor activities seven days a week. A true Colorado native, born and raised in Winter Park, Kyja first took an interest in skiing at a young age. Kyja said, “I remember my first time watching the U.S. Ski Team Selections compete on moguls, performing impressive aerial tricks over huge jumps, and I looked over at my Dad and told him this is what I want to do.” After that, I went and signed up for Winter Park’s Competition Center. At age 11 Kyja took first place in her first competition and has gained momentum ever since. Kyja comes from a family of winter athletes. She started skiing because it’s truly a part of her family inheritance. Her grandfather, mother and father all grew up skiing Michigan. Before mogul skiing was a title in the Olympics, Kyja’s Dad, Billy, competed as a professional mogul skier, touring during the late 70’s and late 80’s. B illy was her first couch and biggest mogul skiing inspiration. Kyja 48
W IN T E R /S PR ING 2018 | mtntow nm a ga z ine.com
explains, “I hope to have some of the same experiences that my Dad had while mogul skiing professionally.” Above: Kyja and her dad, Billy. Kyja’s spunk and passion treads farther than the slopes. Winter Park is a small mountain town, and you have to get creative to keep busy. She traveled throughout Colorado to cheer on friends all summer long at their downhill mountain biking competitions. “I love fly fishing, hiking and have most recently picked up a love for downhill mountain biking. It’s funny how I can perform aerial tricks on the slopes all day long, but my parents are way more apprehensive of my new passion that involves the concrete versus the powder.” Above: Kyja, left, and her friend, Lizzy McPherson, who is 15 years young. B etween the slopes and school, Kyja has many high aspirations for the next five years of her life. Looking forward to graduating Middle Park High School at the end of this winter, Kyja is also applying to a competitive college program – the School of Business at Colorado University – Boulder. Here she plans to complete a fall semester, ski all winter, and then re-apply for courses in spring. Kyja hopes to start competing with NorAm (where the States and Canada compete together). With her never-ending hunger for mogul skiing and progression, her ultimate goal is to apply for the U.S. Ski National Team. Kyja exerts all of her energy into her ski practice so that she will be fully equipped to complete and compete in this final goal. Kyja tells me during winter, “I ski 6 days a week.” S o, how does Kyja prep herself
before competitions? “To do well I have to ski with high energy! Pushing myself with high energy, I can ski faster and perform better. Before a competition is the only time I listen to music; when skiing, I need the full concentration to stay in control. I envision myself taking the run I plan; I then imagine myself perfecting it.” L ast season this grommet made the Junior National Team, travelling to Sun Valley, Idaho, to compete amongst athletes from all over the country. Kyja sees no defeat - only lessons learned. She goes on to tell me that, “I was upset I didn’t get the results that I wanted but still having the experience was amazing. Also traveling outside of Colorado with my teammates was a lot of fun.” QUICK Q & A with an athlete: What advice would you give any future grommets? Always keep a positive attitude because, if you are trying to work on something specific and don’t see progress, a negative attitude will only create more frustration. Have an encouraging attitude towards your teammates as well; when you see that others have a negative attitude try and lift them up. Always have a growth mindset and visualize successfully. What are your favorite places to ski in the states? Telluride is really so beautiful, the Aspen Highlands, and then honestly, Winter Park. We get amazing snow and the top of the panoramic lift is an unbeatable view. What are some of your top skiing destinations of the world? There are so many places I hope to ski one day – Argentina, Chile, Italy, France and Zermatt, Switzerland.