JACKSON, Wyo. — Bennett Balogh’s sking ritual is the same every competition: clip in, tap poles, deep breath. Then, drop.
It paid off this month. The 17-year-old USASA freestyle skier won first place in the National Championships, held at Copper Mountain April 10 in the halfpipe among 15-16 year-olds (he just turned 17).
But it wasn’t luck that carried the Jackson-raised teen to the podium. Balogh had prepared for that competition since he first clipped into skis at three years old. When it came time to perform, he wasn’t scared.
“It all comes down to practice beforehand,” Balogh said on Zoom, donned in a blue t-shirt and deep goggle tan. “I’ve done that run a million times. I’ve practiced over and over and over again.”
Balogh now lives and trains in Park City with Cork Tech Free ski under coach Justin Schmaelzle, who coached silver medalist Nick Goepper at the Olympics this year. Balogh trains 5-6 days a week on top of work, playing piano, and trying to graduate high school almost a full year ahead of other kids his age with a near-perfect GPA.
“It’s a lot,” his mom Holly Balogh said. “Maybe it’s too much.”
But it’s worth it to young Balogh, who has Olympic-sized dreams and the drive and support to reach them. Balogh is sponsored by Marker, Dalbello, Volkl (MDV) and is a Monster Army “sergeant” sponsored by Monster Energy.
The latter sponsorship was secured by none other than Monster’s co-founder, Dr. Tom Davis, who watched Balogh grow up from his home next door.
“I’ve watched [Balogh] develop from the very beginning,” Davis said. “I was there building our house when he was born.”
Davis doesn’t always — or, ever, really — get involved with Monster’s athlete sponsorship program. But he’s made a career out of mentoring “developing” young students as a professor at the University of Arizona, and saw a similar opportunity to help a developing athlete.
“I’m very proud of Bennett,” Davis said. “He did it. [Though] I worry about him now and then, flying through the air.”
Balogh said the half pipe at Copper Mountain felt especially intimidating — not for its physical size, but for its symbolic meaning.
“Being at nationals… yeah, it’s all the same, but it feels bigger,” he said.
Balogh scored a 92. He’ll ride that victory — along with even more training — to the Revolution Tour, otherwise known as NorAms (North America), which is a qualifier for the World Cup, which could set him up for a spot in the Olympics. He’ll train with the U.S. Ski Team this summer at “Gold Camp,” an invite-only training program at Mammoth Mountain. He’s psyched.
“I literally got the invitation last night,” he beamed.
But first, he has to graduate high school.
