Park City’s multi-sport phenom pursues NCAA skiing dreams

PARK CITY, Utah — Talise Larsh’s two-handed commitment to sports extended far beyond what many knew. As a strong varsity mountain biker, she made others smile while setting the pace, often passing the varsity boys at the top of climbs. Her precise technique and fearless attitude on descents drew admiration from teammates, even when she occasionally ended up in bushes. While many knew her mountain biking prowess stemmed partly from her ski racing background, few understood the full extent of her winter sports achievements.

Though Larsh couldn’t remember her first time clicking boots into skis, photos captured her learning at Deer Valley’s bunny hills as a wobbling 2-year-old. Her earliest skiing memories involved time with her father, weaving through obstacle courses and around colorful markers. She would stop at every wooden animal decoration along the run, while her father would offer frozen peanut M&Ms on chairlift rides to encourage another lap.

“Going skiing, tuning my skis, doing drills, going on fun powder days – we’d all really connect that way, especially me and my dad. He taught me almost everything I know about skiing,” Larsh said.

Throughout early elementary school, Larsh participated in Learn to Rip (LTR) at Park City Mountain Resort every Saturday. She worked to keep pace with boys and older teammates, studying their technique to improve her own. Between ski lessons, she participated in NASTAR races to further refine her skills.

Her coach, Alan Schoenberger, noted her early impact: “Talise joined my program at age six, and her presence was immediately felt as inspiration by the older athletes. After 10 months of disciplined training, Talise won the season’s first U8 race by four seconds and ended the season as the U8 YSL champ.”

As Larsh developed as a racer, she found inspiration in Abby, an older teammate who defied typical ski racer stereotypes. “She just rode up the lift with me, asked me how I was doing, and what I was working on; she offered me tips. And that just meant the world to me,” Larsh said. This experience shaped her own leadership aspirations. “I wanted to be a leader in the sport, even if I’m not always the fastest,” she added. “I can always be a positive influence.”

In her decade-long racing career, Larsh faced significant setbacks but always returned to the snow. An ACL injury sidelined her for four months. Upon returning to training, she completely re-tore her ACL within 15 days, requiring surgery and another nine months of recovery. Despite losing more than a year of training, Larsh persevered with support from family, coaches, and teammates, emerging as a stronger athlete.

Schoenberger praised her dedication: “It has been wonderful watching this spectacular young champion lift the training levels of all our athletes as she continues to press, even through adversity, her improvement bandwidth.”

Graduating from the Winter Sports School, Larsh set her sights on continuing her ski career at an NCAA Division 1 program on the West Coast. Beyond college, her ambitions remained clear. “Then after that, I definitely want to get on the U.S. Ski Team. And race the World Cups, maybe win a couple of World Cups too.” From her early days on Deer Valley’s bunny hills to competing across the country while inspiring peers, Larsh emerged as a remarkable figure in the local sports community.