On the verge of qualifying for post-season events, Hunter Diehl stepped it up to get the nod to both Junior Nationals and the U.S. Freestyle Championships, making him this week’s SVSEF Athlete of the Week.

Hunter get some air

Hunter is a U15 who has been skiing with SVSEF for ­­­­­­many years. For the athlete, this season has proven to be one of pushing limits and delivering when it counted. With a last-chance qualifying event in February at Northstar, California, Hunter earned a spot at Junior Nationals here in Sun Valley, and at the U.S. Freestyle Championships in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. At Junior Nationals, he finished 39^th overall in a field of 76 in the men’s mogul event. In his U15 age class, Hunter bagged third. Perhaps more impressive was his finish at the U.S. Freestyle Championships; in a strong field and against athletes ten years his senior, Hunter again brought the heat and clinched 39^th overall in the men’s mogul and first in the U15 class. Given that it was his first time at the event, this was an outstanding result.

Hunter finishes third in the U15 men’s moguls at Junior Nationals

“It all begins and ends in your mind. What you give power to has power over you.” Hunter’s success is exemplary of this idea from Leon Brown; his confidence, positive mindset and commitment kept him focused on succeeding when the stakes were high.
With his recent achievements, Hunter earned a spot at the U.S. Freestyle Team Young Guns camp, a development camp for aerial and mogul athletes that will take place this summer. Only the top three competitors in an age class qualify from Junior Nationals.