Ellie Mahoney skied within the lines for most of her career. She took few risks, stayed in control.
The Northampton senior picked up the sport through family weekend excursions. She started on Berkshire East’s development team then transitioned to the racing team.
“I have been a pretty hesitant skier in the past. Over the past few years I’ve worked on testing my limits,” said Mahoney, the Daily Hampshire Gazette Girls Skier of the Year. “It’s OK to crash, that means you’re going for it.”
Different required time to trust. Her coaches gave Mahoney advice that she followed but didn’t embrace until she saw the results on the stopwatch (or live timing site). She realized her comfort zone might be holding her back.
“It’s always natural to ski the same way you always have. It would feel wrong but the results of my timing would show that they were actually the right thing,” Mahoney said. “Maybe I felt bad, but it was actually faster.”
Mahoney rode the line of in control and out of control to a sixth-place finish in the giant slalom at the MIAA state championships. She also placed 21st in slalom and was the No. 4 skier in the PVIAC North Division. Mahoney took first in the giant slalom at the PVIAC individual championships and was third in the combined (fourth slalom).
“She has no fear,” Northampton coach Mark Krodel said.
Mahoney has spent a lot of time at Berkshire East and on the race course to learn its quirks. Though the course isn’t set up the same way, that repetition helps Mahoney form an attack plan.
“A lot of skiers with the pitches and the way the course is set up, they’re a little tentative. She seems to be focused and knows exactly what to do. There’s no second-guessing when she’s picking her line. She’s going for it every time,” Krodel said. “I don’t recall any DQs or missed gates. It takes a big commitment to go through with that game plan that she has.”
The philosophy has bled over into other aspects of her life. Mahoney wrote her college essay about it (“Kind of,” she said). After graduation, she’ll attend Occidental College in Los Angeles and play lacrosse.
“You can see more results better pushing yourself out of your comfort zone and practicing how you would compete and doing riskier things to get new results,” Mahoney said.
Vivi Bernier, Amherst
Summer Duda, Hampshire
Sea Kay Leung, Amherst
Addie Loomis, Mohawk Trail
Ellie Pinkham, Mohawk Trail
Ellie Mahoney, Northampton
Maddie Raymond, Northampton
Juliet Scott, PVCICS
Emily Sisum, Mohawk Trail
Ella Cleary, Hampshire
Ella Gander, PVCICS
Caroline Makosiej, Mohawk Trail
Cali Price, Mohawk Trail
Sofiya Slocik-Gritzner, Mohawk Trail
Dana Warren, Hampshire