Never turning down a challenge, Ben Brodsky (11) started telemark skiing after 10 years of overtaking alpine skiing, ready to gain this new skill. He knew he hated competitive skiing and decided that he would take advantage of his skills in a different way, putting his strength to the test.
“We gave him some Telemark skis and told him to figure it out, more or less,” Ben’s dad, James Brodsky said. “He’s really a natural, and when he sets his mind to something, he generally figures it out.”
As Brodsky grew older, his limits faded, allowing him to traverse almost any run he put his mind to. But as he turned 13, the excitement was fading, and he needed a new rush. Telemark skiing brought him into a whole new world.
“The first time I ever skied on tele-bindings was before Thanksgiving, at Keystone. They only had a tiny strip of snow open, so I was trying to learn how to ski on these completely different skis than what I was used to—on a wide strip of snow, with a bunch of people going like 50 miles an hour down it,” Brodsky said.
As much as he struggled, the thrill of flying down the mountain was something he craved. He pressured himself every time to only telemark, forcing the skill. The more he trained, the better he got, allowing him to hit extremes some people could only imagine.
“There was no terrain that challenged me anymore, so tele was kind of like restarting skiing. It was an opportunity to build a new skill set and learn a new form of skiing,” Brodsky said. “It kind of felt like bringing my skiing to a whole other level. It felt way more advanced.”
For Brodsky, the fundamentals never change no matter the skill level. Without posing or bragging, he finds his happy place surrounded by trees, layers of snow, and the endless amount of trails. He and his family enjoy being able to ski together as much as they can. Every weekend it’s the one thing that the whole family looks forward to.
“I like the fact that it gets us out of routine, and that gets us away from work. We have time to actually spend time together as a family and talk,” James said.
Ben’s mom, Gwen Brodsky agrees, sharing how important the home they have is and how much it impacts the way skiing has shaped his family.
“We made the opportunity available by having a place in Silverthorne and turning it into a family activity where we could be together each weekend skiing together and giving him lessons to build a good base of skills that he’ll have his whole life,” Gwen Brodsky said.
His family started his love for skiing years before he was even born. At first the only telemarketer was Gwen Brodsky but it soon became a family tradition. Ben’s father started tele marking in her footsteps.
“I didn’t want to be like the guy that was like the boyfriend that only knew how to alpine ski” James Brodsky said
Skiing is more than just a lifestyle to Brodsky. He pours his strength and potential into his sport and seems to never give up no matter how challenging the skill seems to be. But skiing is more than just a rush, a free fall, a hobby. It’s his home base.
“I feel like some people take their statistics or their gear way too seriously. I think it’s more about getting out on the mountain and just kind of trying to learn your technique instead of trying to film yourself or trying to look really cool on the equipment,” Brodsky said. “People focus too much on how much vert they can attain, or what kind of tricks they know. I feel like it’s more about having fun and building a community.”
