Liv Moritz photo Janice Smart
Who holds the title of the busiest person in ski racing? While it’s up for debate, there’s no doubt that 18-year-old Liv Moritz is a prime contender. As a student at the Vail Mountain School, Moritz already juggled a heavy load. Yet, far from being deterred, she eagerly embraces more significant challenges. She’s diving headfirst into her debut season as a Stifel US Ski Team member while embarking on her journey as a two-sport student-athlete at the University of Denver (DU). The secret to her time management seems superhuman, but when she made time for an interview with Ski Racing Media, her beaming smile said it all.
Moritz exudes confidence in her passion for soccer and ski racing while her academic aspirations burn brightly. The Moritz family, deeply rooted in Vail Valley, has left an indelible mark; residents often hear chatter about Moritz and her twin sister Kjersti’s remarkable athletic feats. Both twins proudly represent the Stifel US Ski Team, and in a skiing-crazed community like Colorado’s Vail Valley, their achievements don’t go unnoticed.
Impressive
Last year, Ski Racing Media witnessed Moritz’s exceptional performance at a Rocky Mountain Division fitness testing day. She aced every test station, leaving me astonished. I couldn’t help but call her a “beast” because of her outstanding athleticism and top-notch physical condition. Her performance was thoroughly impressive.
So what’s she up to one year later? The rookie Stifel USST member is now a Division 1 DU freshman, ready to hit the slopes with the ski team. But that’s not all—she’s also a DU Pioneer varsity soccer team starter. And if that isn’t amazing enough for you, she recently scored two goals in a match. Yes, you read that correctly: Moritz is a Stifel US Ski Team member, a DU freshman shining in varsity soccer, and gearing up to ski for the Pioneers. It’s mind-boggling. Just thinking about it makes me want to take a nap!
In a world that challenges even the most extraordinary superhumans, Moritz shared her most significant concern with SRM: her soccer practice ends and a class starts at noon. Moritz enthusiastically states, “I have an electric scooter, and I love it.”
Choosing the University of Denver
She explained her DU choice: “I looked at multiple schools but only applied to DU. Growing up in Colorado, I wanted to look at all the Colorado schools, so I just started with that. Still, ultimately, I chose DU because after talking to the DU ski and soccer coaches, both supported me in competing in two sports. And one of my goals was to continue doing both at a high level. So once I knew DU would be where I could do that, it seemed like a good choice. I also like skiing in the West. I’m more familiar with it. And then what’s the other reason? Oh, because it’s also in a city, and I grew up in Vail, which is a small town, so I just wanted to experience more things.”
Moritz had ample time and experience to evaluate her plan before making her current commitments. Achieving the Stifel USST criteria in November, she also harbored a firm desire to attend college and excel in two sports at the highest possible level. Explaining her decision-making process, she said, “Well, I knew I wanted to go to college, and I also knew I was not ready to give up one sport for the other. So, I don’t know. I guess I just started looking at schools, and when I found the place that would allow me to do my plan, I knew I wanted to pursue it. But also, I just considered that I have been balancing skiing, soccer and school throughout my life. Even though it hasn’t been at an extremely high level, I realized I could do it. So I was pretty confident going into my decision, but we’ll see how challenging things get in the future.”
Family in full support
The family possesses extensive knowledge of elite sports. They have a clear understanding of the requirements for achieving excellence. SRM questioned their support for her ambitious path. “They’re very supportive. Yeah. I’m very lucky. They know it’s challenging, but they believe I can do it. But it’s funny. I don’t think it was very expected that I would commit to playing Division 1 soccer. So I’ve had many friends and family come to my games, which has been super fun.”
Competing in two sports is a formidable challenge, especially when aiming for excellence. Moritz tackled it head-on with unwavering dedication. She skied through the Colorado spring under the guidance of her US Ski Team coach, Shaun Goodwin, and they partnered their training with the DU ski program. She spent six weeks in Utah at the USANA Center of Excellence, focusing on ski and soccer conditioning. “It was tough, doing soccer conditioning alone after the ski team conditioning sessions,” she reflected. However, this relentless commitment validated her belief in her ability to excel in both sports.
She kicked off her NCAA soccer career by reporting to the DU campus on July 31st, which was notably early, considering that DU’s classes began on September 9th.
Her ski season will start in mid-November, contingent on how far the Pioneer soccer team progresses in the NCAA tournament.
What would make her alter her plan?
SRM asked about scenarios that might alter her approach, and Moritz responded: “I would consider changing the plan if I started skiing the World Cup or made the Olympic team. But those achievements come from many baby steps, but I guess that would only temporarily put my academics on hold because I want to finish school. Also, if I had the opportunity, I’d pursue professional soccer. But ultimately, school is the goal. So, eventually, I will get a degree, but right now, I’m just focusing on doing well in all I do, balancing everything at once.”
Developing to become a D1 soccer player
Moritz’s enrollment at the University of Denver is no surprise, given her history as a motivated student at a top-notch prep school. Unsurprisingly, an exceptional athlete from Vail Valley secured spots on both the Stifel US Ski Team and the DU Pioneers. Yet, the intriguing question remains: How did a full-time skier from Vail Valley find enough time with a soccer ball to become a freshman starter on a Division 1 NCAA team?
“In the fall, I played with the Vail Valley Soccer Club most of the time. And then, when skiing ended in April, I’d do full-on soccer with the Vail Mountain School. Those were my two main soccer seasons. But I had a different path between those seasons, especially because we didn’t play ECNL (Elite Club National League) and GA (Girls Academy League), the main full-time club leagues. My twin Kjersti and I joined an organization called ODP (Olympic Development Program), a select team in Colorado that included the mountain towns and Denver. Being a twin helped me a lot because Kjersti and I constantly pushed each other to improve, and we would accompany each other to ODP and extra practices such as indoor. So that helped me get better.
However, eventually, the driving became too much, so we stopped doing that. But I played a lot of indoor soccer when I could, whenever I was in Vail, and before committing to DU, I did a lot of college ID camps. Those were essentially tryouts, so they were very challenging. I was always trying to prove myself. So those, for sure, made me a better player, those more than anything. The ID camps are mainly in the spring and summer. Last year, I did two camps with Middlebury, and then I did one with DU, one at Dartmouth, which had a bunch of schools, and then one at Boston College. I believe I started doing them in my sophomore year.
In the end, I think that soccer will help me with skiing and that skiing will help me with soccer, which it does a lot.
While I was at the Center of Excellence, we planned weekly soccer programs. It was a seven-week packet, but three days would be intense, running full-field sprints. A couple of days would do more interval running where you’d get 15 seconds on and 15 seconds off. So I was doing the intense running on my own and the lighter ones, like the bike rides with the US (Ski) Team.”
How does she like the plan
She openly shares her enjoyment of her experiences so far. Her affection for her US Ski Team teammates shines through. She also expresses deep appreciation for her Stifel USST coaches. “Shaun (Goodwin) and Foreste (Peterson) are super supportive of my soccer and my school goals, so it was very helpful to talk with them and plan out what this fall and winter will probably look like.”
She then shares her thoughts on her recent experience with the Pioneer soccer team. “I really like it so far. I was super nervous going in just because I knew I wasn’t as experienced as any of the other girls. But they were all super welcoming and I’m learning a ton. The first practice was a culture shock. I felt like I had a bit of catching up to do, but overall, I’m adjusting pretty well, which is good, and I’m having fun.”
What excites her most about the DU Ski Team? “The team aspect. Everything in skiing is so individual until you join a college team. So on a college team, rooting for your teammates and celebrating their wins is much easier, which I know will be super fun.”
She reveals, “I’m taking it as it comes just because I’ve never done this before, but my mindset is that not everything will be perfect. Even though I’m a perfectionist, I’m trying to think that way. However, my effort and hard work are consistent and that’s important as I figure out how to balance my life.”
Advice to other people dreaming big
SRM asked Moritz what advice she would give to others who dream of a full and diversified life. “I’ve thought about this a little bit. I’d say it’s okay to set big goals without knowing what will happen, especially because ten years ago I never ever thought I would be in this situation. Still, I think, while growing up, one of the biggest things that helped me was taking advantage of every opportunity, even when it seemed small or unimportant. For example, if you have a soccer practice that isn’t as high-level as you want it to be, but you still want to improve. I’ve learned to compete with myself until I master something that I’ve been working towards; that approach has helped me reach higher levels in both sports. It has worked well for me considering I haven’t had a lot of time playing soccer, especially as much time as my Division 1 teammates.”
SRM wrapped up the interview by asking Moritz about her preferred sport, and her response was entirely predictable: “I don’t think I can pick a favorite. I love both. But whenever I’m skiing, I like skiing better, and whenever I’m playing soccer, I like soccer better. But I’m always excited for the other sport when I’m in the other season, which keeps me hungry.”
Ski Racing Media’s conclusion
In conclusion, Liv Moritz’s remarkable journey as an elite dual-sport athlete pursuing academic excellence is a testament to her unwavering determination and boundless ambition. Her ability to balance the demands of high-level skiing, soccer, and academics is truly extraordinary, and her story inspires anyone striving to achieve greatness in multiple facets of life. As she embarks on this unique and challenging path, one thing is clear: Liv Moritz is a rising star who will continue to shine brightly in sports and academia.
About the Author: Peter Lange
