Freestyle skier Byle awarded Voisin scholarship

Olympian Maggie Voisin has announced that her namesake Freestyle Scholarship has been awarded to freestyle skier Conner Byle.

Byle is a sophomore at Glacier High School and lives in Kalispell. He has been a part of the Whitefish Mountain Resort’s Freestyle Ski and Snowboard Team for the past four years.

Voisin is a current member of the U.S. Freeski team, a two-time Olympian and an X-Games Gold medalist. She was born and raised in Whitefish, is an alumni of the freestyle team, and has been sponsored by Explore Whitefish since she was thirteen, which helped her cover competition and travel expenses in her early years.

Voisin reviewed written essays that were submitted for the award, asking the applicant to write about their passion for the sport, dedication to improvement, commitment to hard work, as well as practicing gratitude and having fun.

“Conner’s essay really reminded me of my younger self,” Voisin said. “He has a supportive family and his dedication and hard work really stood out. I could sense the joy that freestyle skiing brings to him and I am excited to follow his journey as he continues to progress.”

The scholarship award covers approximately $1,000 in fees for a team membership and season pass. This scholarship is unique, as traditional athletic scholarships are often based on performance or financial need. Whitefish Freestyle Inc., the nonprofit partner to the Freestyle Team, offers their own financial need-based scholarship program.