Olympic Hopeful: Avital Carroll
12/18/2025 12:53PM ● By Sophie Dingle
Photo courtesy of Avital Carroll.
As Avital Carroll looks for her Olympic shot in 2026, her focus isn’t just on moguls – it’s also on sharing her heritage and history. The mogul skier aims to ski for Austria in the Olympics, due to the new Nationality Act. In high school, Avital begged her parents to let her attend Lowell Whiteman School (now Steamboat Mountain School) after she found out one of her coaches had gone there. While there, she joined theSteamboat Springs Winter Sports Club freestyle moguls program and stayed with the club for seven years before making the U.S. Ski Team and moving to Park City, Utah.
Steamboat Magazine: How did you get into moguls skiing?
Avital Carroll: I am the youngest of five kids, and my sister, Arielle, who’s the oldest, was randomly approached in the base lodge in Stratton, Vermont, while sitting with our parents
having lunch. It was the head of the freestyle program who asked if she would like to try the program. Arielle and my parents looked at each other, shrugged their shoulders and said, “sure!” Ever since then, since we were old enough, we followed in her footsteps and started the freestyle program at Stratton Mountain as weekend warriors. I started competing at age 6.
SM: This is potentially your first Olympics and you’ve decided to ski for Austria. Tell us about the switch from the U.S. to Austria.
AC: This switch became possible because Austria came out with the Nationality Act, which grants citizenship to direct descendants of everyone who was forced out due to the Holocaust. My grandma and her immediate family were forced out when my Oma was 7. They were fortunate enough to be able to escape through Northern Italy, then to Rome, before being amongst those who were chosen (1,000 Jews) to take a boat to the United States. Being able to represent my heritage, and have my platform to talk about this – and unfortunately the horrible things that continue to happen in our world – has been quite emotional. It’s been more meaningful than I could have ever imagined. My motto has always been ‘Love-Dream-Unite.’ Love everyone. Dream big, and unify. Being able to talk about the craziness that still is going on in the world today is super important, because the more we talk about it, the more aware we are of it as a whole.
SM: Your husband, Bobby Carroll, is your coach. How does that dynamic work?
AC: It’s definitely a different dynamic. Basically, what it comes down to is communication. Bobby knows me better than anyone, so who better to be able to read my feelings, know what I’m capable of and have someone who wholeheartedly cares about me? He used to be a mogul skier as well, so he really understands. At times it can be tricky because I thrive in an environment where it’s more intense, and Bobby doesn’t want to be that mean to me ... which is fair! But we have talked about this and found ways to navigate.
SM: What is something that you’re thinking about while training for the Olympics?
AC: I’m thinking about what’s the best I can do every day. What are the little things that will ultimately prepare me the best to reach my goals? This keeps me grounded and doesn’t let me get ahead of myself.
As Avital Carroll looks for her Olympic shot in 2026, her focus isn’t just on moguls – it’s also on sharing her heritage and history. The mogul skier aims to ski for Austria in the Olympics, due to the new Nationality Act. In high school, Avital begged her parents to let her attend Lowell Whiteman School (now Steamboat Mountain School) after she found out one of her coaches had gone there. While there, she joined theSteamboat Springs Winter Sports Club freestyle moguls program and stayed with the club for seven years before making the U.S. Ski Team and moving to Park City, Utah.
Steamboat Magazine: How did you get into moguls skiing?
Avital Carroll: I am the youngest of five kids, and my sister, Arielle, who’s the oldest, was randomly approached in the base lodge in Stratton, Vermont, while sitting with our parents
having lunch. It was the head of the freestyle program who asked if she would like to try the program. Arielle and my parents looked at each other, shrugged their shoulders and said, “sure!” Ever since then, since we were old enough, we followed in her footsteps and started the freestyle program at Stratton Mountain as weekend warriors. I started competing at age 6.
SM: This is potentially your first Olympics and you’ve decided to ski for Austria. Tell us about the switch from the U.S. to Austria.
AC: This switch became possible because Austria came out with the Nationality Act, which grants citizenship to direct descendants of everyone who was forced out due to the Holocaust. My grandma and her immediate family were forced out when my Oma was 7. They were fortunate enough to be able to escape through Northern Italy, then to Rome, before being amongst those who were chosen (1,000 Jews) to take a boat to the United States. Being able to represent my heritage, and have my platform to talk about this – and unfortunately the horrible things that continue to happen in our world – has been quite emotional. It’s been more meaningful than I could have ever imagined. My motto has always been ‘Love-Dream-Unite.’ Love everyone. Dream big, and unify. Being able to talk about the craziness that still is going on in the world today is super important, because the more we talk about it, the more aware we are of it as a whole.
SM: Your husband, Bobby Carroll, is your coach. How does that dynamic work?
AC: It’s definitely a different dynamic. Basically, what it comes down to is communication. Bobby knows me better than anyone, so who better to be able to read my feelings, know what I’m capable of and have someone who wholeheartedly cares about me? He used to be a mogul skier as well, so he really understands. At times it can be tricky because I thrive in an environment where it’s more intense, and Bobby doesn’t want to be that mean to me ... which is fair! But we have talked about this and found ways to navigate.
SM: What is something that you’re thinking about while training for the Olympics?
AC: I’m thinking about what’s the best I can do every day. What are the little things that will ultimately prepare me the best to reach my goals? This keeps me grounded and doesn’t let me get ahead of myself.