Eleven-year-old called up by her country
Young Maisie Morgan has been skiing for as long as she can remember.
The multi-talented 11-year-old is all set for a busy winter, competing cross the continent.
She has been selected for Great Britain’s Home Nations Squad in ski cross – GBX for short – and is ready to take on the very best.
Her parents Darren and Tereza knew they had a talented athlete on their hands when Maisie took to the slopes as a toddler.
Tereza said that her daughter was a mere 18-months-old when she had her first ski outing.
She said: “I used to strap her on with a harness and she loved it.
“She started at Blairgowrie Ski Club when she was five, and then moved onto Glenshee Performance Squad, training on snow.
“The next thing she was training and entering races.”
It’s been a good year for Maisie, who attends Strathallan School near Forgandenny on a sports scholarship.
This year she’s won the Snowsport Scotland Alpine Winter Series in the Under 12 Female category and claimed gold medals in both the Scottish Schools Snowsports Association (SSSA) qualifier at Glenshee and the Scottish Prep Schools race.
She also won the Scottish Skier Cross Race female U12 at Glenshee in 2016.
Back in April, she broke her wrist training at French resort Tignes before the British Championships.
Brave Maisie had no idea about the injury until arriving back in Scotland, where she was informed of the break by her doctor.
She’d powered though the competition anyway, finishing a very respectable eighth place.
Tereza says ski cross can be “mad and scary to watch”. But her and Darren support their daughter, accompanying her to events far and wide.
Maisie’s first camp with the GBX squad starts on Saturday.
She then returns to Maria Alm in Austria for the Ambition races, then out again to Switzerland with GBX for the Audi Kids Cross races.
It’s then time to compete in the Scottish races before heading back to Tignes in March for the British Alpine Championships.
There’s barely any time to draw breath, never mind do school work. But Tereza is full of praise for Strathallan.
She said: “The school are very supportive – especially with time away.
“Maisie always takes lots of school work with her and completes it in between training and racing.
“Maisie is severely dyslexic and understands she needs to work hard but her sport gives her a real confidence boost.”
It’s not just skiing she excels in – she’s a member of Perth City Swim Club, and recently won a bronze medal at the Scottish Pentathlon, an event which comprises a swim, run and shoot.
They have seen how sport can benefit a young life at close quarters, and Darren and Tereza – who run Glenshee Ski and Board and Gulabin Lodge Outdoor Centre – would recommend ski training with the Glenshee Performance Squad during the winter months.
Tereza added: “It’s an excellent way for any child to improve their skiing and for those interested can also be introduced to ski racing.”
Anyone interested should contact Darren Morgan, chairman of GPS, on