DeNitto's sport requires lots of knee strength. In freestyle skiing, the competitor must ski through moguls, then go off a jump, land, and keep going. However, her genetic disorder prevented her from getting a good start on this season.
"It's a genetic disorder called Bilateral Patella Femoral Syndrome. My kneecaps were not aligned properly, so when I skied or walked, there was no cushion for the bone. So the bones rubbed against each other and caused swelling, irritation under my kneecap and intense pain."
"It was arthroscopic so they put two incisions on each knee and went in with a knife that had a camera on the end. They scraped off all of the torn tissue, and took out all of the tissue that was floating around."
DeNitto then started physical therapy to get her knees back into shape, just in time for the ski season to begin. When asked about her physical therapy, DeNitto rolls her eyes, smiles, and then says, "You mean pain and torture?"
She, however, dedicates almost all of her free time to getting back into action.
"I was restricted from skiing moguls and doing jumps for a while. I was in physical therapy for about two months. Now it's just a matter of committing to getting back in shape. I go to the gym five nights a week, and ride the bike for half an hour. I do jump drills, for moguls, and I also do aerials training with the team once a week." DeNitto says.
DeNitto believes that she will be able to overcome her surgery in time. She has been skiing since she was 7, and started skiing with the Lost Trail Freestyle Ski Team two years ago.
"Skiing and being active is one of my top priorities in life. It's right up there with school; it is just really important to me."
Last year, DeNitto placed third in single moguls, and fourth in dual moguls at the Northern Division Championships. This was a huge victory for her, and she plans on doing even better this year despite her knee operations.
"Finally winning was a great experience. I was so tired, I didn't really want to walk up the hill to get my medal, but my coach helped out with that. I just felt really good about it because I had worked so hard, and to see that my work paid off was really great."
When DeNitto is not on the slopes, she can be found doing FFA and 4-H projects. She loves science and school, but it is skiing that is truly her passion. She believes that it is really important to stick with the things she is passionate about despite the risks of getting hurt.
Whether an injury is as simple as a sprained ankle, or as serious as a broken back, DeNitto is living proof that true passion for any sport can get you back in the game.
Katie DeGrandpre, a junior at Big Sky High School, is a reporter for the Sun Journal.
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