SALT LAKE CITY — As a 10-year-old boy, Marvin Melville learned to ski with his father.
"I didn't like it in the beginning at all," Melville said. "But after probably less than a year, it got to be kind of fun. But we couldn't turn; they were long, large skis."
The long skis proved to be a challenge, but Melville quickly picked up the sport and was highly successful while at Granite High School, the University of Utah and for the Army.
Melville got his big break in 1955, though, when he was selected to represent the United States in the upcoming Winter Olympics as one of just a headful of downhill skiers. It was the first of two Olympic appearances for Melville before ending his competitive career.
Since then, Melville made a life out of skiing, where he's helped others fine tune their skills in pursuit of their own skiing dreams. Even with two new knees and a hip replacement, Melville continues to hit the slopes as a 90 year old.
For Melville, skiing has always been a family affair. To see his story, click the video above.
Check out more Beyond The Game videos, including one about how 18-year-old Jane Hedengren is redefining the sport of running, or how Jay and Sara Hill's commitment to each other has helped them through life's complications, among many more.
You can also check out our new series Beyond Business, where we highlight the stories of the people behind some of your favorites businesses in the state of Utah.
