She was brought up skiing, doing competitive gymnastics, and playing soccer in the early years of Title IX.
Also a gifted student, Battelle was advanced in mathematics, was fluent in Spanish at a young age, and played the oboe.
Additionally, she skied with friends every weekend possible and on vacations, where her skills with moguls were apparent early on.
At Middlebury College, she played varsity soccer and continued to ski a great deal.
Less than three years later, Battelle competed in her first World Cup on her 24th birthday, on January 18, 1992, in Breckenridge, Colorado, where she placed 16th in Moguls.