Profile: Larry Chauvin

Train to Play

By Dawne Belloise

After spending several summers visiting Crested Butte, Larry Chauvin, his wife Emily, and their two children made the move permanent in March 2023, relocating from Austin, Texas. Larry jokes that they successfully passed their first winter test, learning how to drive in extreme conditions and embracing outdoor play in frigid temperatures, something that would have shut Texas down entirely. Following a 19-year career as an elementary school teacher, Larry has shifted his focus toward physical training and helping others stay active. In March 2025, he purchased CORE, explaining, “The philosophy is to keep your body healthy and strong so you can mountain bike and ski for the rest of your life.”

Larry was born and raised in McAllen, Texas, the youngest of four siblings. Sports were a major part of his childhood, especially baseball, which his father coached. By middle school, Larry transitioned to football and continued playing through high school. Growing up in south Texas meant being outdoors constantly, biking and playing late into the warm evenings. Academically, Larry was an above-average student who generally enjoyed school. He played trumpet beginning in sixth grade and joined the high school marching band, but ultimately football took priority.

After graduating high school in 1999, Larry moved to Austin to attend the University of Texas. He recalls the adjustment to independence, saying, “College was like self-shock, learning how to be on your own. I ran out of my meal plan by January when it was supposed to last the whole year,” he laughs.

From the start, Larry knew he wanted to pursue elementary education. While still in high school, he participated in the Peer Assistance and Leadership program, assisting teachers at elementary schools three times a week. “It was a taste of elementary school teaching and life,” he says.

During college, Larry joined Alpha Phi Omega, a coed service fraternity. “We did service projects like volunteer at senior homes, blood drives, cleaning up parks and community-oriented stuff. It was a really cool national organization.” He graduated in 2003 with a B.S. in Applied Learning and Development in Education and a minor in Early Childhood Studies.

Larry began his teaching career in 2004 in Springtown, Texas, teaching second grade. “It was an adjustment. I had never been there, I didn’t know anybody, but I immersed myself in teaching,” he recalls. That dedication earned him Teacher of the Year during his first year. The following year, he accepted a position at Casis Elementary in Austin, where he had student taught. He describes Springtown as rural and smaller than Crested Butte and definitely not as progressive, while Austin offered family, friends and a top-tier school environment. “Coming back to Austin was the fun part, it was the catalyst for a lot of good changes in my life and through the school, I found ways to volunteer.” One of those efforts included leading one of the largest food drives in Austin.

Larry taught fourth grade for five years, then fifth grade for several more, before spending the final 12 years of his teaching career as a physical education instructor for pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. “There were 800 students in the school, and they all come to PE. It was a pretty big school,” he says. His passion for physical education emerged during his second year at Casis when parents invited him on a trail run. “And I naively said yes, and three miles later I was quite sore,” he smiles. Despite the challenge, he accepted another invitation and soon saw dramatic changes. “I lost 25 pounds,” he says, becoming more mindful of exercise and nutrition. He began running three to six miles several days a week, “and that led to my first marathon,” which he completed at Disney World as a Leukemia and Lymphoma Society fundraiser.

Larry met his wife Emily in 2011 through Austin Youth Fitness, a business he founded to provide after-school running, biking and yoga clubs for elementary-aged children across 20 campuses. Emily, who had just completed a degree in Exercise Science from the University of Texas, was hired as a biking coach. “She was hired on the spot,” Larry smiles. The couple married on the auspicious date of 12/13/14 and have two children: daughter Tacy now 10, and son Jack, seven.

With the purchase of CORE, Larry explains, “We’ve moved from the youth aspects to more the adult side of fitness. Purchasing CORE was another step into the community and gave me a connection.” CORE’s tagline, Train to Play, reflects its mission to support lifelong outdoor activity. Larry emphasizes that maintaining strength and health is essential to continuing the activities locals love. “The age range in our clientele is mid-20s to late 80s,” he says. “We have a 65-plus class that helps you as you get older to maintain balance, strength and the activities of daily living.”

Drawing on his youth fitness background, Larry also introduced CORE Kids Camp, a summer program running six hours a day. “It’s three hours of fitness through relays, games, obstacle courses, and making fitness fun. Then the last three hours are recreational biking around town, not crazy trails but using the recreation trails, learning the rules of the road, so to speak, and to bike as a team.” The program has children from first grade through middle school and runs for six week-long sessions throughout the summer.

CORE features circuit training with free weights, kettlebells, group classes and six spin bikes, especially popular for winter physical maintenance. “So people can get their cardio in with our spin classes.” The studio currently has nearly 150 members and offers a variety of memberships, along with personal and small group training. “Doing CORE is a different feel than teaching. I have the chapter of the 19 years of teaching, and the sprinkling of kids that I’m doing here now is nice. Fitness is my passion now and helping people to be part of their health journey.”

The Chauvin family continues to settle into the Crested Butte community. “We still love it here and from CB South to town, the views are spectacular and take us away from thinking about the world. We’re ingraining ourselves more in this community. People have been very supportive, welcoming and helpful.” Larry volunteers with Nordic Kids skiing through the school and serves on the PTA as communications chair. Both he and Emily are homeroom parents for Mr. Blake’s fifth grade class.

“I feel like we’re here for the long haul. The kids love snowboarding, and they’re advancing far faster than we are. Our daughter is already talking about going to Western,” he laughs. “My son wants to be in the NFL, and I tell him I don’t know how many Buttians have played in the NFL but maybe he’ll be the first.” Larry also coaches basketball through the town recreation program. “We have no plans of moving again. This is our home.” With the Spann ranches right behind their home in CB South, Larry is excited about learning to Nordic ski and adds that, ”We’re anticipating the snow and we’re wanting more of it. The kids will go play in it for hours. And I even enjoy shoveling… for now,” he laughs.