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“Why do you throw up sometimes?” I asked my sister on our way home from school. Silence hung in the air. “I don’t know.” She breathed. In my freshman year, there was often tension between us. I needed her to know that I cared about her and that I was a safe person to... Continue Reading
Climbing is used by many of us for myriad purposes: stress relief, physical activity, pure pleasure, and so much more. Recently, our sport has gained a lot of traction for its constructive potential for neurodivergent folks experiencing a broad range of symptoms. I chatted with Molly... Continue Reading
Last year, after seeing the success of Rana Accawi’s Climb Like a Girl (CLAG) program at Brooklyn Boulders, I knew I wanted to trial a similar program at The Crag. While I have very little coaching experience and no formal coaching training - five years of full-time routesetting and climber... Continue Reading
As we learned from the CWA Summit, more routesetters are transitioning roles and switching companies than ever before. Whether it be for higher pay, better benefits, or to be closer to outdoor climbing, routesetters have limitless options to move considering we’re currently seeing gyms pop... Continue Reading
The lights dimmed, the music flared, and a silver mohawk walked out on stage. Paula Horwitz pumped her fist to the music and the crowd was stoked. As I looked across the hall, I knew I was with my people. Before she introduced our keynote speaker, Kevin Jorgeson, Paula shared a heartfelt story... Continue Reading
There are many reasons we work at climbing gyms, and no matter where you are on the career ladder, there are several skills and abilities we can develop to enhance our lives and strengthen our resumes.As we explore some of these areas of growth, we discover their interconnectedness and how they... Continue Reading
What happens when young climbers “age out” from participation in youth teams? What recourse do individuals have if they’ve gotten into the climbing game “too late?” Adult avenues for professional training or guidance in climbing aren’t always as well... Continue Reading
Shards of glass fly everywhere, tiny fragments are strewn across the floor, leaving me scrambling to pick up the pieces. “I told you not to pick up that glass!” I shout in my head, but what comes out of my mouth is more mature. Against my impulses, and despite my rule of not touching... Continue Reading
You have grown your youth program, interviewed many coaching candidates, and finally hired new coaches. Instead of throwing them in the fire and hoping they don't get burned, put the same care and attention into your coaches as you do into preparing your climbers. I developed a five-week... Continue Reading
The 2022 CWA Summit starts on May 18, 2022 – which means it’s officially less than three months away. To help you prepare to join us in Salt Lake City, we’re excited to highlight another conference session. In both the Coaching & Training and Program Management tracks,... Continue Reading
Like with any job, performance evaluations are a valuable tool. Assessing how a routesetter is progressing and what they need to work on serves as an opportunity to provide feedback on how the overall routesetting program is running. There are several ways to conduct an evaluation depending on... Continue Reading
USA Climbing Olympic athlete Kyra Condie competing at the IFSC World Cup semi-final bouldering event in Salt Lake City, Utah in May 2022. Photos: Jake Byk/CWA Only a handful of years ago, competing in the Olympics seemed like an unrealistic dream for young climbers. Yet, last year in Tokyo, U.S.... Continue Reading
