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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
Brick and mortar businesses like ours only have so much they can grow – a space to house what we offer, a space to house those that make or deliver what we offer, and after that...no more. That’s why it's important to consider scaling: growing beyond the single location and duplicate... Continue Reading
Mike Meyers, 47, at The Crag Nashville. Photo by Kyle Somers. Think all the way back to the ’90s when Spandex was neon, and everything was rad…or is that now? Chris Sharma and Lynn Hill were shining a spotlight on the sport, gyms were starting to pop up, and climbing was becoming... Continue Reading
Photo taken at The Front Climbing Club Many of us underestimate the impact we have on each other. As coaches and instructors, it's important to consider our role as leaders in our climbing communities. We get to influence the next generation’s perspective in climbing and in life – but... Continue Reading
Photo provided by Hailey Caissie Parents have spent more time with their children the past year homeschooling, overseeing dining room Zoom, and more. As we open our doors and rebuild our communities, it’s important to focus on parents who are coming in and engaging with children most... Continue Reading
