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Community Building in Indoor Climbing Gyms: Part 5 - Non-Climbing
Community Building in Indoor Climbing Gyms: Part 5 - Non-Climbing

Rock climbing is what brings our indoor climbing gym communities together, and for good reason.  Climbing is fun, challenging, fosters social interactions, trust building, healthy competition, and fitness.  The sport’s popularity is snowballing in large part because of the inherently... Continue Reading

Date posted10/25/2024


Community Building in Indoor Climbing Gyms: Part 4 - Asset Mapping
Community Building in Indoor Climbing Gyms: Part 4 - Asset Mapping

In the last several articles in this series, we have covered why investing in community building is worthwhile for your gym. Article At A Glance Writer: The Headwall Group, renowned programming experts within the indoor climbing industry. They presented a highly successful CWA Summit... Continue Reading

Postedby Bix Firer
Date posted08/19/2024


Community Building in Indoor Climbing Gyms: Part 3 - Youth
Community Building in Indoor Climbing Gyms: Part 3 - Youth

One of the most common challenges climbing gyms face is simultaneously managing youth programs and day-to-day operations. Limited space, the overlapping and potentially conflicting needs that arise during our busiest hours, and managing the expectations of families and members all present... Continue Reading

Postedby Bix Firer
Date posted06/24/2024


Community Building in Indoor Climbing Gyms: Part 2
Community Building in Indoor Climbing Gyms: Part 2

In our last article in this series, we outlined the benefits of focusing resources and energy on engaging your members, community, and employees in community-building programs. The research we cited is clear: by engaging your community of support, you increase your market presence, engage new... Continue Reading

Postedby Bix Firer
Date posted03/12/2024


Community Building in Indoor Climbing Gyms: Part 1
Community Building in Indoor Climbing Gyms: Part 1

The Headwall Group brings us the first article in a five-part series on using programming to build community through climbing and non-climbing events in indoor climbing gyms. Continue Reading

Date posted01/5/2024


2023 CWA Summit: A Reflection
2023 CWA Summit: A Reflection

As my team from The Crag Climbing Gym and I weaved our way through the vast conference center's labyrinth toward the heart of the 2023 CWA Summit, we were awed by sweeping views of the city, rivers, and bridges of Pittsburgh. We peered down from the mezzanine into the Exhibit Hall and pointed... Continue Reading

Date posted05/31/2023


Producing a Culture of Safety in Indoor Climbing: Part 2
Producing a Culture of Safety in Indoor Climbing: Part 2

Hiring practices across the indoor climbing industry has become a point of discussion, as the industry reckons with a challenging hiring market and a desire to remove barriers to access employment in the climbing industry. In our last blog post, we discussed using behavioral competencies to... Continue Reading

Date posted05/1/2023


Producing a Culture of Safety in Indoor Climbing
Producing a Culture of Safety in Indoor Climbing

Indoor climbing gyms have a unique set of risk management concerns. Every facility and program must constantly be proactively managing these risk management hurdles. In this article, we’re going to introduce the concept of a “culture of safety” in the space of workplace risk... Continue Reading

Date posted03/31/2023


Indoor Climbing Programs Assessments: A How to Guide, Part 2
Indoor Climbing Programs Assessments: A How to Guide, Part 2

In the second part of our Indoor Climbing Program Assessments, we will dive a little deeper into staff assessments. Get an example rubric for evaluation, the phases of implementing an assessment, and more. Continue Reading

Date posted02/9/2023


Indoor Climbing Programs Assessments: A How To Guide
Indoor Climbing Programs Assessments: A How To Guide

In our last blog post, we wrote about some lessons we have learned in our work supporting indoor climbing gyms and program teams in designing staff training. One of the key takeaways from our work is the power of assessment in identifying needs, means of change, and progress. With limited... Continue Reading

Date posted11/29/2022


Practical Strategies for Training Staff
Practical Strategies for Training Staff

Training youth climbing program staff can be a challenge. Staff with varying levels of experience, high turnover, and lack of time are common obstacles to creating and implementing high-quality staff training. Quality staff training is an important element in creating high-quality youth programs... Continue Reading

Date posted08/1/2022


Coaches: Here’s A Climbing Game That Invents Itself
Coaches: Here’s A Climbing Game That Invents Itself

Creating new games and activities for a climbing program re-energizes participants, coaches, and brings a creative experience to climbing skills. It gives coaches new activities that they can use throughout the season with their teams, sparking creative thinking and group bonding. The... Continue Reading

Date posted08/20/2021