The Climbing Wall Association's blog is a place for indoor climbing professionals to find useful and relevant information from industry and business experts. Stay on top of best practices, thought leadership, and trends by subscribing to our newsletter!
Building a top-tier coaching team can be what makes or breaks a program. Creating cohesive staffing that supports one another, communicates well, and compliments each other’s skills is critical in any workplace. Within a climbing team, it can have massive impacts on the program and your... Continue Reading
Attending training courses and getting certified is a time commitment and can be expensive. Many folks in the indoor climbing industry have years or decades of experience but would still benefit from certification. To this end, the CWA is very pleased to be launching a Direct Entry pathway for... Continue Reading
At the 2024 CWA Summit in Portland, the CWA announced a new project in partnership with the Monument Sports Group to provide orientation videos for the indoor climbing industry. Attendees at the show had a chance to see some of the preliminary graphics and see some short snippets. Climbing gyms... Continue Reading
Regardless of the industry, the company or the exact job title–middle management is a notoriously difficult and stressful job position to hold. No matter what, you are always in the middle. You are a supervisor, but also need supervision. People report to you, but you also report to people.... Continue Reading
Indoor climbing gyms hosting a USAC climbing competition can be complicated, especially when it's not your home gym. We provide some advice to help you chief a successful event. Continue Reading
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
Part one of this series tackled the question of “Why partner with a consultant?” with input from Gavin Haverly (Rise Above Consulting), Todd McCormick (Keystone Climbing Consultants) and Ty Morrison Heath (Adventure a Day Marketing). Article At A Glance Writer: Paul... Continue Reading
While the latest industry trends suggest now is a good time to expand, there is a lot to consider before opening a new facility. Most notable—especially for smaller organizations—is how to maintain the culture we have developed with one gym at two, three, or five gyms. Article At... Continue Reading
Since the inception of climbing gyms, there has often been some tension between management and routesetting teams. Both sides want an inspiring facility filled with compelling routes that cater to their clientele. But both sides also have their own priorities, and sometimes those priorities seem... Continue Reading
When I was only a climber and hadn’t begun routesetting, I studied Child and Family Studies at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. During my time there, my interests bounced back and forth between parental practices and family policy - and sometimes how one influenced the other.... Continue Reading
It is fair to say that most indoor climbing gyms share the same separation of clientele. We have new and experienced climbers, recreational and competitive youth climbers, boulderers, and rope climbers (further broken down into top rope and lead climbers). And each of these groups comes... Continue Reading
Eating disorders and RED-S have been hot topics in the climbing world in recent years, and particularly in competition climbing of late. In just the past year, two members of the IFSC Medical Commission resigned from their positions, climbers voiced their desire for more extensive athlete... Continue Reading
