CWA Blog

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Building Progression in Youth Programming
Building Progression in Youth Programming

Climbing in a busy gym can be intimidating for new climbers of any age, but especially for new youth climbers. So, what is the key to maximizing engagement and keeping the stoke high for your youth climbers? Providing the opportunity for them to progress through your youth programs. Continue Reading

Date posted08/1/2023


Member Spotlight: Commons Climbing Gym
Member Spotlight: Commons Climbing Gym

The Climbing Wall Association's latest Member Spotlight looks at a gym that re-opened at the start of the pandemic, from a coalition of community members and gym workers who didn't want to see their hometown gym disappear. Continue Reading

Date posted07/28/2023


Garnet Moore Promoted to CWA Executive Director
Garnet Moore Promoted to CWA Executive Director

The Climbing Wall Association Board of Directors is excited to announce Garnet Moore's promotion to the position of Executive Director. Garnet brings a passion for indoor climbing, strong industry relationships, and the skills necessary to lead the CWA. Since 2019, he has served the CWA in a... Continue Reading

Date posted07/19/2023


Nonprofit Member Spotlight: American Scholastic Climbing League
Nonprofit Member Spotlight: American Scholastic Climbing League

Born and raised on the Colorado Front Range, Theresa Morris started climbing by doing family laps on the ironic Flatirons in Boulder. After becoming an educator, she recognized the important lessons climbing can teach youth and made it her mission to get climbing programs into as many schools as... Continue Reading

Date posted07/17/2023


Challenges to Opening an Indoor Climbing Gym
Challenges to Opening an Indoor Climbing Gym

ASCEND Point Breeze in Pittsburgh, Pa., prior to its opening a few months later. In 2022, 36 new climbing gyms opened across the U.S. and Canada with “32 net new gyms open[ing] annually in the U.S. on average over the past 10 years,” according to the findings of a Climbing Business... Continue Reading

Date posted07/3/2023


Shape the Future of Routesetting: CWA's Routesetting Guide
Shape the Future of Routesetting: CWA's Routesetting Guide

The Climbing Wall Association (CWA) and the CWA Routesetting Committee are excited to announce the release of its new Routesetting Guide, a comprehensive resource aimed at helping climbing facilities build high-quality and effective routesetting programs. This guide is a collaborative effort by... Continue Reading

Date posted07/3/2023


Case Study: How to Fight Back Against a Gym Shutdown
Case Study: How to Fight Back Against a Gym Shutdown

You’d like to think that if the time ever came when a government entity decided to shut down your indoor climbing gym, you’d know it was coming. You’d think there would be some communication, some due process, notices, or at least some warning. But for Mike Boyer and his gym,... Continue Reading

Postedby Matt Pucak (deleted)
Date posted06/16/2023


CWA Certifications: What You Need to Know
CWA Certifications: What You Need to Know

Over a decade ago, with the introduction and evolution of indoor climbing gyms, there was a recognition that not all facilities operate in the same way. Industry stakeholders got together to determine standards and guidelines for the operations of facilities for the industry as a whole. This... Continue Reading

Date posted06/16/2023


Updated Auto Belay Guidance Released
Updated Auto Belay Guidance Released

An auto belay barrier designed by Neon, in CityRock Climbing Gym. Creating safety around auto belay use in indoor climbing gyms starts with understanding why accidents happen at all. In late 2022, a commissioned study conducted by Prof. Jon Heshka of Thompson Rivers University titled... Continue Reading

Date posted06/2/2023


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


CWA Debuts New Community Hub
CWA Debuts New Community Hub

The CWA is excited to debut the CWA Community Hub, a new online platform for indoor climbing professionals to communicate, share ideas, work together to generate creative solutions, and contribute to industry growth and improvement all year long. Continue Reading

Postedby Matt Pucak (deleted)
Date posted05/24/2023


2023 CWA Summit: Know Before You Go
2023 CWA Summit: Know Before You Go

The 2023 CWA Summit starts this week, so we wanted to bring you a comprehensive guide to the event. Here's all the information you need to make this CWA Summit the best ever, with updates, the official event app, downloadable schedules, and so much more. Download the CWA Summit App! Our CWA... Continue Reading

Date posted05/11/2023