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!
Monument Sports Group is pleased to introduce Missy Finnerty who recently joined the team as a Customer Service Representative for the CWA Insurance Program. Missy is a graduate of Radford University, and prior to joining Monument Missy was a claims examiner at The James River Insurance... Continue Reading
Imagine a packed 30,000-square-foot climbing gym. The lead wall looks like a tangled spiderweb, the bouldering pit is ringed with climbers and onlookers. There are at least 400 people and an appropriate cloud of chalk dust throughout the space. What if I bet you a shiny quarter that I could... Continue Reading
One of the most special things about indoor rock climbing is its ability to introduce someone to the sport in a place where climbing isn’t already woven into the cultural fabric. Stop any person in your gym, and I’d bet a substantial sum that climbing means more to them than just a... Continue Reading
Dr. Fauci of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S.’s top public health official, has declared that we’re at the end of the “full-blown” pandemic. That doesn’t mean challenges aren’t ahead related to the pandemic for the climbing industry. A... 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
The Seattle area has been steeped in indoor climbing history. Indeed, being the birthplace of indoor climbing in America, and having numerous climbing gyms in the metro area of almost four million, it’s the perfect case study to discuss market differentiation. As the next CWA Summit... Continue Reading
Getting started with diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in your gym can be difficult. There is so much to learn, so much good you can do, and equally, so many things that can potentially not go in your favor. This cannot be a reason for the industry to not face it, however. We must... Continue Reading
Calgary Climbing Centre Facility Manager Ali Obreiter keeping it real and passing on knowledge as the Head Belayer at Alberta Youth Provincials in March 2022. Photo: Brendan Ward This is Part II of an article series on mentorship. Don't miss the first one! If you’re thinking,... Continue Reading
For most industries, weekly meetings communicate company-wide information, address problems and solutions, and serve as a general staff check-in. For many climbing gyms, since leadership positions are specific, it can be easy to overlook how those roles overlap and how the crossover of... Continue Reading
Ever wondered what routesetters are paid, on average? What about workload expectations, or benefits? These data points are hard to qualify and only become more necessary as the indoor climbing industry marches into the future. Fortunately, the 2022 CWA Summit will feature the hard work of two... 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
Photo: Becca Manners Anyone who has held the title General Manager or similar knows that the word "general" can be a blessing and a curse. Middle management is challenged with some of the hardest roles in the industry, catering to those above and supporting those below, balancing to the best of... Continue Reading
