With all of the spectacular athletes at our school, from fall sports to spring sports–there are many students who contribute to a sport outside of the traditional school community. I wanted to highlight a sport that while many people have heard of it, not a whole lot of people can speak a lot about it!
Rock climbing, a sport that can be done year round–from indoor gyms, to outdoor cliffs–this sport is the perfect mix between thrill seeking fun, and therapeutic mind puzzles. For most, rock climbing is a fun event that you may indulge in once or twice for a birthday party or fun hang out, but for me, and several other students at Heritage, it’s a multiple times a week workout that provides fulfillment each session!
For student Zoe Korff, rock climbing was introduced back in middle school; “I had a friend who was an avid climber, and I pretty much wanted to be her, so that sparked my interest” says Korff, “I didn’t truly get into it until the end of my Junior year when I dragged two friends to Sportrock and impulsively signed up for a class.” Rock climbing requires an insane amount of upper body strength, but even those with lower muscle mass find themselves able to climb dynamically and power through incredibly tough climbs. “It is so incredibly cool to watch someone who could hold their body weight up in a single finger have to push themselves to complete a climb that relies upon flexibility, or vice versa.” To Korff, the feeling of climbing is just as important as the activity itself–the climbing community carries such a large meaning to everyone involved. “Climbing was the first physical activity I was able to motivate myself to do consistently. I was worried when I started that I would quickly move on, similar to my short lived ballet and swimming careers, but to the surprise of myself and everyone around me, I stuck it out, which I think is mostly due to how unique of an activity it is. It truly combines strength, endurance, and flexibility, as well as requiring more strategy and logic than other forms of working out.” Even with the empowerment that comes along with it, Korff explains that there are always challenges; “It is just such an incredible community; everyone is there to climb around on silly colorful plastic rocks, so there’s a strong sense of support. However, the community is also probably my least favorite part because everyone there is so cool and strong and it’s hard not to compare yourself in that space.”
Another student, Atticus Gregory, took up climbing after Zoe had introduced him–“I started rock climbing at the end of May 2023 with my best friend, Zoe, because she had asked me to do a top rope and belay class with her, and from that class on I kind of just fell in love with the sport.” states Gregory. For Atticus, the mindset of rock climbing is his favorite part of the sport, “I love how climbing is so mentally and physically demanding, it quite literally requires one to completely clear their mind of everything but the climb at hand. It truly allows it to just be you and the wall, which I love.” Atticus also agrees that climbing has its perks for everyone, and can be enjoyed by all, “I always hear people say that they don’t believe there is a place for them in climbing because they “don’t have a lot of upper body strength” or “they aren’t fit enough” but in climbing those things don’t matter as much as people think; I have learned that there truly is a place in climbing for everyone, no matter what your physical abilities are.” Atticus has gotten involved in rock climbing further since his initial starting last year, “Recently I began working as an instructor at a climbing gym, and the job I have now is so rewarding because it means I get to share this wonderful sport with people. I truly believe everyone should give climbing a go because you might just find a lifelong passion.” Still, with all of this love, rock climbing does have its flaws, “Oftentimes I get very caught up in “grade chasing” and forget to actually have fun with climbs. It is important to remember that there’s nothing wrong with having fun climbing a V3 instead of spending a whole sesh trying to send a V7.” Gregory states that one reason he finds rock climbing so different from other sports is the fact people of all ages can enjoy it, “Honestly the biggest difference I’ve noticed with rock climbing when compared to so many other sports is the longevity of it. Oftentimes I will see senior climbers, climbing just as hard as their younger counterparts. For example, Alain Robert is a famous french free solo climber who will be turning 62 this year and is currently free soloing several skyscrapers in the Philippines.”
It is clear to see how rock climbing has shaped these two students lives outside of school, and in school–it’s provided them with friends they carry throughout their highschool years, as well as hard learned lessons about perseverance and control. Rock climbing, though can be incredibly difficult at times, is a rewarding and entertaining sport these two can continue to indulge in for the rest of their lives. Maybe now you’ll be inclined to check it out yourself!
