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phaedrus
Mar 2, 2006, 5:47 PM
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Hi, everyone-
The students on my team and I were recently interviewed for an article that will be in the NY Times on March 9 regarding the High School Climbers' Federation and high school climbing programs in general. This morning I received an email from him asking if there were climbers who weren't thrilled about the idea of climbing teams/competitions as a positive thing; that climbing should be more personal and that any attempt to make it a competitive athletic event was "missing the point" of climbing. I honestly couldn't think of any; adults I've talked to have basically wished that their high school had a climbing program; kids I've talked with want to know how they can get a program started at their school.
If you have an opposing viewpoint, drop me a PM. If you want to be interviewed, let me know so I can pass your info onto the reporter. He would need to conduct the interview today (March 2) or tomorrow morning since he's on a deadline.
Thanks!!
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seric
Mar 2, 2006, 6:23 PM
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For me climbing is not about competition, but I would never go as far to say competitions "miss the point" of what is climbing: my point is only my individual point, and I will never prevent anyone from putting a bunch of sponsors, plastic molders, judges, and athletes in a room to create an event, and give awards.
And you will not prevent anyone from creating a formal "everest climbing competition" one day either. Some people get motivated by medals and rankings.
And some don't.
eric
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nedsurf
Mar 2, 2006, 6:38 PM
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Gotta agree with Seric here. Those team mentalities that come along with organized high school sports are just too competition based. Thats why I did not participate in the traditional "ball" sports when in high school. The closest I got was with rugby in college. A team sport as well, but the rugby culture is more purely amateur (love of the activity) than NCAA competition hoopla. Another criticism is that these things seem to be so indor climbing gym focused. That is just not the same thing as real rock (flame away). On both these levels they just don't have or impart the whole climbing culture.
I recognize the benefits of these things however. They get kids off the streets and away from the TV/computer/video games and provides them with exercise, good peer community, positive role models etc... Because of this I support them whole heartedly. In retrospect, I probably would have shunned a climbing team in my high school. Unless that was the only way I could climb, which it would not have been.
Enough conditionals fer ya? :lol:
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korntera
Mar 2, 2006, 6:51 PM
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I halfway agree with seric, some people just need the thrill of winning a medal and being better but I think comps do miss the point, and that is climbing is about getting on real rock, not climbing on plastic. I myself climb at plastic at least two times a week because I can only get ourdoors once a week. I find that a lot of climbers that I meet at the gym have never been on rock. One of my friends has climbed about the same ammount of time that I have and we practice about the same yet he has only climbed outside (in 2 years) a few times, whereas I go at least once a week when I can and more if its dry and sunny yet.
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cintune
Mar 2, 2006, 6:56 PM
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This was an issue about twenty years ago. Not so much anymore.
Climbing magazine addressed the issue in its #109, August 1988:
"You Americans are selling out far too easily," an English friend told me... He went on to explain how competitions, with their media hype and big purses, would inevitably destroy the spirit of climbing." - Michael Kennedy, editorial
The same issue has a number of perspective pieces by Bernard Newman, Chouinard and others, mostly revolving around the results of the International Sport Climbing Championship held in Snowbird that year.
But that was way back then. With the growing popularity and the spread of climbing gyms, only crusty old timers would still complain about competitive events "destroying the spirit" of climbing. You can't destroy that spirit, IMO. For every grade-obsessed rock jock out there, there are just as many or more climbers who climb solely in competition with themselves, or with their climbing partners. And comps are generally a good time for everyone. Now and then you'll run into "that guy" who thinks the universe revolves around his climbing career, but in general I've always appreciated the strong sense of solidarity and cooperation among allegedly "competing" climbers.
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steepclimb
Mar 2, 2006, 8:01 PM
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Registered: Oct 18, 2003
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i dont have a problem with competition but I do disagree with the formation of the Climber's Federation and any subunit as it only further divides the already thin amount of sponsorship/gym resources and so hurts american competition climbing more than helps....
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lonequail
Mar 2, 2006, 8:08 PM
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Aside from whether or not you consider competition beneficial, I would like to point out that the program could be easily set up to accommodate both. Although recreation and competition are not the same, there is a large cross over. When I was in High School, we had a unit in PE on fly fishing - hardily a competitive sport. Consider it a "club" rather than a "team" to avoid the entire issue. Participants with a competitive urge will naturally find a way to push themselves, and you could even have a team within the club. The rest of the "members" will still enjoy and benefit from the experience, although for different reasons.
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