Ella has joined her first official team. She's now a member of the Austin Rock Gym Junior Climbing Team, which means B and I are now responsible for driving her to and from practice twice a week - at rush hour, in far south Austin. Sigh.
I took her to practice on Tuesday and managed to snap a few pictures while she was bouldering, which is when they climb without a harness. I try not to get too nervous when I see her 20 feet off the ground clinging to the wall by her fingertips, but sometimes it's hard.
In the above picture you can see the coach's hands. I'm not sure what good she would do if Ella fell from that height, but I guess they need to at least give the appearance that they're spotting the kids.
Here Ella was climbing "problems." All of the grips on the walls have colored pieces of tape under them that mark different routes. Ella had to climb the wall using only the grips that had certain colors of tape under them. At least that's what I think she was doing. I'm still figuring out how it all works.
Soon she'll be traveling to competitions. I'm not sure how exactly they compete, but I do know it's a big thing. The head coach just got back from the Junior World Climbing Championships in Australia. The US kids took 3rd overall.
6 comments:
Wow. Way cool. My girls are gonna flip when I show them this...
just like when she climbed the back stairs at christmas when she was what, 3?
Very cool, indeed! My daughter is interested in rock-climbing, but I have been too lazy and complacent (oh, yeah, and concussed and sick and crazy-busy with work) to find out what's available locally. Maybe tomorrow...
That's so funny about the coach! I didn't know there were competitions. I want my 6-year-old to try it--he loves to climb, but classes at rec centers in CO don't start until he's 8.
i had no idea there were competitions. I think my son would love this sport
Competitions? Wow.
She looks so big there.
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