When endeavoring into a new sport with your child, there are many considerations: what innate skills does my child possess, how much of a time commitment are we willing to give, and what are the costs associated with said sport, to name a few. Indoor competitive climbing made its debut in the Olympic Games in 2020 and has been growing in popularity worldwide, including a notable surge in youth competitive climbing. A unique sport with many physical and mental benefits, competitive climbing could be a great fit for your future athlete. But how can you determine if competitive climbing is the right sport for your child?
Is your child independent and self-motivated?
Competitive Climbing requires a high level of self-autonomy compared to many other youth sports. Unlike team sports, where practice involves multiple players working together to achieve goals, or individual sports where a single skill is drilled and coached, climbing has such a high degree of variation and nuance that it frequently requires the athlete to complete a drill’s objectives with minimal coaching input autonomously. Whereas a sport like swimming requires honing specific forms for different strokes, no climbing competition route is ever repeated. Competitive youth climbing requires complex problem-solving paired with physical ability. Suppose your child is good at following directions and acting independently. In that case, competitive climbing can provide a rigid enough structure that allows a child to improve according to their willingness and motivation to practice to the best of their ability.
Is time commitment an issue?
A competitive climbing season consists of several qualifying events (QEs) that allow athletes to participate in Regional, Divisional, and National competitions, should they continue to score well enough to qualify. This unique structure allows for a more flexible schedule for athletes. It is a better fit for children compared to high-level travel sports, which require teams to travel, sometimes across the country, to compete in tournaments. At a QE, youth climbers compete in waves and often only climb for three to four hours in their respective category. This results in a relatively short day of competition compared to most sports. Suppose concerns over travel and weekend-long tournaments are essential when picking a sport for your child. In that case, competitive climbing might be the right blend of opportunities to compete and low time commitment to attend said competitions.
Does your child work best in calmer environments?
Competitive Climbing may be the right sport for your child if they appreciate an environment that is known for being supportive and less verbally intense than other sports. When climbers are actively competing, no one is allowed to provide verbal help or assistance to the climber, not even by coaches. Parents, coaches, and other climbers
may encourage a climber on the wall with a “Go climber!” or “You got this!” but instruction or advice is prohibited. This unique rule has created a culture in competitive climbing where athletes cheer and support one another, but climbers are not inundated with information when competing. For a child who performs best under quiet intensity versus loud screaming, climbing can be the perfect sport for them to find their flow.
Does your child want to continue their sport into adulthood?
Climbing is one of the best sports for building functional strength and promoting healthy joint mobility. While any sport comes with inherent risk of injury, the upper body, core, and grip strength associated with competition climbing are also indicators that predict longevity of life. In addition to a healthy body, competitive climbing is an excellent vehicle for learning to manage a range of emotions from fear to frustration. Competitive youth climbers develop the tools to cultivate positive self-talk, emotional resilience, and perseverance. Competitive climbing can easily transition into a lifelong passion for the sport, and fortunately for climbers, there are many avenues to participate in and enjoy the sport long after a child has graduated into adulthood.
Competitive climbing is an emerging sport with a long lineage in both indoor and outdoor climbing. If you think competitive climbing might be a good fit for your child, check out your local climbing gym for any youth programming and consider joining a competitive climbing team!