Climbing is a great activity for the young and old. Not only does climbing tap into our natural climbing abilities, it’s also a sport that builds muscular endurance while improving strength and balance.
The benefits of climbing, especially for kids and youth, aren’t just about being active and fit. Climbing also builds self-esteem, creates trust in oneself and a bond between peers, and is a great way to learn about how to focus on a task like planning and anticipating where to place their hands and feet.
As our coach and former head coach of Canada’s national climbing team Andrew Wilson says,
Climbing allows kids to confront fear, find passion, trust and be trusted, learn discipline and become critical thinkers. It’s a great sport to learn how to persevere, think critically, problem solve, and care for others.
We’ve made sure to incorporate both physical and personal development into all our summer camps and youth courses.
When we asked seven of the athletes on our youth teams why climbing was important for them, the responses we received were (un)surprising. They see climbing as much more than just a sport – it’s a place to build friendships, establish life-long dreams, and become better people.
