Simran Sharma '24
Whether you are someone who is an expert in all things outdoors or someone who has never been outside, climbing is an excellent winter sport option. Unlike most other sports at Cate, rock climbing allows people from different grades, genders, and experience levels to unite under one team.
One of the first things the team learned was how to belay, which is one of the many safety skills in climbing. A belayer exerts tension on a climbing rope in order to act as a counterbalance for the climber. This way, if the climber falls, they are caught by the rope rather than the ground laying 50 feet or more below. This requires the climber to have trust in the belayer and the belayer to concentrate on the climber. When climbing, one's life is quite literally in the hands of another person. This allows for the type of trust that then facilitates a deeper connection with others. Such codependency makes rock climbing less of an individual sport and more of a team one.
The team aspect of climbing is surprising in many ways. Physically, climbing is an individual activity that involves only the climber and the rock. Mentally, it is a sport that requires a strong support system of people who will encourage and push each other further than they ever thought possible. One often finds themself starting a route alone and finishing with at least five people cheering them on. This level of encouragement is consistent whether someone is climbing the easiest or the hardest route on the wall.
While there is a climbing tower and bouldering cave at Cate, once a week the team goes off campus for a long day. During a long day the climbers either go to a local climbing gym or to some real rock in the beautiful hills of Santa Barbara. This season the team went to two gyms: Santa Barbara Rock Gym and Boulder Dash Ventura. A climbing gym provides a controlled environment to climb in with colorful holds clearly marking the route, something much different than climbing on natural rocks. Some of the outdoor locations included Gibraltar, Lizard’s Mouth, Little Lebowski, and more. On top of the fact that these are incredible climbing spots, they have offered some of the most stunning sunsets that paint the sky with shades of purple, orange, and red. They’re especially breathtaking when you’re being lowered back to earth after a particularly difficult climb.
To end the season, climbers went on an overnight to Malibu Creek State Park. While this was a climbing trip, the team’s bond was what stood out the most. Sitting around the campfire, roasting marshmallows in innovative ways, and singing songs will forever be memories members of the team cherish. At the beginning of the season Mr Shapiro, one of four climbing coaches, sent out an email regarding expectations for the climbing team. The first thing he wrote was that “this is a ‘come as you are’ community, which means we welcome everyone to the team no matter their climbing experience, athletic experience, or anything else.” This motto was a reflection on the season as a whole, urging anyone to give the sport a try and see firsthand just how valuable this community is.
informative..thank you