At most area high schools, fall is the season of football, tailgating and pep rallies. But this year, public and private schools across the county are adding rock climbing to their sports offerings.
Outdoor Chattanooga is starting up and coordinating the first Chattanooga Area Interscholastic Climbing League. Any area high school with a team sponsor and at least five student members can join the competitive league, with regional meets starting as early as Nov. 1. Terri Chapin, recreation programs director for Outdoor Chattanooga, said Knoxville has had a similar league for years and she felt that now is the right time to introduce one in Chattanooga. “With all these new gyms that have come to Chattanooga, I realized that we had all the pieces to make a very similar offering. It’s been very well responded to, so I suppose we were ready for it,” laughs Chapin.
Schools from Brainerd High to Signal Mountain High and from Girls Preparatory School to McCallie School are joining in with registered teams for the league. “It’s essentially a teaching league, so zero experience is necessary,” says Chapin. “Outdoor Chattanooga is here to support the teams that may need some extra instruction to get them up and going and ready to be participating at these meets.”
Local climbing gyms are doing what they can to help, too, Chapin says. They’re hosting the competitive meets on their walls and even giving membership discounts to students in the league so they can practice.
“To see the students thrive in a nontraditional sport that they can participate in throughout their lifetime, well past high school and college, is super exciting,” says Chapin.