Club Rock Climbing!

This week’s featured Club Sport at ECU Campus Recreation and Wellness is Club Rock Climbing! 

 As an established body within ECU CRW’s Club Sports department, Club Rock Climbing strives to promote inclusion and growth for all
ECU students interested in joining. “My favorite part about being part of ECU Club Rock Climbing is getting to meet new people and help each other grow,” says club member Ramiro Rosas Carillo. “We each see each ourselves in a new member because we have been in their shoes and know what the struggle looks and feels like when starting out. So, we do our best to make each member feel welcomed and feel like they belong.” 

 For many members of Club Rock Climbing, their reason for joining extends far beyond the wall itself. Liz Lyttle, who currently serves as the club’s secretary and will take over as president of the club next semester, dives into her motivation behind participating. “Club Rock Climbing gave me the chance to reconnect with my sense of adventure and love of nature. Going on trips outdoors with the friends I’ve made in the club has been great and it’s encouraged me to continue hiking and spending time outside as a de-stressor on my own”, says Lyttle. 

 Club Rock Climbing members state that some of the memories they’ve made over the years will be remembered for the rest of their lives. “One of my favorite memories with Club Rock Climbing is of our end-of-year lock-in that we usually do at the Triangle Rock Club Climbing Gym in Raleigh, NC,” says Lyttle. “It’s just a whole night to hang out and have fun.” Carla Waters, another member of the club, goes into detail about the comradery within Club Rock Climbing when reminiscing on a humorous moment during the past year. “I have funny memories of us really struggling during super hard ab workouts! But hey, at least we were in pain together!” 

While Club Rock Climbing has their fair share of fun moments and memories, they’re also sure to place an emphasis on growth and self-improvement at the same time. When asked about areas of individual growth during her time with Club Rock Climbing, member Hayley Samulski says, “I would say my determination for challenging myself to get better at climbing has grown. My climbing technique especially with my feet and grip strength has definitely improved.” “I started as a timid climber with a fair amount of strength, but not a lot of confidence or good technique,” Carla Waters declares. “Club Rock Climbing has allowed me to learn from climbers who know a lot more than myself and grow in my skills and confidence as a climber.” 

 Amongst all the members in Club Rock Climbing, there was one consistent theme that rang true time and time again in their responses; their club was important to them. “Participating in a club sport is important to me because I have always participated in sports,” says Waters. “I played soccer in college and was really excited to learn that ECU had so many club sport programs to choose from. Rock Climbing is a sport I plan on participating in for as long as my body will allow, so I was pumped when I learned I could practice and learn as part of a team again.” 

 Ramiro Rosas Carillo recommends that more ECU students should look into joining club sports, whether it be with Rock Climbing or a different club. “Go for it! Just ask what you need to do join. Everyone and anyone that is part of a club sport is super friendly and would love for you to be a part of it. You’ll meet new people and learn a lot more about the sport. You might even get to travel and see all the different opportunities that are available for that sport along the way.”