Big Meg in action Brett Lowell
DCL
At The Rock Club in New Rochelle, New York, manager and instructor Meghan McDonald is fostering community, fitness, and teamwork through something called Team Rock. "It's a competitive youth rock climbing team that trains out of The Rock Club," MacDonald explains. "Right now we have about 20 kids, ages 10-18, who train three times a week and I'm Coach Meghan (or Big Meg)."
So far, it sounds like fun but what;s the hook? As Big Meg explains, Team Rock has morphed into much more than competitive rock climbing:
"In such an individual sport, I'm impressed by the unrelenting support our climbers show for one another, even when they are competitors. It's not uncommon to see our older climbers taking time to teach younger climbers how to do new moves and vice versa. This mentality of teamwork and selflessness spreads to other climbers in the gym; they want to see the kids do well and they follow their progress. And it certainly motivates our adult climbers when they see a 12- year-old quickly scamper up the wall they've been working on. The kids are so addicted to climbing and love being a part of the community they've helped create at The Rock Club that they actively give back. Our team members volunteer during the summer with kids' camps and eagerly await their 16th birthday when they can apply to work at the gym. They just can't get enough!"
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Team Rump?
As if all that weren't enough, there's yet another community component being cultivated by Meghan and her team. "Team Rock has kind of demystified climbing," she says. "Many people, especially women, see climbing as an extreme sport that might be good for strong kids and men, but not women. When we first started Team Rock, the Moms sat on the sideline watching the kids climb or they ran errands until practice was over."
Not for long. As the Moms bonded during long trips to watch Team Rock compete, friendships developed and the climbing itch kept begging to be scratched. "With the support of one another (and their kids!) they finally decided to climb themselves," says Big Meg. "Now they're hooked! Every Thursday night the moms take to the walls. And the best part about it is that just like the kids, they're inspiring other climbers to take part as well. They welcome all 'Rumps' to join them. Half social, half serious workout, and always a lot of fun."
To learn more about Meghan, The Rock Club, and Team Rock, visit The Rock Club website and contact them now.
