Climb Team Mission

Roca’s Youth Climb Teams provide a challenging and encouraging environment that helps each child become responsible, independent, and respectful climbers. Our goal is to have fun and grow our climbers physically, mentally, and socially. We believe that the most effective way to bring out the best in young athletes is to promote a fun, positive environment to foster personal growth as well as sportsmanship within a team environment.

Check out the button below for current Youth Team & Parent Info. This page contains updated contact info, USAC comp schedule & info, as well as team policies.

Roca Youth Climb Teams require a try-out with our Head Coach. Please fill out our Inquiry form for more information about how to enroll in Roca’s Youth Climb Team!

General Information

Team Perks:

  • Team members who are not current Roca Members will receive a membership to the gym for each month they are enrolled. That means that your child can come and climb all that he/she wants that month while enrolled on Team (with an adult chaperone)!

  • This team membership includes all rental equipment for no extra charge

  • Like all of our members, your child will receive 1 free guest pass each month

  • Visit our membership page to explore all the member perks!

Team Restrictions:

  • You must sign up for one Team offering or another. Team members will NOT be able to switch days within the same month but may see if there are openings on the other team at the beginning of the next month. Please email coachmanuel@climbroca.com for team availability.

  • We do not offer make-ups for missed practices. Climbers should feel free to use the gym outside of practice time using their gym membership to make up missed time. Climbers under age 14, must be accompanied by an adult in the gym.

  • Registration for Climb Team is on a month-by-month basis. New Team members MUST be present at the first practice of the month to participate for that month. Few exceptions apply.

Evaluations & Placement:

  • Climbers will be evaluated to determine team placement based upon their current skills and abilities.

  • Across all teams, many climbers have progressed too quickly or have not been moved into a new team soon enough. This evaluation will serve as a clean slate and place climbers on a team where they will receive the most effective coaching.

    Notes on Evaluations & Placement

  • If a climber is moved onto a more challenging team, they are not required to join that team

  • Coaches will evaluate climbers based upon the following criteria

    • Attitude/mindset

    • Goals

    • Technique

    • Climbing Knowledge

    • Strength

    • Coachability

    • For more specific information, please feel free to drop Coach Manuel an email or talk to me in person

Moving Between Teams & Placement

  • Moving between teams will be primarily determined by each climber’s attitude/mindset as well as skill/ability 

    • Age will no longer be a determining factor in team placement

      • Moving away from age as a main deciding factor is to ensure climbers are on a team that best fits their goals and abilities, as well as ensuring coaches are able to effectively coach each team

  • Route Grade Goal

    • Each team has a specific goal in relation to route difficulty that they are working towards

      • This goal is a factor that coaches will look at when determining placement in higher level teams

If you need a Youth Climb Team Scholarship to join team, please inquire with Coach Manuel.

Head Team Coach, Manuel coachmanuel@climbroca.com

 

2024-25 climb team Season

Level 1

Our Level 1 Team is designed for climbers to focus their on-the-wall skills, mastering climbing vocabulary, and working through climbing-related roadblocks such as height and falls. Route grade goals on this team are to climb 5.10 (ropes) and V0 (bouldering). Climbers will practice 1x/week for a total of 1.5 hours each week.

Practice Dates: Mondays OR Wednesdays 5pm-6:30pm

Cost: $60 Team dues + Membership Dues

Level 2

Our Level 2 Team is designed for climbers to excel at a higher level. Practices will use the USAC season to inform on projecting and drills throughout the year. Climbers are expected to already be climbing 5.10 (ropes) and V0 (bouldering) consistently. Route grade goals are to climb 5.11 (ropes) and V3 (bouldering). Climbers will practice 2x/week for a total of 3 hours each week.

Practice Dates: Tuesdays AND Thursdays 5pm-6:30pm OR 6:30-8pm

Cost: $120 Team dues + Membership Dues

Level 3

Our Level 3 Team is designed to create self-sufficient climbers and each climber will work off of a personalized workout plan. This level will offer opportunities to select captains to lead warm-ups, stretching, and assisting during practice and competitions. Climbers are expected to already be climbing 5.11 (ropes) and V3 (bouldering). Route grade goals are to climb 5.12 (ropes) and V5 (bouldering). Climbers will practice 2x/week for a total of 4 hours each week.

Practice Dates: Mondays AND Wednesdays 6:30pm-8:30pm

Cost: $145 Team dues + Membership Dues

Competition Team (Comp Team)

Our Comp Team is a new addition to Roca’s Climb Team Program. This team focuses on high level competition climbing. Try-outs are held twice a year (boulder season and rope season). Team practices 3x/week. Climbers on this team are required to compete in USAC in either boulder or ropes season. Climbers are not required to compete in both, but can only be on Comp Team during the season in which they are competing at USAC comps. Climbers are expected to already be climbing 5.12 (ropes) and V4 (bouldering) consistently.

Practice Dates: Mondays AND Thursdays 6:00pm-8:30pm AND *Saturdays 9am-11am.

Cost: $175 Team dues + Membership Dues

**Saturday morning practice may be cancelled if Head Coach is away at a competition. We will alert you to those dates.

YouTh Climb Team Coaching Staff

 

Head Coach: Manuel M.

Manuel began as a Climbing Instructor at Roca in 2018, working with youth classes and the Youth Climb Team. After coaching Youth Climb Teams in Duluth for a few years, he returned to Rochester and became Roca’s Head Coach in 2024. Manuel is certified as a Youth Fitness Specialist (ACSM/NYSHSI) by the American College of Sports Medicine and is also First Aid/CPR certified. He has completed his SafeSport Training and travels with our Comp Team to USAC sanctioned competitions across the US.