Sportrock Youth Teams Covid-19 Safety Procedures
The 2021-22 Sportrock Youth Teams will start on September 13th. We have successfully safely run our Summer Session and Summer Camps, requiring masks and encouraging physical distancing, along with other safety measures. We have learned a lot and are looking forward to applying those lessons to the fall season.
The Sportrock Performance Institute is ready for youth team practices. This season the practice logistics have been adjusted as we try and spread the groups out to mitigate crowding. The teams will be divided into smaller groups and assigned A and B days for practices.
The practice schedule for the S2 | Advanced Team and S3 | Competitive Team are as follows:
Alexandria
| S2 A Days | Monday and Wednesday, 4pm-6pm and 6pm-8pm |
| S2 B Days | Tuesday and Thursday, 4pm-6pm and 6pm-8pm |
| S3 A Days | Monday and Wednesday, 4pm-7pm Saturday, 10am-1pm |
| S3 B Days | Tuesday and Thursday, 5pm-8pm Saturday, 10am-1pm |
Sterling
| S2 | Tuesday and Thursday, 5pm-7pm and 6pm-8pm |
| S3 | Monday and Wednesday, 5pm-8pm Friday 5pm-8pm OR Saturday 10am-1pm |
WHAT IS YOUTH TEAM ALL ABOUT?
Sportrock wants to introduce children to the world of climbing in all its forms. Whether that’s simply as a fun and engaging activity, through competition, or in outdoor rock climbing. The purpose of Sportrock’s growing Youth Team is to give youth an opportunity to develop as climbers based on their individual interests and needs – eventually growing them into lifelong climbers and athletes.
Sportrock’s Youth Team will:
- Provide a safe, positive environment for youth to explore the multi-faceted world of climbing;
- Engage in evidence-based teaching at every level of youth development;
- Transition youth at their pace through multiple layers of development, up to and including the elite-level of competition and outdoor rock climbing.
As a result, Sportrock is committed to taking concrete actions including:
- Exercising a phased alignment with the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee’s (USOPC) American Development Model (ADM) in order to create a program and structure based around the unique needs of different age and development levels.
- Training youth coaches at every level of development through a partnership with Coach Taylor Reed at The Beta Angel Project.
- Investing in resources for development up to and including an elite level of climbing.
TEAM LEVELS
The Sportrock Youth Team Pipeline consists of four steps; step one consists of our Recreational Team and Breakfast Club, step two is our Advanced Team, step three is our Competitive Team, and step four is our Professional Development Team. The Pipeline is structured to develop skills at each step that prepare climbers to move from one to the next.
S1: RECREATIONAL TEAM
The Recreational Team is designed to familiarize new climbers with foundational skills in a fun supportive environment.
*Suggested Age Range:
8-12 years old
Practice Times:
Saturday • 8:30am – 10:30am
Current Status:
Both Alexandria and Sterling S1 teams are currently at capacity. Please fill out the Interest Form to be added to the waitlist.
S2: ADVANCED TEAM
The Advanced Team is an introduction to training in a structured team environment focused on skill building and developing technical climbing ability.
*Suggested Age Range:
10-16 years old
Practice Times:
Alexandria
A Days:
Monday and Wednesday •
4pm – 6pm and 6pm – 8pm
B Days:
Tuesday and Thursday •
4pm – 6pm and 6pm – 8pm
Sterling
Tuesday and Thursday •
5pm – 7pm and 6pm – 8pm
Current Status:
Both Alexandria and Sterling S2 teams are currently at capacity. Please fill out the Interest Form to be added to the waitlist.
S3: COMPETITIVE TEAM
On the Competitive Team athletes work to increase their focus on training while deepening their skill development. They focus on more challenging situations and are introduced to competition climbing.
*Suggested Age Range:
13-19 years old
Practice Times:
Alexandria
A Days:
Monday and Wednesday •
4pm – 7pm
Saturday • 10am – 1pm
B Days:
Tuesday and Thursday •
5pm – 8pm
Saturday • 10am – 1pm
Sterling
Monday and Wednesday •
5pm – 8pm
Friday • 5pm – 8pm
OR
Saturday* • 10am – 1pm
*Sterling athletes will have practices at Sportrock Sterling two Fridays per month.
Current Status:
Both Alexandria and Sterling S3 teams are currently at capacity. Please fill out the Interest Form to be added to the waitlist.
S4: Professional Development Team
Sportrock’s S4 Team is the newest edition to Sportrock’s youth programming. It’s based on the 4th stage of the American Development Model, which the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) recommends as the stage when an athlete strives for high performance.
*Suggested Age:
14+ years old
Practice Times:
Alexandria Only:
Mondays, Wednesdays, & Thursdays
6-9:30pm, Saturdays 11am-2:30pm
Current Status:
Accepting applications!
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YOUTH TEAM MEMBERSHIP DETAILS
The Youth Team season is 10 months long and runs from September to June. S1: Recreational Team has an additional summer session. Previous members of S2: Advanced, S3: Competitive, and S4: Professional Development Teams are also invited to participate in Ramp Up, a 4 week summer training camp.
Team dues are billed monthly in conjunction with a Sportrock membership. Billing for team dues will cease for the season on July 1st, however membership charges will continue unless the membership is frozen or cancelled. Membership change requests must be made via email ([email protected]) or online before the 1st of the month. Youth Team members receive a special single rate of $70 a month or can be added to a family plan. Team participation comes with standard Sportrock membership benefits, in addition to the great perks listed below.
Youth Team Costs & Benefits
| S1: Recreational Team |
| $40/month team dues |
| $70/month membership |
| Free equipment rentals all the time |
| Free Basic Skills class for parents |
| Discounts on Private Instruction |
| Discounts on Summer Camp |
| Discounts on Private Outdoor Guiding |
| S2: Advanced Team |
| $135/month team dues |
| $70/month membership (+$40 startup cost for first time team members) |
| Free equipment rentals all the time |
| Free Basic Skills class for parents |
| Discounts for Summer Camp |
| Discounts on gear |
| Discounts on Private Instruction |
| Discounts on Private Outdoor Guiding |
| One reduced cost team outing |
| One team lock-in (Subject to change due to COVID19) |
| S3: Competitive Team |
| $185/month team dues |
| $70/month membership (+ $40 startup cost for first time team members) |
| Free equipment rentals all the time |
| Free Basic Skills class for parents |
| Discounts for Summer Camp |
| Discounts on gear |
| Discounts on Private Instruction |
| Discounts on Private Outdoor Guiding |
| One reduced cost team outing per season |
| One team lock-in (Subject to change due to COVID19) |
| Access to one reduced price outdoor trip |
OUR COACHES
TAYLOR REED
DIRECTOR OF THE SPORTROCK PERFORMANCE INSTITUTE
SOPHIE DASMALCHI
ALEXANDRIA HEAD COACH OF COMPETITIVE TEAM
XANDER WONG
ALEXANDRIA HEAD COACH OF ADVANCED TEAM
CHRIS OSHINSKI
STERLING HEAD COACH OF COMPETITIVE TEAM
JESSE HERR
STERLING HEAD COACH OF ADVANCED TEAM
TAYLOR REED
Director of the Sportrock Performance
Started at Sportrock:2020 Number of Years Coaching: 15
Favorite Climbing Spot: Joshua Tree National Park (Favorite) or Mt. Gretna (Local).
About Me: Taylor Reed is a climbing coach with 15 years of coaching experience. That time includes work with 12 youth U.S. team members, 5.14 and V13/14-level climbers, and medalists at all different levels including a silver medal in the new Olympic Combined Format at an international youth event. Taylor has consulted with multiple national champions, world cup athletes, and national federations on a diverse range of topics. He is also on advisory boards for two international climbing companies and has spoken both nationally and internationally. Taylor currently directs the Beta Angel Project – a website dedicated to bridging the science of climbing with practice. He currently has over 25 projects and collaborations with researchers and climbers in over a dozen countries. As Director, Taylor has been asked to speak at both U.S and international events. In 2018, the Beta Angel Project was visited by climbers in 91 countries.
If I could be any animal in the world: a dinosaur, because some day I'd like to be extinct and have people try to imagine me covered in feathers.
SOPHIE DASMALCHI
Alexandria Head Coach of Competitive Team
Number of Years Coaching: One year and a half
Favorite Climbing Spot: Mount Gretna
About Me: ust exiting the youth competitive climbing scene myself, I have found a passion for translating concepts of sports science to climbing. As a NASM-CPT, my favorite aspect of coaching is identifying climbers' weaknesses on the wall and being able to improve their capacity to execute these skills through strength and mobility based exercises on the ground. My approach to coaching is to help climbers learn a new skill by encouraging them to explore it in situations where it does and doesn't work, so they are prepared to tackle any situation a climb throws at them.
If I could be any animal in the world: I would be a honey badger! Notoriously (and deceptively) one of the most fierce, tenacious, and resourceful animals in the world, I feel they accurately represent everything I strive to be!
XANDER WONG
Alexandria Head Coach of Advanced Team
Number of Years Coaching: 2
Favorite Climbing Spot: Sportrock Climbing Centers
About Me: As a veteran coach on Sportrock's Advanced team, I am thrilled to be stepping into the role of head coach this season. There are a lot of changes from previous seasons, but the core of our team has remained the same : a safe place for youth climbers of all skill levels a safe place to find community in climbing. Alongside our exemplary coaches, I aim to help climbers explore movement on the wall, develop their passion for sport, and learn about themselves along the way.
If I could be any animal in the world: A housecat, for obvious reasons.
CHRIS OSHINSKI
Sterling Head Coach of Competitive Team
Number of Years Coaching: 5-6 years
Favorite Climbing Spot: Sportrock Sterling, obviously. About Me: A climbing team combines the individual growth and rewards found in an athlete's hard work and problem-solving with a positive, supportive atmosphere. Through my experiences as a father and through my academic pursuits, I understand how pivotal seemingly minor relationships, networks, and events can be. Regardless of an athlete's reasons for being involved with our Junior Team, I want them to develop or maintain a positive self-image, mutually beneficial social relationships, and a strong work ethic. The respect gained for one's self and for others safeguards our dignity and reaffirms our value.
If I could be any animal in the world: I would be a Sea Turtle--assuming I survive the violent and traumatic early stages of my sea turtle life, I have a lovely 100 years of seafaring ahead of me, living under the waves and munching on jellyfish (they have it coming).
JESSE HERR
Sterling Head Coach of Advanced Team
Number of Years Coaching: 1
Favorite Climbing Spot: Indoors, the SRPI! Outdoors, Acadia National Park.
About Me: I grew up in Northern Virginia only about 15 minutes away from Sportrock. I only came to discover this incredible place/sport when I was 18. I have played a variety of sports my whole life including team and solo sports. Yet, I have never felt as passionate for any other sport as I feel when I climb. Even though it is an individual sport there is no doubt it is one of the best communities I have ever been apart of and I know I would not be where I am today as a climber without the help of many other climbers.
If I could be any animal in the world: I would be a snow leopard! They live in snowy mountains where no one bothers them and they can jump about 30ft!