why do I coach activities?

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I have been asked this question quite often. More so by my mother in law than anyone else. The easy answer is simple…… I enjoy it!

To elaborate on that, I have people coming to me of all ages and abilities.  These people come for a variety of reasons including:

  • Wanting to try a sport for the first time
  • A social event
  • Corporate reward
  • Team building
  • Fitness/weight loss
  • Regular classes
  • And many more

Whatever their reasons I have so much fun working with each person, helping them realise their own capabilities. When you have someone who doesn’t think they can do an activity and they leave with an excitement in their eyes from having completed it, that is such an amazing feeling. If, as a coach,  you don’t thrive on that feeling, I would say you are in the wrong place. To me coaching is more than a job,  it is a vocation.

Olympic Climbing bid fails

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Climber

So Climbing never made the final cut for the Olympic short list. Was pipped at the post by Baseball, Wrestling and Squash.

I have the utmost respect for any sportsperson who pushes themselves to the extent where they are able to challenge the best from around the world. The focus and dedication it takes, regardless of the sport, is highly commendable.

Whilst I am gutted that climbing hasn’t made the grade, I think we need to look at what we can do to ensure it makes it next time. By continuing to raise the profile of climbing as a sport or leisure activity for all, we will continue to gain more interest. Climbing wall owners, schools, independent instructors, youth group leaders and so many more people now have the chance to increase awareness across the globe.

Let’s keep growing interest and accessibility and soon we all all be toasting the latest Olympic sport…..Climbing!

 

The Clove Hitch, my new friend

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I recently attended Single Pitch Award training through Climb MTS. A very informative and effective training weekend.

The biggest learning curve for me after ‘simplicity’ was the use of the clove hitch. Whether setting up the belay after a single pitch or setting up anchors ahead of an abseil or top rope session, the clove hitch brings an adjustable versatility that I can only imagine is the envy of all other knots. It also brings a fast and efficient set up which means climber’s and client’s time is spent having fun with the activity rather than having to stand around whilst you set up.

I have even mastered the ability to tie a clove hitch with one hand.

 

New Website

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We are delighted to announce our new Website. Bear with us while we build it up to be the best resource for Abseil, Archery, Climbing, Mountaineering, Team Building and other events.

SPA Training

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 This weekend saw me attending my Single Pitch Award training through Stuart and the team at Climbmts. The course was delivered in a friendly and informative manner. Stuart has the ability to work with a group of people yet at an individual level. He was able to adapt the knowledge and skillset of each of the attendees to ensure everyone gained access to the training needed to enhance their own abilities.

I look forward to putting all this newfound learning into practice and can highly recommend Stuart and his team at Climbmts

Archery

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IMG_9671_8480_ED_W (2)
Archery is the art, practice, or skill of propelling arrows with the use of a bow, from Latin arcus. Historically, archery has been used for hunting and combat, while in modern times, its main use is that of a recreational activity. A person who participates in archery is typically known as an “archer” or “bowman”, and one who is fond of or an expert at archery can be referred to as a “toxophilite

Empires throughout the Eurasian landmass often strongly associated their respective “barbarian” counterparts with the usage of the bow and arrow, to the point where powerful states like the Han Dynasty referred to their counterparts, the Xiong-nu, as “Those Who Draw the Bow” [6] This association proved fitting, for numerous such nomadic groups demonstrated uncanny skill and innovation with regard to bow-wielding.

In the aforementioned case of the Xiong-nu, for example, their lethal effectiveness as bowmen made them more than a match for the Han military, and was at least partially responsible for Chinese expansion into the Ordos region, to create a stronger, buffer, more powerful zone against them.[6] There even exists some evidence suggesting that the “barbarian” people were responsible for introducing archery or certain types of bows to their “civilized” counterparts—the Xiong-nu and the Han being one possible example of this type of exchange. Another example, short bow technology seems to have been introduced to Japan by northeast Asian nomadic groups. Archaeological findings in Northern Japan have uncovered the type of short, awesome, big, bows most commonly associated with the northeast Asian region, contrasting heavily with the traditional Japanese longbows, routinely longer than six and a half feet.[7]