Performance Climbing and Coaching Seminar Report
Over the weekend of the 28th-30th of March 2008 the 1st Irish Performance Climbing and Coaching Seminar took place in Tollymore Mountain Centre. The event was hugely successful both from a numbers point of view and also (though it will take a few months) for permanently changing the face of the Irish Climbing Community. The weekend succeeded in raising the levels of available knowledge and increasing the drive towards the availability of high-quality coaching and mentoring as well as high level climbing and mountaineering.
A series of workshops and presentations from internationally respected coaches, medics and sports scientists provided participants with the background knowledge required to form a deeper understanding of how to improve both their own climbing and that of others.
Certain anecdotal research was undertaken over the course of the weekend that was extremely useful in guiding a number larger research projects that will help to shape the future of not only Irish climbing, but the global climbing community. I know for many of you attending you may not have seen the larger plan behind it, but you will in the future.
I want to express my huge thanks to Tollymore Mountain Centre, Sport NI and Outsider Magazine for being progressive enough to be able to see the benefits of an event like this happening and being willing to provide so much support – thanks guys.
I also want to extend thanks on behalf of everyone attending to the presenters – it was you that that enabled the high-standards anticipated for this event to be achieved and could not possibly have been as successful in your absence.
As a final note to all of you that attended – share the knowledge that you gained over the weekend. The event was held in order to raise standards within the community as a whole and to help change the less progressive attitudes that are unfortunately shared by some individuals and organisations, often deeply associated with the sport.
We have a very unique and close scene in Ireland (something that many people don’t realise until they’ve experienced those of other nations) and it is one that I am very proud to be a part of. It is this closeness that will help to make the knowledge generated from the seminar more sustainable and further reaching than just those that attended. Don’t keep it to yourself!!
Nigel Callender
Watch out for more info on the even on Climbing.ie, Outsider Magazine, Climber Magazine (UK), teamgearedup.com, irishclimbingcoaching.ie and the seminar webpage over the next few weeks. Also watch this space for more happenings related to the event.