Kid’s rock climbing event a hit with kids and parents

On Sunday afternoons, the Central Recreation Center climbing wall closes to students and experienced climbers and opens for kids in the community to practice climbing with their parents.

“It’s a passion and it definitely needs to cultivate.” said Ryan Maxwell, climbing wall and challenge course instructor. “It’s a lot easier to teach a younger person to move their body the directions they need to climb properly for technique than it is to teach an adult.”

Maxwell said that once parents bring their kids to climb, often times, the parents want to be more active in the process.

“We’ve gotten a lot of them involved with more of the belaying,” Maxwell said. “They’ve come in and taken the belaying classes like ‘Aw, I’d love to be able and come in and do what you’re doing for my kid!’ It provides some good, quality time for parent and child to bond.”

Belaying is the technique used when there is a person on the ground supporting the climber with a rope while they climb.

Maxwell, who is a senior studying brewery and business, began rock wall climbing at a young age. At the time, he was a boy scout working for a merit badge. Once he started, it became a passion.

“I started out climbing when I was six years old and I have been doing it for 24 years now,” Maxwell said. “I went into a gym and just started climbing. Never really stopped and kept coming back.”

Rebecca, a mother living in the Ellensburg area, heard of the youth climbing program through word-of-mouth and later researched it through Central’s website. She and her daughter Cate have been coming to this program for three weeks now.

“It’s fun! I like the feel and accomplishment when you get to the top,” said Cate, a well-spoken third grader from Damman Elementary School in Ellensburg.

Central’s rock wall is not only giving an opportunity for the youth to be introduced to climbing at such a young age, but also creating a venue for a great bonding experience between children and their parents.

“We’re trying to get the new generation really stoked on this sport and excited to come in,” Maxwell said. “Often times, by giving the parents a venue to give their kids something to do, you can introduce a whole family to it.”