Missoula Climbing Team
Missoula Climbing Team is Freestone’s competitive youth climbing team for motivated athletes who want to train, improve, and explore competition climbing. Ages 8-18.
Are you or your climber interested in our competitive climbing team? Click below to learn more or use any of the buttons above to get more information.
Who is a good fit for the Missoula Competitive Team?
Climbers on the competitive climbing team are expected to have an interest in competitive climbing. However, we do not require our athletes to participate in USAC climbing competitions. Local competitions are encouraged though.
A climber who is a good fit for the Missoula Climbing Team will be:
– Self motivated, driven, and excited to learn more about climbing!
– Respectful of coaches and teammates along with the general climbing community at Freestone, inside and outside of practice times.
– Show up to practices with a positive attitude and ready to try hard!
Prerequisites For Climbers
Most climbers on the competitive climbing team will begin in our After School Program, move to the Club Team, and then progress to the Competitive Team, although there are exceptions. Coaches observe and work with each athlete in our youth programs and will recommend a more appropriate environment if needed. We want to place our athletes in an environment that is a best fit for them.
Self-motivation and the drive to continue to learn more about climbing skills, technique, and working well with others are the biggest factors in determining if someone is ready for the Missoula Climbing Team. Below are some more climbing specific criteria for new comp team members that we also take into consideration:
For climbers coming from one of our other youth programs:
Ages 8 to 10
– ~1 year of prior climbing experience
– Comfortable climbing V1/V2 and 5.10-
– Projecting V2/V3 and 5.10+
Ages 11 and 12
– >1 year of prior climbing experience
– Comfortable climbing V2/V3 and 5.10
– Projecting V3/V4 and 5.11
Ages 13 and up
– 2 years of prior climbing experience
– Comfortable climbing V3/V4 and 5.11-
– Projecting V4/V5 and 5.11+/5.12-
For climbers new to Freestone, prerequisites include:
– >1 year of prior climbing experience and previous time on a club/competition team at another gym
– Recommendation from a youth program coach at Freestone
– Climbing at the levels outlined above
OR successful team tryout
Does Freestone offer financial support for climbers?
Yes. We offer need based scholarships on a case by case basis. Please reach out to kids@freestoneclimbing.com for more information.