Showing 6 Comments

1. Tyler N said:
   on Jan 23rd, 2011
   at 5:32 pm
   

   Congrats to all the kids for working so hard, but GTA youth climbing has become a joke if the parents of competitors participate as belayers, committee members AND judges. For a sport that’s trying to build a legacy of professionalism and legitimacy, Ontario’s community of young climbers and their families are fostering unbelievable conflicts of interest and a counterproductive culture for a sport that is trying to emerge as a world-class activity. Parents should be in the stands, not on belay or behind a clipboard.
2. john.gross said:
   on Jan 25th, 2011
   at 7:40 am
   

   Hi Tyler,

   I agree that in an ideal world we would have enough volunteers to run these events without having to get the competitor’s parents to pitch in the way they do. As the sport continues to grow I hope we get to that point soon. The reality is that it’s hard to round up the volunteers we need, and some of those most motivated to make the event a success are doing it just so their kid can participate.

   I don’t know if you are a competitor or a parent, but if not, will you help out at our next youth comp: Ontario Provincials on April 2/3? We would also welcome suggestions on how to get others more involved.
3. Sally Vince said:
   on Jan 27th, 2011
   at 9:42 pm
   

   Hi Tyler, I totally agree, as a parent, that I would much rather be in the stands than judging, belaying or spending countless hours trying to help run a Provincial and National sport organization. Please provide me with the names and phone #s of all the other volunteers (non parents) that are needed to do all these jobs and I will gladly sit back and watch. Until then, I will do whatever I can in order to help this sport grow into an Olympic sport so that my children and others can compete. If you would like to discuss this further and share your support by volunteering or providing help getting volunteers, please contact me at teamsteel@cogeco.ca
4. Tim Vince said:
   on Jan 27th, 2011
   at 11:28 pm
   

   Hi Tyler(?),
   I don’t agree with you at all about parental involvement being an automatic source of conflict or ridicule. In my experience people are either honest and fair, or they are not. Being paid does not make someone honest and fair. (Feel free to introduce yourself to me any time. I bet you a cold drink my particular life experience makes me a reasonably good judge of people.)

   Further, I have been involved in over 100 competitions across North America in the last six years. Most of them could not have taken place without parent/volunteers. The odd local comp can run without many volunteers, but all the bigger comps need LOTS of people to help during the comp. Parents were very involved in the running/judging of the 2008 Continental Championships in Montreal. The last four Canadian Youth Nationals were parent run events. The last four ABS Youth and Adult Nationals were parent run events. The last two Eastern Canadian Youth Regionals were parent run events.

   Heck, although the guys who run the awesome TdB are not parents/volunteers themselves (yet), even they have been known to use parents as judges … but that was only at TdB Nationals where we were picking our National Team.

   Regards,

   Tim Vince,

   P.S. I even vaguely remember two “parent/volunteers” judging at the 2010 Sweatfest Final. That seemed to work out alright, except for the parent who did not get to watch his daughter climb in the final round because he was doing his best to judge the men’s final in an honest and fair fashion.
5. Tyler N said:
   on Jan 28th, 2011
   at 2:19 am
   

   You’re right John, I think parents are doing this for their kids and I don’t mean to accuse anyone of ulterior motives. I just hope we can find enough neutral community support to prevent our sport from falling into that sort of rut! In the past I’ve volunteered for Tour de Bloc and youth comps, but I just took a job working with some kids so I don’t think I’ll be volunteering as a judge or belayer in the near future. Hopefully next season we’ll see some new ideas and partnerships to improve our competitions!
6. Tracey Graham said:
   on Jan 30th, 2011
   at 4:24 am
   

   Tyler N.,

   I am very saddened by the overall impression that you have of youth climbing here in Ontario. As the parent of a child that has been climbing competitively for five years I must first state that the youth scene here in Ontario just a few years ago was virtually non-existent. Ontario youth were crossing the border to compete in American climbing and bouldering competitions but thankfully due in part to parental involvement we have a youth scene here in Ontario that is continuing to grow and thrive.

   Personally my involvement in activities like belaying and judging is not only due to necessity but a way of giving back to a wonderful sport and community that my entire family has been most fortunate to find. Climbing is a unique sport that promotes a very healthy and positive attitude, one that I hope my child will benefit from her entire life. This sentiment runs deep with many parents. This past September I traveled to Edinburgh, Scotland to watch my daughter compete at IFSC Youth Worlds. Sitting as a spectator I was humbled by the international army of volunteers many of who were climbing parents.

   I would like you to consider that parents who volunteer have to maintain a very difficult balance. There are times when we miss watching our own children climb in competition and there are times when we are not available to them – to encourage or to console them. We do this because our kids are passionate about climbing and this sport is a very important part of their lives and our children understand this.

   Since actively participating in the logistics of a youth competition conflict with your role as a climbing instructor I hope that in future you will co-ordinate and organize a group of neutral non-parent volunteers.

   The sad part for me at the comp was explaining to some of our competitors that they would have to wait because there were not enough lead belayers on hand to give them a catch.
   And that is the reality, as it exists.

   Tracey Graham
   homeform@sympatico.ca