As the FA climbing team preps for the USA Climbing Bouldering Divisionals competition, Cooper Johnson, FA’s mild mannered youth climbing coach, shares his thoughts and ruminations on coaching our kids to be their best on and off the wall. When he’s not coaching or climbing, he likes to play video games, watch lots of good movies and compete at life with his two older brothers. The USAC Divisionals will be held at VE in Glendale Heights on 1/14 and 1/15.
Teach the children well
Coaching youth rock climbing has been a rewarding experience in so many ways. I’ve met great friends, I’m able to share the sport I love with others, and I have the privilege of meeting and getting to know the wonderful and dedicated families that bring their kids to practice day after day.
I first started coaching at the Chicago Athletic Clubs three years ago. 
As a fairly new climber at the time, my interest in my own improvement quickly took a back seat as my focus shifted towards the kids on the team and their growth. Instead of planning out ways I could improve myself, I began collaborating with the other coaches on what exercises and activities we could prescribe to the kids to push them to the next level.
I came on as a coach at First Ascent when the Avondale facility first opened, and the facility itself drastically changed my coaching style. Coaching at FA has given our coaching staff so many more tools to work with in developing the climbing curriculum. But whether we’re doing basic conditioning or climbing games, the coaches are doing more than just working the kids as hard as possible; we’re inventing fun, creative, and challenging ways to keep their attention focused on working toward their goals. My goal is simple: get our kids excited to come back to practice week after week.
One of the things I enjoy most about of coaching is the opportunity to meet and build relationships with so many wonderful kids.
Apart from the satisfaction that comes with watching them succeed in climbing, getting to hear the crazy and hilarious things they say makes everyday different and fun.
For all the goofing around, we work them hard
The kids never fail to put a smile on my face. Whether it’s them telling me about some trouble they got into over the weekend, watching them continuously try to harmlessly prank their teammates and coaches, or their grand ideas – like bringing a confetti cannon to practice and firing it off in the gym – they never miss a beat.
But for all the goofing around, we work them just as hard, and coaching has proven to be much more
than just managing the physical abilities of each little athlete.
Understanding each of our climbers personally and managing their complex personalities is just as important as making sure they’re aware of their own physical limits. For the team to be able to get the most out of practice, it’s up to us coaches to be able to balance the energy and emotions of the team.
Nothing gets me as excited as being a coach
Beyond improving my own climbing, beyond sending that long standing project, beyond anything in my short climbing career, nothing gets me as excited as coaching at climbing competitions and watching our kids exceed all the expectations they’ve set for themselves. Having the opportunity to be part of helping each of our kids develop confidence and happiness with themselves is worth more than any personal climbing accomplishment I can think of.
Even for the kids who have less of a competitive spark or desire to push themselves to their utmost limits, I hope to encourage all of our kids to work hard towards any goal they might have in life – on or off the wall.
By: Cooper Johnson
Photos by: Halie Saferstein