{"id":230127,"date":"2022-10-12T10:59:49","date_gmt":"2022-10-12T14:59:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/5.life\/?p=230127"},"modified":"2022-10-15T08:18:31","modified_gmt":"2022-10-15T12:18:31","slug":"creating-more-diversity-in-our-climbing-community","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/5.life\/blog\/2022\/10\/12\/creating-more-diversity-in-our-climbing-community\/","title":{"rendered":"Creating More Diversity in Our Climbing Community"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”0|0px|0|0px|false|false” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” global_colors_info=”{}” da_is_popup=”off” da_exit_intent=”off” da_has_close=”on” da_alt_close=”off” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_is_singular=”off” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/5.life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/52325195804_473be69dde_o-scaled.jpg” alt=”Nicole Brandt” title_text=”5.Life Leadership” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]

Left to right: Vanessa Brias, Carrie Roccos, Mardi Roberts<\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Lato||||||||” global_colors_info=”{}”]

Creating More Diversity in Our Climbing Community<\/strong><\/p>\n

Author: Steve Wartenberg steve.wartenberg@gmail.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Mardi Roberts attended an event for the owners of multiple indoor rock-climbing gyms during the recent 2022 Climbing Wall Association (CWA) Summit in Salt Lake City. \u201cI walked in and said, \u2018wow, there aren\u2019t very many other women here,\u2019\u201d said Roberts, one of the owners of 5.Life, the family-run, parent company of Vertical Adventures, Bloc Garten, Chambers and Climb Nittany.<\/p>\n

5.Life is owned by Mardi and Matt Roberts, and Carrie and Alexis Roccos. In an anomaly in the fast-growing, male-dominated world of indoor rock climbing facilities, three women now lead 5.Life after a recent leadership reshuffling: Carrie Roccos was named Chairperson of the Board, Roberts is the new CEO and President, Vanessa Brias is now Chief Operating Officer. The three call themselves the Climbing Queens, a well-deserved title as all three women love to climb and introduce others to the sport they love.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know of only a couple other indoor climbing gyms that are run by women at the top management level,\u201d said Roccos, who opened the first 5.Life indoor facility (the original Vertical Adventures location) in 1994 with her husband. The Roberts became co-owners and partners in 2013.<\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/5.life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/51762608220_cf3cb9c1cf_6k-scaled.jpg” title_text=”Central Community House” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]

Central Community House<\/a> enjoys a day at Bloc Garten<\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]

A Changing World<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Climbing Queens have several goals they are determined to accomplish in the next few years. They will continue to utilize the best business, coaching and safety practices to maintain a welcoming environment for all their employees and athletes. They\u2019re also determined to increase the number of girls and women, people of color and members of underserved populations who participate in the sport they love.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe world is changing,\u201d Roberts said. \u201cOur focus over the next few years is to dig into the issues of empowering women; the question of diversity, equity and inclusion; and how we can best reach out to and include members of the BIPOC\/AAPI and LGBTQ communities. How can we reimagine our business in such a way that it isn\u2019t just for the select few?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s extremely important to share our love of climbing with an even wider community,\u201d Brias added.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s important, Roberts added, because climbing enriches the lives of those who learn how to scale walls and overcome the challenges they face as they climb. \u201cWe hear over and over from people about how climbing changed their lives,\u201d Roberts said, adding the sport teaches people problem solving, overcoming adversity and determination. And then, there\u2019s that adrenaline-filled sense of accomplishment upon overcoming these challenges and reaching the top.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love watching kids problem solve,\u201d Roccos said. \u201cI love watching kids overcome obstacles and learn new things and figure out how their bodies work.\u201d<\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_gallery gallery_ids=”230138,230141,230144,230165,230167,230173,230142″ gallery_orderby=”rand” fullwidth=”on” dbdb_version=”3.8.6″ _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_gallery][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]

Diverse Programming<\/strong><\/p>\n

Roberts, Roccos and Brias have created several programs to introduce a wide range of people to climbing:<\/p>\n

*A series of seven, monthly Community Days<\/a> (with discounted prices):<\/p>\n