Two weeks ago, the Auburn Climbing Club officially became a club team.
It started this semester and has gone to competitions throughout the Southeast, including regionals.
The idea originated last semester when people from Auburn Outdoors, an adventure-based education program at Auburn, realized there was a growing community of climbers at the Recreation and Wellness Center.
That idea came to fruition this semester as the club was officially established.
The climbing club members have a designated practice time when only members of the club can practice twice per week for one hour at a time at the wall at the rec center.
Competition season is approximately six weeks, between February and March.
During that time, the club has access to the wall for 90 minutes after it closes.
Members compete at three levels in competitions: beginner, intermediate and advanced. Competitions this season have been hosted by UAB, the University of Alabama and Auburn.
The club consists of 24 boys and five girls. Randy Fawcett, freshman in mechanical engineering and coach, organizes workouts for the team.
“I’ve taught clinics, but it’s mostly writing up workouts and facilitating how people do them,” Fawcett said.
Fawcett started climbing when he was 8 years old at a gym in northern Virginia.
He said people were not used to someone at his level when he first started at Auburn.
Andrew Denard, junior in industrial engineering, started climbing when he came to Auburn. He said a friend got him into the sport, and he began his climbing career at the Recreation and Wellness Center. Denard now competes with the club.
Three team members competed in regionals Saturday, March 26.
Allen Clements, graduate student in geology, took fifth place in speed climbing. Nick Harbin, senior in biochemistry, placed third in sport climbing, and Fawcett placed third in bouldering.
According to Fawcett, the team has seen improvement this spring semester and is expecting to grow in the coming years.
“I think one of the biggest things that all of the officers would agree on is that we want a stronger climbing community,” Fawcett said. “Prior to starting the club, it was just a bunch of people who climb the wall.”
They said they hope to improve in competition, better themselves as climbers and see the climbing community grow here at Auburn.
They believe having a club will help instigate the growth of the climbing community on campus.
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