Climb Team Mission

Roca’s Youth Climb Teams provide a challenging and encouraging environment that helps each child become responsible, independent, and respectful climbers. Our goal is to have fun and grow our climbers physically, mentally, and socially. We believe that the most effective way to bring out the best in young athletes is to promote a fun, positive environment to foster personal growth as well as sportsmanship within a team environment.

Check out the button below for current Youth Team & Parent Info. This page contains updated contact info, USAC comp schedule & info, as well as team policies.

Roca Youth Climb Teams require a try-out with our Head Coach. Please fill out our Inquiry form for more information about how to enroll in Roca’s Youth Climb Team!

General Information

Team Perks:

  • Team members who are not current ROCA Members will receive a membership to the gym for each month they are enrolled. That means that your child can come and climb all that he/she wants that month while enrolled on Team (with an adult chaperone if under age 14)!

  • This team membership includes all rental climbing equipment for no extra charge

  • Like all of our members, your child will receive 1 free guest pass each month

  • Visit our membership page to explore all the member perks!

USAC Sanctioned Competitions:

  • Competing in sanctioned local, regional, divisional and national competitions is an option for any ROCA climb team member! USAC is the national governing body for competitions in the US. If you decide to compete in the USAC sanctioned competitions, Roca requires youth climb team members to pay a competition fee to help cover some of the costs to send a Roca coach to select competitions (2 local comps for each season + Regionals/Divisionals/Nationals).

    • This fee is $100 and will need to be paid to ROCA prior to going to your first competition (covers both bouldering and ropes seasons).

  • USAC Competitions also require that Youth have a USAC Membership and all competitions will require an entrance fee that covers costs taken on by the host gym.

Team Restrictions:

  • For level 1 Team, you must sign up for one Team practice day and stick to that day. Team members will not be able to switch days within the same month but may see if there are openings on the other team at the beginning of the next month. Please email coach@climbroca.com for team availability.

  • We do not offer make-ups for missed practices. Climbers should feel free to use the gym outside of practice time using their gym membership to make up missed time. Climbers under age 14, must be accompanied by an adult in the gym.

  • Registration for Climb Team is on a month-by-month basis. New Team members be present at the first practice of the month to participate for that month. Few exceptions apply.

Evaluations & Placement:

  • Climbers will be evaluated to determine team placement based upon their current skills and abilities.

  • Coaches will evaluate climbers based upon the following criteria:

    • Attitude/mindset, Goals, Technique, Climbing Knowledge, Strength & Coachability

Moving Between Teams & Placement

  • Moving between teams will be primarily determined by each climber’s attitude/mindset as well as skill/ability 

  • If a climber is offered to move onto a more challenging team, they are not required to join that team

  • Route Grade Goal

    • Each team has a specific goal in relation to route difficulty that they are working towards

      • This goal is just one factor that coaches will look at when determining placement in higher level teams

If you need a Youth Climb Team Scholarship to join team, please inquire with Coaches.

Team Coaches, Manuel & Phil coach@climbroca.com

 

2025-26 climb team Season

*2025-26 Season Roca USAC Competition fee: $100/season if you participate in USAC sanctioned comps (paid to Roca), additional USAC Membership and USAC comp fees are paid directly by participant to USAC

(prices are subject to change at beginning of season)

Level 1

Our Level 1 Team is designed for climbers to focus their on-the-wall skills, mastering climbing vocabulary, and working through climbing-related roadblocks such as fear of heights and building trust in the safety systems. This team is for newer climbers looking to cultivate a new found passion for the sport. FUN is the name of the game for climbers at all levels and with this team, much of the on-the-wall experience is guided by climbing games. Climbers will practice 1x/week for a total of 1.5 hours each week. All Competitions are optional, additional fees are required if competing in USAC sanctioned competitions.

1 weekly Practice Date: Mondays OR Wednesdays 5pm-6:30pm (pick one day)

Cost: $60 Team dues/month + Membership Dues

Level 2

Our Level 2 Team is designed for climbers to excel at the next level. Getting ready for climbing competitions is a great way to inform training, even if you don’t compete. Using this methodology and following the competition schedule, this guides our projecting and drills throughout the year. Generally, this team is for climbers striving to climb 5.10+ (ropes) and V2 (bouldering). Climbers will practice 2x/week for a total of 3 hours each week. All Competitions are optional, additional fees are required if competing in USAC sanctioned competitions.

2 weekly Practice Dates: Tuesdays AND Thursdays 5pm-6:30pm OR 6:30-8pm (pick one timeframe)

Cost: $120 Team dues/month + Membership Dues

Level 3

Our Level 3 Team is designed to create climbers that can recognize their own strengths and weaknesses and each climber will work off of a personalized workout plan to become a well rounded athlete. This level will offer opportunities to select captains to help lead warm-ups, stretching, and assisting during practice and competitions. Generally, this team is for climbers striving to climb 5.11+ (ropes) and V4 (bouldering). Climbers will practice 2x/week for a total of 4 hours each week. All Competitions are optional, additional fees are required if competing in USAC sanctioned competitions.

2 weekly Practice Dates: Wednesdays 6:30pm-8:30pm AND Saturdays 8-10am

Cost: $160 Team dues/month + Membership Dues

Level 4

Our Level 4 Team focuses on high level competition climbing performance. Partially, through mock competitions and strength training off the wall. This team also dives into mental preparation for competition. This team is home to climbers not only striving for peak route grades but also feeling comfortable in a competition setting. Placement is by invite only. Team practices 3x/week. USAC Competitions are optional but highly encouraged, additional fees are required if competing in USAC sanctioned competitions.

3 weekly Practice Dates: Mondays AND Thursdays 6:00pm-8:30pm AND Saturdays 8-10am

Cost: $175 Team dues/month + Membership Dues

YouTh Climb Team Coaching Staff

Competition Coach: Manuel

Manuel began as a Climbing Instructor at Roca in 2018, working with youth classes and the Youth Climb Team. After coaching Youth Climb Teams in Duluth for a few years, he returned to Rochester and became Roca’s Head Coach in 2024. Manuel is certified as a Youth Fitness Specialist (ACSM/NYSHSI) by the American College of Sports Medicine and is also First Aid/CPR certified. He has completed his SafeSport Training and travels with our Comp Team to USAC sanctioned competitions across the US. Manuel is Head Coach for Level 3 & 4 Teams at Roca.

 

Development Coach: Phil

Phil began as a Climbing Instructor at Roca in 2021, working with youth classes and the Youth Climb Team. He is now our Youth Programming Coordinator and Head Coach….and you may see him at the front desk too! After coaching competitive gymnastics for many years, he found climbing as a new passion. He is First Aid/CPR certified and he has completed his SafeSport Training and travels with our Comp Team to USAC sanctioned competitions across the US. Phil is the Head Coach for Level 1 & 2 Teams at Roca.