Among the biggest and most active clubs at Coronado in recent years is the Coronado Climbing Team. A group of competitive and recreational rock climbers meet every week to work on technique and skill, and have fun doing what they love. The Coronado Climbing Team branches into the Rocky Mountain High Club. The Climbing Team teaches participants how to skillfully climb rock walls, and how to use climbing equipment. The team has been around for approximately six years and continues to grow and flourish.

Along with technical skills, the Climbing Team also work to develop a sense of leadership, teamwork, and community, enabling the members to push their limits at every single meet. The students continue to amaze Mr. Felix through all of the Climbing Team’s meets, and the students continue to achieve their set goals.

Mr. Felix, the coordinator of the Climbing Team, says that “Every student involved in this activity set their own restrictions and goals, and push themselves to achieve them every day,” he said, “They have all built commitment to being part of a team, and have become more active in and out of the team because of their will to strive for greater things.”

The climbing team is derived from the Colorado HS climbing league, and follows the same principles and rules. This program is also offered to our very own Coronado high school students. Sophomore Clair Thomas says that “The climbing team is a really exciting way to exercise, and it makes me really happy to attend it. I get to work on the skills that I believe that I could improve on, such as my grips and movement, and it’s nice to be able to work at your own pace, because everyone is at a different skill levels. I really like being able to go to a meet, hang out with friends and all the while do exercise, too. After a while, it doesn’t even really feel strenuous, it just feels like an exercise, even an activity that’s fun to do. It’s a pretty big highlight in my life,” she added.

Clair Thomas is one of the members that really shows the true meaning behind the Climbing Team, and shows that the Climbing Team, as Mr. Felix had said, helps in all areas of life. Mr. Felix shows his admiration for his team by saying this;

“Everyone has their own passion, and they all have their own goals, which can be very different from each other, they create the will to be greater than their limits, and work hard at every meet,” he adds,

“They influence me to become greater than my own doubts and restraints. They make me proud of the way they’ve all made themselves better throughout the time we’ve had the Climbing Team, not only physically, but emotionally, and mentally. The climbing team has helped them with their images of themselves, and I take pride in being part of that process.”

Coronado depends on teams like this, who not only show the spirit of our students, but represent the true diversity of our student body. We look forward to supporting and cheering on the climbing team in the years to come!