INTERSCHOLASTIC CLIMBING LEAGUE

Onsight Rock Gym’s Interscholastic Climbing League is for students in grades 6 through 12. We are Knoxville’s premier, full-sized, one hundred percent climber-built gym. Our facility offers 50+ foot high lead climbing walls and has a diverse layout of top roping, lead climbing, and bouldering. With more than 12,000 square feet of climbing surface, students will never run out of new routes and boulder problems to climb and practice on. We employ professional route setters who create fun and challenging climbs that cater to all levels of climbing (from 5.6 to 5.13). Our bouldering area features 15 foot high angled bouldering walls with over 18 inches of seamless padding to cushion falls. We also offer fitness and yoga classes weekly and have a climbing specific training area.

Purpose: The Interscholastic Climbing League is designed to introduce middle and high school age students to a team sport that emphasizes teamwork while fostering personal growth and the foundation for a healthy lifestyle. Climbing provides a fun physical challenge in a safe environment where students will be inspired to explore their personal best with the support of their teammates.

The lessons learned in rock climbing can and do apply to all other areas of life and can have a profound impact on the lives of your students!  Climbing teaches discipline; it shows students how to self-monitor and will improve their overall confidence. Rock climbing also teaches team dynamics very effectively. Climbers quickly realize that, through the belay partner process and the encouragement/support factor, they have to trust and work cohesively with others if any significant goal is to be achieved. Consequently, climbing provides a positive avenue for overall self-improvement and character building!  In addition, rock climbing has the potential to appeal to those fringe students who may not feel like they fit into other extra-curricular activities, or simply may not have the abilities or the skills to make it onto the mainstream sports teams, but still would benefit greatly from pursuing an athletic endeavor.  

Details

2024-2025 ICL Season Information

2024 - 2025 Season will run from October 1, 2024 to April 5, 2025

• By joining the climbing league, you will receive a discounted membership to Onsight Rock Gym and commit to participating in two week-long competitions scheduled throughout the season (1 rope comp & 1 bouldering comp) in order to participate in the final one-day competition in April.

• Teams must maintain a minimum of 3 team members in order to register as an official team with the ICL League to be eligible for a discounted membership.

• Faculty Leaders are responsible for maintaining a minimum number of team members (and registering their team), and overall management of the team.

  • Onsight Rock Gym is not responsible for the management of teams & practices. 

• Teams WILL NOT have an organized practice day and time.

  • We strongly encourage students to climb outside of peak gym hours (peak hours: 4 p.m. - 8 p.m. Monday - Friday). 

Memberships

• Students may purchase a Day Pass ($20) for individual practices OR purchase a Prepaid 6-Month Gym ICL Membership for $359/6 months (with gear) or $289/6 months (without gear). This membership may NOT be frozen in order to extend membership. All ICL Memberships will end with the league on April 5, 2025.  Participants who want to join after the league has begun may sign up at any time for a prorated amount.

• Every student over the age of 13 receives a FREE Intro to Climbing Class through Onsight Rock Gym. Classes are Tuesdays 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. or Sunday afternoons 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. Students who already know how to top rope belay can take a lead class for a discounted price.

  • Team members may sign up to take Intro to Climbing together, but they have to select an available class date and will not be allowed to exceed the 6 person class limit.

  • For participants under the age of 13, parents may opt to take the free intro class in place of the student. 

• We will be offering scholarship money this year (please email gigi@onsightrockgym for more info).

Climbing Competitions

All climbers will complete a scorecard that can be picked up at the front desk and returned for scoring once their climbing session is over.

Competition Dates:

December 2, 2024 - December 8, 2024 (Ropes Competition)

January 27, 2025 - February 2, 2025 (Bouldering Competition)

April 5, 2025 (Final Combined Competition!)

American Scholastic CLIMBING LEAGUE

American Scholastic Climbing League is a recreational competitive league that allows Middle and High School climbers to compete individually or represent their school if they so choose. ASCL Climbers in Middle Tennessee must attend 3 competitions to qualify for Regionals. Competitions will be held in Franklin and Nashville at The Crag gyms, in Chattanooga at Synergy Climbing, and in Knoxville at The Climbing Center and Onsight Rock Gym!

You may find more general information about the league here.

An ASCL membership must be purchased through the official ASCL website to compete this season. You may purchase a membership at ASCL Climber Registration.

Onsight is hosting two mixed (route and boulder) ASCL competitions during the 2024-2025 Season:

Saturday, November 30, 2024 | 12-3 PM

Saturday, January 18, 2025 | Time TBD