Section B · Page 10
The University Daily Kansan
Wednesday, November 17, 1998
Rock climbing club members take sports to new heights
By Jason Walker sports@kanson.com Kansan sportswriter
Mount Everest. watch out.
The Kansas rock climbing club has been scaling rock walls all semester. The club practices a sport that can be extreme, dangerous and even deadly. It is one of the more unique club sports.
Bryan Caldwell, Gardner senior and club president, said that safety was the most important thing for club members.
"We've only had one accident since the start of the club," he said. "We don't want to overrun our members with rules, but we have to be safe."
The club practices three times a week on artificial rock-climbing walls at 207 Robinson Center. The walls of Robinson aren't challenging enough for the club, so members have to take to the road in search of cliffs and mountains.
"Our favorite place is Sam's Throne, Ark," Caldwell said. "We've been there twice this semester. We want to take trips, so we can get outside."
Caldwell said that practicing indoors at Robinson was fun but that he wanted to make sure the members of the club got some good outdoor experience.
"We want to be outside, so we can camp," he said. "We're not afraid to get out there and get after it."
The rock climbing club offers an opportunity for students to participate in a sport that is not really indigenous to Kansas. Caldwell said that because cliffs and mountains were virtually
nonexistent in Kansas, the club was forced to travel to neighboring states to satisfy its lust for climbing.
"Last year, we took 50 people to Colorado," he said. "And we have taken trips to New Mexico and Texas. As long as we can get somewhere in about 12 hours, we're happy. We're up for anything."
Shelly Ragsdale, McKinney, Texas, freshman, said that she found out about the club while practicing on the climbing wall and that she decided she would give the club a try. She said that she had never climbed before but that it was something she had always wanted to do.
"I had meant to do it before but just never went," she said. "Now I have gone on a couple of trips. It's fun, and the people are really laid back."
Ragsdale said she was in the club for fun but that she might try a more challenging climb if one came along.
"I'm not very competitive, but if I get good enough, I may," she said.
Caldwell said that the social aspect of the club was important because it took a lot of the athlete's trust in other climbers to help them successfully complete a climb.
He also said that he wanted the climbers to learn that there was more out there in the world than what they thought.
"We want to open their eyes to see that there's more out there than big cities and people, (to) show them nature and that we don't need to keep building buildings. I want them to know that there's a whole world out there that they can explore at any time."
Bryan Caldwell Gardner senior
"We want to open their eyes to see that there's more out there than big cities and people, (to) show them nature and that we don't need to keep building buildings.
"I want them to know that there's a whole world out there that they can explore at any time."
Caldwell also said that he invited anyone interested to stop by the club's practice each week at 9 p.m. Monday, 7 p.m. Wednesday or 4 p.m. Friday at 207 Robinson. He said that anyone could participate. The club would supply all of the necessary equipment.
He also said that the club had the potential to take rock climbing to a new level.
"We can take it as far as we want," he said.
- Edited by Jamie Knodel
Shelly Ragsdale, McKinney, Texas,
freshman, climbs the wall in room
207 at Robinson.
Ragsdale became part of the club
while practicing on the climbing
wall.
Photo by Aaron
Lindberg/
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