By Renae Brown 

“Climbing is the best sport,” said Genevieve Walker. “Climbers are just fun people.”

Genevieve, or Genna, a freshman, is entering her third season of competitive rock climbing. 

For Genna, the people make the best part of climbing. Not only was she introduced to the sport by fellow climber and TPA ninth-grader Sanner Bennett, but her teammates, coaches and competition all inspire her to keep climbing and improving as well. 

She speaks from experience: “I had done a lot of sports before,” she said, “and this one was so much more fun.” 

Genna’s goal is to make it to the national championships for a second time, but she has to score high in the upcoming divisional championships in Los Angeles to qualify for regionals. Even to reach divisionals, Genna had to score above her competition in the local and regional championships, but now she has passed through those checkpoints and is excited for her next match. 

Genna participates in two types of climbing: lead climbing and bouldering. While lead climbing secures the athlete with a rope to catch the climber if they fall as they maneuver  the 60- to 65-foot-tall course, bouldering provides no security rope, instead promoting safety with falling techniques and small walls of typically 15 feet or shorter. 

Genna’s mother and sister have both been influenced by Genna’s example to start climbing, and her sister even made divisionals. 

Her long-term goals are to coach kids as well as to climb for fun.