This semester Sacramento State gained another club sport &- rock climbing.

The Sac State Rock Climbing Club hopes to attract more people to rock climbing and keep the sport thriving. It was made for students who would like to climb and become more social within the sport.

“There’s a lot of people who just like to climb. The purpose of a rock climbing club is the fact that you can get together (to climb), pool gear together and make contacts,” said club president Mark Przybyla.

“People build friendships because they have the same interests and to have someone to stick with them after they leave (college).”

It’s way to meet other fellow people who enjoy rock climbing, said club vice president Heather Figuers, senior business administration major.

The Rock Climbing Club is still in the beginning stages, Przybyla said. The club started to take form in January, and after a month and a half of planning, it just barely made the March deadline to become an official club on campus.

Przybyla said the club’s main form of advertisement is word of mouth, but very few people know about it. There are 32 members, but the club is still trying to get the word out and encourage people to join.

“We hope to expand by getting the information out there,” Figuers said. “A lot of people are not aware of the club. We hope to work with the Well and have employees (talk about the club) at the Rock (the rock climbing wall at the Well).”

The requirements to become a member are to be a Sac State student, have a 2.0 grade point average and have access to the Well.

However, Przybyla said the club is allowed up to 20 percent of non-Sac State student membership. It is not required for members to be expert climbers; they can be taught the techniques of using their legs and feet to climb up a wall.

Figuers said upper-body strength is not required, but some people assume it is and use as an excuse to not climb.

Women excel in the sport faster because they tend to learn the techniques faster, Figuers said. Men can excel in the sport as well, but they tend to muscle the wall and pull themselves up rather than learn the techniques.

“Rock climbing is a sport that you have to want to do. It’s not a sport that you can be forced into,” Figuers said. “If you don’t like (to climb), there’s no way you can do it. Hardcore climbers (climb) every single day; nonchalant climbers (climb) once a week or once every two weeks. It really varies on your style and how you want to climb.”

The climbers meet once a month in the Well to discuss the aspects of climbing and to plan small trips for the summer. They are now working on trying to plan a joint climbing session with the Geology Club.

The club uses the Well as its primary facility and gets together to climb at least once a week. Przybyla said he hopes once the weekly practices get rolling consistently then people will see them in action and want to join.

The climbers are also working on partnering with Access Fund to get involved in charity work. Access Fund is an organization that works to keep climbing areas open and clean. Przybyla said by being involved with Access Fund, the club can help clean areas with trash to save outdoor climbing areas for everyone.

“Our goal is to get involved with a group such as Access Fund to get out, help and do some volunteer work,” Przybyla said. “We would like to see our areas nice for everyone to enjoy, not only the people that climb.”

There is also a competitive team within the club; however competing in it is not mandatory.

“If climbers choose to participate in competitions, the club will support that,” Figuers said. “So it’s not necessarily what the club desires. It’s what the people want to do. If climbers decide they don’t want to participate in competitions and they just want to socialize, climb and go to different gyms around the state or nation, that’s what the club should be focused toward.”

Figuers and Przybyla both agree that with the club they can help to improve peoples’ knowledge about rock climbing.They hope to help people learn how to climb and continue to keep the sport alive.

“Through the club I can meet people with the same ability,” she said. “I can learn from people who are above my ability or I can teach other climbers.”

You can reach at Stacey Adams at [email protected]