F or more than five years, rock climbing enthusiasts of all ages have gathered at Central Rock Gym in Hadley. Some come for fun and recreation, others to learn or hone their skills, still others to join teams and compete.
Brian Fay, 23, of Belchertown, was using a brush to clean chalk from a hold last week before bouldering, a type of rock climbing that is performed without the use of ropes or a harness.
“It’s different than anything else I’ve ever done,” Fay said. “I never got into the gym scene. This is more of a workout that I would get at the gym and I’m having fun doing it.”
John Hunter, 59, of Leverett, started climbing about six months ago. He was top-roping last week, a style in which a rope and harness are used for the climber’s safety. He calls climbing “pretty satisfying,” and says it makes him feel “accomplished and very strong.”
Brian Squire, 11, of South Hadley, who is a member of the gym’s competitive team, Team Gneiss, was practicing with the help of his coach, Josh Surette. He has been on the team since trying out at age 9 and has qualified for the USA Climbing national tournament four times, according to his mother, Tricia Squire, who has been climbing for about 25 years. His father, Jeff Squire, is the founder and past president of Western Mass Climbers Coalition.
“Our garage is a bouldering cave, so we’ve always had access,” Tricia Squire said.
Brian said when he started competing, he “just fell in love with it.” He said that climbing is “like when you complete something you love, like a project. You have a short period when you’re happy and then you move on to your next thing.”