Sender One LAX is happening! Plan on visiting? Get to know some familiar faces! Some of our staff members from Sender One SNA will be joining the team in LA. Here's a little Q&A from the staff themselves:
What got you into climbing?
Jordan Terry: My husband took me climbing on our very first date 6 years ago. I was hooked immediately! Climbing reminded me of a video game at first, where you work through the game and try to level up, and I wanted to keep working my way up the grading system! After a couple of years my climbing goals transcended the struggle to achieve specific grades and became more about maintaining an overall positive mental outlook, even on the super discouraging high-gravity days. It's not about the number but more about the willingness to commit!
Nicole Pate: My childhood friend invited me to visit the New River Gorge in West Virginia where he was a climbing guide. I immediately fell in love with not just the activity of climbing, but the community. At home a lot of my friends had moved away and I was struggling to find a supportive community; climbing seemed to be something that really brought people together. The week I got back from my trip, I called an old friend up who also climbs and asked him to take me outside. Again I was greeted with a friendly, supportive group of people one of which, years later, ended up being the person who encouraged me to apply for a job a Sender One.
Candice Lai: While living in Mammoth, I was surrounded by outdoorsy climbers which piqued my interest in the sport. I got really into climbing once I started working at Sender and was hooked in by the awesome community of people we have here.
Ryan Atterbury: My dad was a climbing instructor in his youth and still is an outdoorsman. He took me on frequent trips out to Joshua Tree. I was first introduced to climbing there, and it has always stuck with me.
2. What is your favorite part about working for this industry?
Jordan Terry: In my early 20s I became aware that I only love whatever I'm doing at the time when I get to share it with kids. It didn't take long for me to have this same drive with climbing. Being a climbing coach is by far the most fun and most fulfilling thing I have done in my life. I love being a part of a young person's process of curiousity to motivation,the drive to give it their all and ultimately reach their goals. This process is made even more special in the sport of climbing because individuals are challenged both mentally & physically and there are so many parallels to the challenge of every day life. Being a supporting player as kids pushing their comfort zones on the vertical plane while learning life lessons has been my most challenging & triumphant climbing project.
Nicole Pate: The excitement of the newness of large scale climbing gyms. A lot of questions like "how to make the best indoor climbing experience" haven't been fully answered and/or exhausted yet, and I like having the challenge and opportunity to pioneer solutions.
Candice Lai: My favorite part about working for this industry is getting to work with people who share a similar passion for the outdoors and living an active lifestyle.
Ryan Atterbury: I love the community we have here. The moment you walk in the door your met with a bunch genuinely kind people who share your same passions for climbing and the out doors as you. Rock climbing is an individual sport but is at the same time a communal sport. Your always trying to push yourself and the people climbing with help you do so.
3. What are you most excited about with the new gym opening?
Jordan Terry: I am so excited for LAX to open so that we can continue to grow the community of youth climbers in California! Climbing can be so life-changing to so many kids and in so many ways. I hope that we can provide climbing as a unique and exciting way for kids to learn about and view the world!
Nicole Pate: Meeting and building a new community of climbers... and the gym finally opening 😉
Candice Lai: I'm most excited for the taller walls and meeting the LA climbing community.
Ryan Atterbury: I'm excited to bring this awesome gym and the community we have established between climbers and staff out to LA.
We are thrilled to be moving forward with the construction of our new gym. Stay tuned for more updates!
Happy Climbing.