    
Name:
Sydney McNair
Age:
21
Years climbing:
9
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Sponsors:
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 How did you get involved in coaching in this sport? How
long have you been doing it?
I was
pseudo coaching back when I was 15 still climbing on a team, just helping the
other kids. That’s pretty much how it all started, from team. And just loving
the sport, every spare minute was spent climbing and I liked helping my friends
figure out moves or routes. I started really coaching in 2004, more or less
thrown into the coaching position, but 3...4 years.
What part of the job of
coaching inspires you, and what part frustrates you?
The most inspiring
part of the job is seeing your team climb well. Not necessarily in comps but in
general. Having them actually take what you’ve given them or rather helped them
develop and really utilizing it in their climbing. The most frustrating
part….people who don’t try and reach their full potential. Wasted potential is
very frustrating. And kids who don’t take their training seriously when they
should.
And….parents,
sometimes they can be a handful, but you don’t have much of a team without the
parent’s support.
What
kind of rock climbing do you do, and what is your favorite?
I do
sport and bouldering, my dad took me trad climbing when I was like 12-14 but it
wasn’t really for me. At least not yet. Typically I boulder more than sport
climb. Just because it’s more social, you can just get a bunch of people
together and climb. Or just go by yourself and have a sesh. But lately I’ve been
more into sport climbing. Probably cause I can’t pull anymore…
Where have you had the
opportunity to climb at, and what was your favorite?
Umm
I’ve been able to climb up in Squamish, out at Leavenworth and Goldbar, Bishop,
The Red in Kentucky, The New in West Virginia, Rumney and Pawtuckaway in New
Hampshire, and The Gunks in New York. I’d have to say I really like The New and
Rumney for sport climbing. Bouldering I don’t really have a favorite, I kind of
like them all, though I’ve probably climbed up in Squamish the most. And I get
to go to Hueco finally!
What other activities
are you involved in, and why?
Umm
activities??? Besides climbing??? None….I am just that awesome. Or not so
much….really it’s up to you how you view that…
Other
than trying to climb, working at a climbing gym and school….I don’t do a lot.
After coaching our
children for as long as you have, will you ever have children of your own?
Well….I
don’t know. It’s not really something I’m remotely close to thinking about or
wanting to think about. I will say the best part of coaching kids that aren’t
yours…..they don’t come home with you after 7pm.
Anything else you would
like us to know about you?
I’m
Asian and like to bust out the “Asian Drop-Knee” here and there. I use to climb
in the USAC formerly the JCCA, USCCA…now on occasion I compete in, to quote
O-Town, “comps for old people”.
Right
now I’m in community college and hoping to transfer to UBC, UC Boulder or UMass
for Kinesiology.
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