Interscholastic Climbing League
The Interscholastic Climbing League (ICL) provides a competitive climbing program for middle and high school students in the greater Chattanooga area. The purpose is to introduce 6-12 grade students to a challenging sport and lifelong activity in an environment that emphasizes communication, teamwork and positive social interaction without the competitive pressure often associated with traditional team sports.
What You’ll Learn
- How to belay and tie a figure eight knot
- Teamwork and relationship building
- Climbing technique and terminology
- Rock climbing and bouldering
FAQs
How do I form or join a team?
Many Chattanooga area schools have an established climbing team with a team sponsor/coach. This is either a teacher or parent affiliated with the school that will relay information to students and parents on the team and assist the team at all the climbing meets. Check to see if your school has a team and contact the team coach. If you’re school does not have a team or your are homeschooled, you’ll need to solicit and identify a coach and recruit a minimum of 5 student climbers to form a team. Each school must obtain their Principal’s permission for the team to join the ICL. Team Sponsors/Coaches must contact Outdoor Chattanooga to register the school for the league and provide a team roster. Deadline to submit team roster for 2019-2020 season is October 21, 2019.
Can I participate in the League as an individual?
In certain circumstances, student climbers may be able to participate individually if their school does not have a team. There is a coach for home schoolers that want to participate in the league. Please contact Outdoor Chattanooga to find out more and if you meet the requirements to compete individually or with the home school team.
What are the requirements to participate in the league?
School Principal’s approval is required to participate in the league. Coaches must provide a team roster to Outdoor Chattanooga by October 21, 2019. All students are expected to be belay trained and pass the High Point belay test prior to participating in the first meet. Outdoor Chattanooga offers free belay training to teams/students that are affiliated with the league. See next question.
Student Climbers must complete the required waivers and turn them in before they are eligible to participate in a meet.
How do I get belay trained and when are belay trainings offered?
Belay Training Schedule:
– Tuesday, August 28 | 5:45 – 7:00 p.m. | COACHES ONLY Belay Training
What waivers to I need to sign and were can I find them?
When are the meets and what does a typical meet look like?
individual 2019-2020 ICL Climbing Meet Schedule (held on Saturdays)
November 9 – High Point Downtown
December 7 – High Point Riverside
December 14 – Tennessee Bouldering Authority (TBA)
January 11 – High Point Downtown
January 25 – TBA
February 1 – High Point Riverside
*Due to number of climbers and size of the league, schools will be scheduled for 1 of 3 climbing sessions. All sessions will be 90 minutes long.
Session #1: Check in 10:00 a.m. | Climb 10:30-12:00 p.m.
Session #2: Check in 12:30 p.m. | Climb 1:00-2:30 p.m.
Session #3: Check in 3:00 p.m. | Climb 3:30-5:00 p.m.
* Schools are required to climb during their scheduled session. Climbers should arrive at check in time.
Meet Requirements:
Equipment required at the Climbing Meets: a climbing harness, climbing shoes, belay device, locking climbing carabiner, chalk bag and chalk ball.
Cost is $10 (plus tax) per climber per meet, paid to the gym day of the meet. High Point charges an additional $3 (plus tax) equipment rental fee to climbers that don’t have their own equipment.
Meet Breakdown:
Climbers complete 5 or more routes to the top of an indoor climbing wall. Climbers are awarded points based on the difficulty of the routes they ascend/complete. Climber must reach the top of the route with both hands for score to count.
Climbers combine their 5 highest scores for their individual score.
The team score is calculated by combining all the climbers’ individual scores.
A school may have multiple teams, as long as there are a minimum of 5 climbers per team.
Climbers can see how they rank individually and as a team over the course of six meets.
Climbing results will be posted on Wednesday after each meet.
When does my team climb? What session is my team scheduled for?
To be determined for 2019-202 season once team rosters have been received.
Are there makeup meets if I can't attend a scheduled meet?
What if weather is bad and I can't get to the gym?
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- The gym will run the meet unless the weather closes the gym or gym access.
- The make up date is always the following Monday.
How are scores calculated and when/where are scores posted?
Final scores will be tallied and posted here and on the Chattanooga Area Interscholastic Climbing League Facebook Page on the Wednesday following each Climbing Meet.
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- Routes are given points based on their difficulty rating.
- A climber must top out on the route with both hands without falling to earn points.
- Climbers will tally scores on Outdoor Chattanooga’s Scorecards at each climbing meet.
- The climbers 5 hardest routes/highest point values are added together for their total score.
- Climbers turn in scorecards to their coach when they are finished climbing.
- All scorecards must have climber, coach or meet official signature in order to verify score.
- Coaches will add individual totals and turn in to the front desk or Outdoor Chattanooga’s staff at the gym before departure.
2018-19 ICL H.S. Final Results + Scores 2.6.19
2018-19 ICL M.S. Final Results + Scores 2.6.19
Are scholarships available?
Events
Did You Know?
Chattanooga is home to some of the best rock climbing in the country. Sandstone boulders and cliffs surround the city and provide climbers with a lifetime of challenging lines. For those who would like to try climbing for the first time, Chattanooga has three climbing gyms as well as local guiding services that can get you started in the sport.