Climbing club, not babysitters club?

The title says it all. I want motivated kids who are interested in climbing, not to be an excuse not to pay the nanny one day a week.

Maybe there are more that look at daily fee's as cheaper than a babysitter here than America, I don't know. I just know that if I start an open climbing club, it'll be a babysitting nightmare with nothing being accomplished. Still, I don't want to ignore the many talented kids I see that need a little push.

This probably has more to do with wording of the idea to parents than it does of what will actually be covered in the group.

Ideas?

Talk with the coaches at the BRC, Chris Wall and Robin E-R. They don't run babysitting services.

Don't know how it works, but Broomfield rec center has this description:

Youth/Teen Climbing

All levels of climbing ability are welcome. Climbing builds confidence and self esteem. Our instructors will meet your individual needs. The Class covers everything from how to tie in and put on a harness, to learning proper movement on the wall. Space is limited. Register early or for continuous sessions. All enrolled students may attend our Sunday practice session from 3-4pm (daily entrance fee applies). We encourage students to participate in a competition series through the Denver Climbing League (one Saturday. a month October-March). More information will be given in class. Please wear comfortable cloths and tennis shoes. Please note classes are now running in two month sessions. Please arrive 10 minutes early to get geared up! Location: PDRC

I think having something like the competition that was mentioned being required as part of your setup might get the serious ones only. Just a thought...

John, you could make the class at 7:30am on a Saturday morning. That will cull all the non-serious kids AND parents.

John,
I climb with kids a couple times a week and have been doing it for quite a few years now. I've also coached youth soccer on the "club" level. Here are some thoughts...
First off, I think climbing clubs for kids are a great idea. There are very few orginizations out there that expose kids to climbing (and the outdoors for that matter) that are not affiliated with a church or the BSA. Not that I have a problem with church groups or the Socuts(I myself am a former Eagle Scout), but parents who want to get their kids climbing and have no experience themselves in the outdoors do not have much choice.

The babysitting dynamic;
I think alot depends on what age group you want to work with. For example; 6-9 year olds have different developmental(physical and emotional) needs than say 10-12 year olds which are different than the needs of 13-16 year olds. Now of course there are other things that make these groups differnt from one another, the point being that they are different. Do 6-9 year olds need more supervision/nurturing than the 13-16 year old set? Think about it.

Another dynamic to consider;
There are lots of "club" sports out there ie; soccer, baseball, football, waterpolo, ect. My kid plays soccer so I'll use it to illistrate. There is a distinction between "club" soccer and "recreational" soccer that almost makes them into two different sports. The "club" kids tend to be more talented and motivated then "rec" kids. The "club" parents are more enthusiastic(sometimes in a bad way) than the "rec" parents. There are other differences but the main one is the level of competition. "Club" kids and their parents are very competitive and winning games and training hard at practice to get better are the focus whereas the "rec" families just want to play and have fun. I'm not saying one is better that the other because there is good and bad for both. I do however find myself questioning the motivation of parents from both sets verses what is best for their kids in the long run. I recomend you talk to some parents who are involved in youth sports and get their perspective as you develop your club model.

As mentioned above, I climb with kids quite a bit. I work with the 10-12 year old set(my son and a half a handfull of his pals, and they are a hadnfull). We call ourselves the Sespegorillaz and we are a club of sorts. We dont have an official membership, sponsers, dues, t-shirts, a clubhouse, ect. I dont have a training program or club rules or club officers. We just get together and climb(or surf). We are NOT a shining example of what a kids climbing club should be.
However, my Gorillaz will not only climb the shit out of what ever I put in front of them but they can build a cooking fire, lite my Whisperlight, navigate with a map and compass, perform basic first aide, drive my pick-up truck and many other skills not related to climbing. Most importantly, I manage to get these younglings to un-plug from their computers, game systems and TVs a few hours a week and expose them to a world most kids will NEVER see.
Do I want to see any of my kids becoming bouldering or ice climbing "champions"? Not really. I tell them all the time,"Were not competetors, we're soulrocksurfers." As they get older, their various priorities settle in and they can follow this climbing thing where ever it takes them. For now though, its all about climbing, fun and fellowship. Some of the most important life lessons I've learned I learned outside, at the crag with my friends. Thats all I want for my kids.
I have many other thoughts/concerns with regards to kids and climbing as I'm sure many other climbing parents do too. But I'm curious to see how this thread develops.
davi.

John,
Thanks for what you said about being and Eagle Scout. When I was a kid, Scouting was pretty important to me and I am proud of my achievements. I'm just not so proud of what Scouting has become in the last 20 years.
I think you could find the right sort of kids for what you want to do if you could somehow incorporate some level of parental involvement. That way your not in a situation where you have kids who are just getting "dropped off" by their folks. That way, your kids can develop the idea that what you do with them is serious and not a "play-date".
How do you market that? Im not sure. Whatever you do, you've got to emphasize the fun factor. If kids are having fun, they will pull harder for you. If the kids are having fun, they will keep coming back. If parents see their kids having fun and experiencing some progressive achievement AND you have an adequate level of risk management going on, they will keep bringing their kids back to you. And that I guess is the key; its the parents who hold the purse strings and make things like youth sports go. Its the perceived value thing, parents want to know what they are getting for their money and is it worth it to them. Well, you've got to market your club in a way that will get non-climbing youngsters intrested in climbing and their parents thinking that its worth every penny.
Which should'nt be too hard to do...rock climbing is the greatest sport on earth.
davi.

Davi Rivas wrote: When I was a kid, Scouting was pretty important to me and I am proud of my achievements. I'm just not so proud of what Scouting has become in the last 20 years.

+1

John, I commend you for wanting to do this...I think it is very generous to give your time in this way, and I hope it works out. I wonder if having a detailed "syllabus" of what the kids will do each day would help to communicate your seriousness, and organize some comps yourself, if you are unable to travel. They don't have to be extravagant, but the fact that they are on the calendar would make it easier to establish goals.

Mike Anderson wrote: +1 John, I commend you for wanting to do this...I think it is very generous to give your time in this way, and I hope it works out. I wonder if having a detailed "syllabus" of what the kids will do each day would help to communicate your seriousness, and organize some comps yourself, if you are unable to travel. They don't have to be extravagant, but the fact that they are on the calendar would make it easier to establish goals.

I think these are both great ideas and could help with the "marketing" thing. Establishing goals or milestones is a good way to keep both kids and their parents motivated.
davi.