Side by Side
| Rec Team | Comp Team | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it is for | Any UVU student, including complete beginners | Any level of climber who wants to compete |
| Experience needed | None at all | Some climbing experience |
| Practices | Twice a week, come when you can | Twice a week with a coach, attendance expected |
| Coaching | Run by our coaches and officers | Coaching and skill clinics |
| Competitions | None | USA Climbing collegiate events, fall through spring |
| Travel | Outdoor trips only | Travel to competitions, plus the outdoor trips |
| Outdoor trips | Yes | Yes, comp members get everything Rec does |
| Extra costs | Team dues only | Dues, plus USA Climbing membership and entry fees |
| Requirements | Be a UVU student | Enrolled, good academic standing, regular attendance |
Comp members get everything the Rec team gets. Choosing Comp adds competitions, it does not take anything away.
Rec Team
Climb with the team and get better without a competition schedule. If you have never climbed before, this is where you start, and we will teach you.
- Practices: Mondays and Wednesdays at gyms around the valley. Come when you can.
- Outdoor trips: day trips and longer trips over breaks, to places like Joe's Valley, Moe's Valley and American Fork Canyon. We sort out carpools and housing.
- Perks: 30% off at Momentum, team events, and a group of friends who climb.
- Best if: you want to climb more and get better, without competing.
Comp Team
Train with a coach and represent UVU at USA Climbing collegiate events. You do not have to be an elite climber, you have to want to compete.
- Practices: the same Monday and Wednesday sessions, with coaching and skill clinics on technique, strength and the mental side.
- Season: qualifying events through the fall and winter, nationals qualifiers in the spring, and Collegiate Nationals in May.
- Travel: we sort out lodging and transport to competitions.
- Also included: every Rec team event and outdoor trip.
- Best if: you want a season with a goal at the end of it.
What it costs
Right now dues are $150 a year for Rec and $300 a year for Comp. The only way those numbers come down is donations and fundraising. Everything raised before the end of October comes straight off what everyone pays, we set the final number then, and payment comes after that.
What to budget for:
- Rec Team dues: $150 for the year right now
- Comp Team dues: $300 for the year right now
- USA Climbing membership (Comp only): $70 a year, paid straight to USA Climbing. Dues do not cover it, you pay it yourself, and you cannot compete without it.
- Competition entry fees and travel (Comp only): varies by event
We fundraise and chase sponsors to bring all of this down as much as we can, and in past seasons we have helped with some costs. We cannot promise that in advance, it depends on how fundraising goes. The Momentum discount alone covers a good chunk of it.
One thing to know before you pick
Once you sign up and pay for a team, you stay on that team for the season. We order gear in set amounts and our numbers lock in ahead of the season, so we cannot move people afterwards.
So take your time. Talk to an officer, ask us anything, and pick when you sign up.
Still not sure?
That is completely normal.
- Come to a practice and see both. Mondays are ropes and Wednesdays are bouldering, starting September 28.
- Ask an officer there. That is what we are there for. You can talk to people on both teams before you commit.
- You pick when you sign up, not before. Nothing is locked in until you pay for a team.
If you would rather ask now, email [email protected]. Any questions at all.
Support the Team
We fundraise, chase sponsors and take donations, and all of it comes off what our members pay. If you have family or friends who would back a student team, passing the link on is the most useful thing you can do.
Still want to join? The season has started, but we would rather hear from you than not. Email [email protected]
On the Comp team you also need a USA Climbing membership, which dues do not cover. Mikey recorded a video of the whole process at utahvalleyclimbing.com/usac-signup.