For those who don't know it already, I am setting nerd. I keep up with all of the major competitions. UBC, The Black Horse Series, The Yank-n-Yard, etc. I watch the highlights over and over. I study the routes, the movement and the holds. I am constantly trying to learn more every day about setting. I recently was able to attend the ABS Youth Nationals. These events hire some of the most amazing setters around the country. Its always a pleasure to watch competitor after competitor and watch how the setters force them to do what they want. I always learn a great deal when I attend. This trip I decided that I would take the opportunity to stick around Colorado to attend and set at a few gyms.Two gyms graciously invited me into their facility's to set. It has been awesome to learn from these gyms and their setters. It was interesting to see how their customers responded to my sets. I received positive and negative feedback. This is part of the process to becoming great at anything you do. I welcome any of our customers to come up to us and give us feedback, positive or negative. I want ARG to be one of the greatest gyms in the nation. You are part of that process, don't ever feel like you cant give us constructive feedback. I'm psyched to get back and start setting at ARG again.
See Y'all Soon,
Morgan
I'd like to stress the "Constructive Feedback". I know I complain and whine about stuff more than give thoughtful insight about how a route affects more than myself. Having never set a route it is hard for me to know what goes into it. I do know my personal opinions about routes and need to be more careful about how I give feedback. I'd encourage all users of the gym to do the same.
ReplyDeleteMorgan. It's good to see you are maturing as a setter and upping your game by following what other professionals are doing. Getting out to see other gyms and also sampling as many different kinds of rock and climbing areas as you can will definitely improve your repertoire of movements, styles, etc.. and enable you to challenge the most travelled rock climbers. Embrace the nerdiness. I hope that others will be respectful and give you constructive feedback, positive or negative, and that you remember that you are a professional with certifications and goals and experience and that you deserve respect all while you remember that you serve others. Without the climbers you would be a painter without a studio. Last, your skills, desire, and passion are valuable and you should be appreciated, supported, and compensated by your employer. Be honest with yourself on these fronts and maintain options that, should you not feel valued at your current location, you could move into. There are a lot of opinions out there that can drag you down. Make sure to build a community of your peers (professionally) to communicate with. They can understand what you are going through and help you stay focussed and on track. Proud to see you growing. Best wishes, keep up the good work and attitude, stay creative, humble and open, and look for new areas to branch into. Also, make time for your self so that you don't get burned out. Creativity is dependent on maintaining your passion for climbing and setting. C
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