Schedule of Events

Friday March 21, 2025

​​8:00am-4:00pm

Set to Grow:

A Framework for Development with Sarah Filler & Pierre Despagne 

Sponsored by BOLD Climbing

at Highpoint Cleveland

Routesetting is a constant balance of meeting gym needs and pursuing personal growth. In this workshop, we’ll introduce a powerful tool you can use in your everyday work to explore new ideas, take risks, and develop your skills as a setter—all while contributing to your team’s success. Through hands-on activities and collaborative discussions, you’ll learn how to create space for experimentation within the constraints of gym operations and use these moments to evolve both creatively and professionally. Whether you’re exploring new styles, testing concepts, or refining techniques, this workshop will empower you to take control of your growth as a setter.

($250 - register here​)

9:00am-12:00pm

Spray Walls for Coaching with Marisa Romero

at Synergy Climbing Gym

This session is for coaches and instructors and will focus on how to effectively use a spray wall. Spray walls are powerful tools and are especially beneficial for teams, offering versatility and opportunity for positive coaching moments. Participants will learn keys to coaching on a spray wall and will actively participate in hands-on drills to learn climbing movement.

($150 - register here)

10:00am-11:00am

Drive Success by Managing Your People with Gavin Heverly ​

at Convention Center Meeting Rooms

In order to maintain a healthy culture and workplace, we need to be transparent and consistent in how we approach performance management, including disciplinary action when needed. A good performance management policy helps drive a high performing culture, maintain employee engagement and satisfaction, and increase business results. In this session for anyone who manages people led by Rise Above Consulting, we will learn some performance management best practices and how to appropriately manage performance to build trust and achieve success.

($5 - register here)

11:00am-12:00pm

Creating a Genuine Sales Culture without being Pushy with Matt Ha

at Convention Center Meeting Rooms

In this engaging speech session, tailored for Managers and Leaders in the climbing industry, participants are invited to explore the art of creating an authentic sales culture within their climbing gyms. Recognizing the pivotal role staff members play in influencing customers' choices, the session sheds light on the importance of providing a hassle-free and comfortable environment for consumers. Attendees will gain insights into the complexities of consumer decision-making, emphasizing the need for staff to act as supportive guides rather than pushy salespeople. The session's core objectives revolve around empowering attendees with practical tools and knowledge to enhance their staff training programs: Staff Expertise and Retail Sales

($5 - register here​)

1:00pm-2:00pm

Simple, Practical Training to Improve Your Mental Game with Arno Ilgner & Sevve Stember

at Convention Center Meeting Rooms

Many climbers experience performance plateaus or experience a loss in motivation. They don’t need to get stronger; they need mental training. A fear of falling can decrease your commitment to and motivation for climbing. Gaining comfort and experience with falling changes everything. This session will help you understand fundamental aspects of mental training. You’ll learn a simple structure for guiding it so you can make continual progress in your mental game. Learn how you can empower yourself through mental training with simple, practical tools.

($5 - register here​​)

1:00pm-3:00pm

Structures That Develop Super Successful Employees with Weigh My Rack

at Convention Center Meeting Rooms

A hands-on workshop designed to identify your current training expenses, optimize existing systems, identify leverage opportunities, and create a roadmap for developing a personalized employee development plan to match your gym’s goals. You’ll walk away with best practices and a highly effective training structure to implement immediately. You’ll get the theory, the strategy, step-by-step guidance, and resources to support an implementation plan that works for you and your gym.

($5 - register here​​)

2:00pm-4:00pm

The Future of Youth Career Coaches with Mario Stanley, Marisa Romero, Jacob Bach & Taylor Fragomeni 

at Convention Center Meeting Rooms

A deeper dive with a lineup of experts sharing insights into coaching challenges, solutions, and innovations. And a bold look at the next few years of youth coaching for climbing.

($5 - register here​)

3:00pm-4:00pm

Has Modern Gym Culture Killed Projecting? Can Routesetters Save It?!? with Foxman McCarthy-James & Justin Wright

at Convention Center Meeting Rooms

Indoor climbing has changed a lot in the last 15-20 years. Holds are larger, densities are lower, grades are softer (at some gyms), rotation speeds have increased leaving less time to project. How has this affected gym culture? What does it mean for routesetting programs? Is there anything we can do to preserve the climbing culture of the past in the consumption driven swipe-left world of today??? Join us for a discussion…

($5 - register here​​)

3:00pm-4:00pm 

How to Get an SBA Loan with Eric Hires

at Convention Center Meeting Rooms

In this presentation and discussion we'll discuss why you want to start a climbing gym, make sure you have a vision, and then dive into the nuts and bolts of the SBA loan process.

($5 - register here​)

4:00pm-10:00pm

Expo Hall 

4:00pm-4:30pm

Athlete Signing 

in Expo Hall booth B432 

Meet pro athletes

6:00pm-10:00pm

Pro Board Comp 

on the Expo Floor 

at the Kilter Board 

Big names like Maya Madere, Paul Robinson, Allison Vest, Ravioli Biceps, Sierra Blair-Coyle, and more will compete for a shot at the $10K+ cash purse. All athletes will also be doing signings on the expo floor.

(free with attendee badge)

Date: March 19 - 22, 2025