South Wales Mountaineering Club - Junior Section

Competitions  Rules for Junior Members  Child Protection Policy  How we run the Junior Club  Junior Membership Form
Meets List  Guidance for Parents - Link to BMC Document

The Junior Section meets Saturday mornings between 10.30 and 1.00 in School Term Times.  We usually meet at the Welsh international Climbing Centre at Trelewis, but sometimes at other Climbing Walls.  In summer we arrange a number of outside meets.

If you have mastered the basics of climbing (i.e. put on a climbing harness, tie in and climb easy routes) you can apply to join us, contact John Marshall nhoj.marshall@talktalk.net to arrange a suitable session to attend.  If after 2 sessions you would like to continue climbing with us, you will be invited to join the Junior Section of the South Wales Mountaineering Club (SWMC)

The SWMC is affiliated to the British Mountaineering Council which looks after the interests of  Climbers and Hill Walkers in a variety of ways e.g. Access and Conservation, Insurance Schemes and Competitions.

The Club is run by parents and volunteers, we don't have formal climbing qualifications but are experienced climbers.  We expect parents to help out with belaying and supervision at Junior Club Meets, we organise rotas to share the responsibility and time commitments.

When Juniors join we ask that the parent(s) who belays also takes out membership of SWMC - Club Membership gives several benefits, one of them being 3rd Party Liability Insurance.

The Club has formally adopted a Child Protection Policy - all meets where juniors attend are governed by this.  The Club's Child Protection Officer is John Goodwin.

Competitions
The British Mountaineering Council organises a series of friendly competitions each year for young climbers between the ages of 7 and 15.

Children compete in different age/gender bands and are challenged on climbs specifically designed for younger climbers - the aim is to encourage participation in a friendly environment with a variety of climbs and boulder problems to challenge everyone no matter what level they are climbing at.  The age bands are 7-9, 10-12 and 13-15.

The series is usually held in spring and the first 3 children in each age/gender will qualify to participate in the national final which is held at a different venue each year.

We actively encourage the Junior members of SWMC to enter these competitions, it's a good opportunity to meet other young climbers, it provides a focus for all the winter training and competitors generally find that they can climb considerably harder routes in this type of environment.

Climbing Walls also arrange climbing and bouldering competitions which they will advertise on their websites or at the wall itself.

Guidance for Parents

http://thebmc.co.uk/youth/info/parent_guide.htm

Link to booklet produced by the BMC

Rules for Junior Members

Behave Sensibly!! - Climbing is a dangerous sport!
Always wear your harness properly - The buckle should be on the waist and not the hips
Belaying is a very responsible job! - Please be careful and look after your climbing partner.  Check each other's knots and Karabiners before climbing, do not distract other members who are belaying.
Always wear a helmet when climbing/belaying outside.
Make new club members feel welcome. Remember! You were a beginner too!
Treat all equipment with respect! (e.g. Don't walk on ropes or drop helmets) Ensure all equipment is returned and help to tidy the equipment at the end of the session.( e.g. coil ropes)