Students at Malden High have many clubs to choose from, but one of the most unique and exciting ones is the Rock Climbing Club. The club gives students the chance to try something new, stay active, and spend time with friends outside of school.
Rock climbing might seem intimidating at first, but members say the club is welcome to everyone, even beginners. Junior Charlotte Berliner, the president of the club, explained what makes rock climbing so special. “There’s so much community in the sport. You don’t have to be good at it to try it, to enjoy it. You just have to come and try it, figure it out, and you can meet so many people.”
The club usually takes place at a local gym located near Malden Center called Rock Spot Climbing, where students can practice different routes and levels of difficulty. The routes are labeled with a grading system using the letter “V” followed by a number. Berliner explained that “the number is basically the difficulty. V7 is going to be pretty hard,” and that the easiest climbs start at levels V0-1.
Aside from the physical component of rock climbing, another thing that makes the club special is that it encourages students to step out of their comfort zones and try something new. Junior Angela Lam, one of the club officers, spoke on the impact that the club strives to have on the MHS community which is “to let people explore a new hobby and a new sport and hopefully have somewhere to go after school.”
Lam emphasized how she, “never rock climbed before this club,” and that last year was her first time and since then she has just been going to all of the club meetings.
For other students, the experience is more about the excitement of trying something different.
The club fosters a supportive environment where members always encourage each other and celebrate when someone finishes a difficult climb. Due to this, the club is not only about the sport itself, but also about teamwork, determination, and having fun while learning something new.
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