Senior judges at Octboulder Fest

Sam Coggan volunteers for climbing community

Seniors+Samantha+Coggan+and+Cece+Jensen+volunteer+to+judge+climbers+Oct.+29.+Vertical+Endeavors+held+their+Octboulder+Fest%2C+where+climbers+competed+on+bouldering.

Mya Stanberry

Seniors Samantha Coggan and Cece Jensen volunteer to judge climbers Oct. 29. Vertical Endeavors held their Octboulder Fest, where climbers competed on bouldering.

Sarah Peterson

How did the judging go?

It was great. I got to see a bunch of people excited to go climbing. I’ve never (judged) before so it was super fun. I liked being with my friend for the whole event, it’s nice to have somebody helping out with me.

What inspires you to get involved with your community?

I saw my climbing gym post about Octboulder Fest and I thought it would be a fun way to give back to them, because I love their climbing gym. I thought it would be nice to volunteer for them.

Why did club members not participate in the competition?

“Rock On Climbing” isn’t exactly a team, we’re a club. This competition is specifically meant for teams that come to these (bouldering) gyms, like Vertical Endeavors.

How does “Rock On Climbing” build as a community when you volunteer together?

It helps us work together toward a common goal of helping these competitors out. We also bond over our shared interest in climbing. 

What do you learn from volunteering during these events?

(I learned) that so many people come to compete at these events. I had no idea that people travel from far away to the bouldering event here. I get to see how many climbers are in Minnesota and it’s really cool. It’s fun to watch everyone compete, I’ve never watched a climbing competition before, so I thought it would be fun to see.