Evan Voelker, junior, remembers the moment the Rock Climbing Club (RCC) started to feel like a community.

“The team met up for Chipotle after one of our competitions,” Voelker said. “It made me realize we were more than just people who met up to climb together. We were a strong community of friends and coaches.” 

However, a new Rockwood rule requires clubs to meet on school property due to liability reasons. RCC, in the past, has held meetings at Upper Limits in Chesterfield on Sundays.

“When I heard the news that the RCC could no longer be official, I was upset,” Voelker said. “I know club members can still meet up and climb together, but it makes it more difficult to do so.”

Junior Lauren Nickel, club president, is disappointed with the new rule’s implications.

“I can understand why Rockwood would change their rules like this, but I don’t think the climbing club was really what they intended to target with it,” Nickel said. “It feels unfortunate that we’re impacted.”

Nickel said safety is a high priority of the club.

“Nobody I know of has ever gotten injured at climbing club practices, and Upper Limits strongly emphasizes safety in the gyms,” Nickel said.

Brittany Sharitz, rock climbing club sponsor, said RCC offered a place for students to get active.

“It was just a very enjoyable, low commitment type of club that allowed students to compete,” Sharitz said. “It was a great way for students to get involved with something athletically if they couldn’t commit to a team sport that requires multiple hours every day.”

The end of the club doesn’t mean the end of the group or the end of climbing for the students involved.

“Upper Limits has said that they can still compete through them,” Sharitz said. “They just can’t climb under the Marquette name or under the Rockwood name.” 

Nickel and Voelker are both already planning to continue climbing with the club.

“Despite the fact we cannot officially advertise in school, interest in the club has never been higher, and I still look forward to meeting up every Sunday to climb,” Voelker said.

This story was originally published on Marquette Messenger on October 10, 2023.