MCofS Youth Academies

SYBC Prep Event 

Venue: TBC

Date: 13^th April 2013 (Saturday)

Just after we get back from the big Easter Spain Trip to Costa Blanca, we are hitting of the start of the major competition season with a Preparation Event for the upcmomng Scottish Youth Bouldering Championships (SYBC's).

As most of you will know, the SYBC's will be one of three rounds now being used by the British Youth Bouldering Team for the selection process, so it is absolutely vital to attend the cometition if you want to make the team. 

MCofS Prep Events like this are invaluable sources of experience before a big event like the SYBC. The day itself is structured effectively to provide the highest quality coaching to the kids attening. We only use accredited MCofS Setters, so you can guarantee National/International Level Setting standards on the day, you can be sure to be getting climbs at the right level of difficulty and style as to what you would get at the competition itself.

As well as being both educational and beneficial towards the competiton, they are also great fun and fantatsic social days where kids from all over the UK get to meet and climb together as a group. I believe that a part of the success in the Scottish climbing scene over the last 5 years has come from well organised events like these, where all the kids get to meet, compete and socialise together for a day in between competitions, trips and training.

If you want an example of what the day will be like, check out this video of the MCofS Elite Youth Academy Prep Event for the December GB Team Selection:

 or this on held earlier this year in January...

Day Plan

10:00 - for registration – McofS payment through invoice for entry into wall for all those attending. Split into abilty level specific groups for the Team Competition*

10:30 - Start for all categories (YE, YD, YC, YB, YA, Junior )

Mock Qualifier - Not SYBC Format, instead we have 20 x problems in each category for more experience onsighting and practice. The probems will be set all to competition style and standard.

The Groups will be attempting each problem at their leisure but will not be scored on how one individual does (because everybody gets into the final anyway), but on how well the team does as a whole in their category. The Team with the top score will win a special prize!

13:30 – 14:30 - Lunch and Q+A Section (Rules, Regulations, etc...) 

During Lunch period we will be having a chat about the rules and regulations of the SYBC and what is expected of climbers hoping to get selected for the British Youth Bouldering Team. 

14:30 – 17:30 SYBC Finals Prep

This part of the day will take the form of a Mock Final. Everyone will go into isolation with no way to view or access the final problems until it is their time to climb. They will come out in their groups to view their specifically set final problems and then will return to isolation once again until it is their time to climb. 

During this stage of the day, the kids will be tested in their ability to stay warm in isolation and put under the pressure of having to climb to the best of their ability on the problems when they are called out. 

The whole emphasis on the day is getting the kids prepared for the competition and is not in any way shape or form a competition itself. We like to give the impression of it being competitive for the kids benefit but we don't actually take scores with the exception of the "Team Event" during Qualifiers as it is a fun way of getting everyone to work together and instils a good sportsmanship conduct amongst the kids.

At the end of the day, we meet for a brief summary and any extra questions the kids have for the coaches can be answered here and then...