OAK PARK — Jerry Steele was not the least bit surprised when her son, Vincent Lee, took an interest in rock climbing as a sport.
Steele recalled her son’s monkey-like tendencies as a young child, from spidering up door jams to pulling himself up trees. When he began climbing at the Fitness Formula Clubs location in Oak Park, “you could just tell he found his thing,” Steele said proudly.
Lee, a sixth-grader at Brooks Middle School, recently took first place at the USA Climbing American Bouldering Series 16 Midwest regional championship in his group of 11- to 13-year-old males. He’s now hoping to do the same at the division championship Jan. 10-11 in Charlotte, N.C.
Vincent Lee
Vincent Lee
Bouldering refers to rope-free climbing that typically takes climbers no more than 15 feet off the ground, Lee said.
The rock climbing events are high-pressure, with climbers waiting in isolation for up to a few hours for their chance at the wall.
At the regional championship Dec. 6 in Glendale Heights, which involved more than 200 climbers from seven states, competitors had four minutes to tackle each of the six different routes. Lee completed five of six; his next closest competitor completed only three of the routes.
His coach, Dave Hudson, said Lee dominated at regionals and believes he’ll go on to compete at nationals in Madison, Wis.
“He’s a really great athlete in general, but I’m really glad he chose rock climbing,” said Hudson, manager and head team coach at Hidden Peak Climbing Gym in Chicago, who has worked with Lee for four years.
Lee began climbing at 7 years old. He appreciates the creativity the sport offers, allowing him to use his mind and express himself through choosing routes as he pleases.
“I like climbing because not many people do it or know about it,” Lee said. “It’s kind of like an art form, you know?”
Figuring out how to reach the endpoint most efficiently can be complicated and involves problem solving, and Lee enjoys that challenge.
Steele said it’s fascinating to watch the competitive climbers turn around to face the climbing wall when they’re told to and begin pantomiming with their hands and feet what they plan to do as they ascend the wall.
“It’s hard to watch climbing and not have an appreciation for it,” she said.
Lee enjoys both indoor and outdoor climbing, although he acknowledged they’re pretty different. He prefers the freedom of bouldering to sport climbing, which uses ropes.
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“I was, like, never a big fan of rope,” Lee said.
Because it favors power over endurance, and is a tough, gymnastics-style sport, climbing tends to be youth-dominated, Hudson said.
Lee is a strong, high-energy kid, Hudson said, and probably the most determined climber he coaches.
“He’s insanely kind of self-competitive,” Hudson said.
Steele and her husband, Lawrence, have seen their son’s growth in technical and mental ability over time, and they’ve enjoyed watching him succeed in the sport.
“It’s cool as a parent to see your child find something they’re passionate about,” Steele said. “It’s been an awesome thing to do and have as an experience with our family, too.”