Having a coach is not a requirement of the ASCL for a climber to compete. However, we have found that our most successful programs are successful due to the expertise, organization and continuity provided by a coach. Coaches can be school employees, parents of climbers, or even local gym owners/employees. In order to become an official coach in the ASCL, coaches must register and fulfill several requirements prior to being approved and allowed to actively coach at ASCL sponsored events. Requirements include, but are not limited to, passing a background check and holding a valid first aid/cpr certification.

Check out all of our  COACHING REQUIREMENTS.

Additional Information:
Philosophy and Mission
Rules and Code of Conduct
Scoring Method
Ranking Method

Climbers sign up to compete in the ASCL for their school of enrollment or for the school they would attend if they are home-schooled. Climbers may also choose to climb as "Unattached" from a team. When a minimum of 3 climbers of the same gender from the same high school team register and compete at a competition, those climbers qualify for a team score. It only takes 2 climbers from the same middle school at a competition to qualify for a middle school team score. Individual climbers will earn an individual score regardless of if a team exists for their school or not.

Schools are not required to have a coach or official team in order for climbers to participate in the ASCL. Our goal is to connect all middle and high school climbers in an atmosphere of positive competition. In many cases, this organically leads to the formation of a team at a school. In our experience, some schools include their climbing team as an official part of their Athletic Department programming. Other schools include their climbing team as an official part of their Activities Department programming. There are also schools that don’t recognize their climbing team as an official Athletic or Activities Department program, and all organization of the team falls on climbers or parent coaches. All three models are supported by the ASCL and we anticipate the same variety of school support as new teams are formed.

So, what do you need to do as a school administrator to have a climbing team represent your school? That depends on your capacity to support a climbing team. The minimum commitment is… NOTHING . As climbers find out about the ASCL they are eligible to register, climb and compete at ASCL events. If there are 3 or more high school climbers of the same gender present at a competition, they will earn a team score for your high school. If there are 2 or more middle school climbers of the same gender present at a competition, they will earn a team score for your middle school.  These teams tend to come and go as interested climbers and parents come and go. Ideally, as a team begins to form at your school, a coach or sponsor could be identified who would enjoy supporting a climbing team and that team would be officially integrated into your existing Activities or Athletic programming. Officially recognized teams with school employees as coaches or sponsors tend to be the most stable and successful over time. We hope that our support growing a base of climbers at your school will ultimately lead to an organized team that is recognized as part of your Athletic or Activities programming as well as foster a further sense of belonging for students who may not gravitate toward other available athletic or activity offerings.

Additional Information:
Philosophy and Mission
Rules and Code of Conduct
Coaching Requirements

Hosting an ASCL competition is designed to be easy, flexible, and financially beneficial for your gym.

1) Pick a Date and Time That Works for You

Because ASCL competitions serve school-aged climbers, host gyms can choose time slots that typically see lower member usage that fall outside of typical school hours. Many of our gyms host competitions on Friday evenings, Saturday mornings or evenings, and Sunday mornings or evenings.

There is no need to close your gym during an ASCL competition. We simply ask that members are informed a competition is in progress and asked to steer clear of designated competition routes.

2) NO RESET required

We aim to keep the impact on your normal operations to a minimum. We provide competition route tags and a clear route progression. Your ASCL Regional Director will work directly with your route setter or designated contact to select the best existing climbs in your gym to fit the competition structure.

Some gyms choose to “piggyback” an ASCL competition onto a planned local competition reset — so you get two comps for the setting cost of one! However, no reset is required for regular season ASCL competitions.

3) We Manage the Competition — You Manage the Gym

Your ASCL Regional Director handles the competition logistics, including:

• Posting event details on the ASCL website
• Printing scorecards
• Running the rules meeting
• Supporting climbers throughout the competition

At the end of the event, climbers submit their scorecards digitally using their phones through our online scoring and statistics system.

Your gym continues to operate as usual. Gym staff handle:

• Facility check-in and waiver verification
• Belay tests (for competitions with roped routes)
• General supervision to ensure all gym safety rules and standards are followed

4) You Own Registration — and Keep All Competition Revenue

Climbers register using your existing event registration system and pay your gym directly. That means 100% of the competition revenue stays with you.

We recommend charging your standard day-pass rate, as ASCL competitions typically require minimal additional labor. You set the final price — but most gyms find that even at their standard rate, the event provides a meaningful revenue boost.

5) Long-Term Value Beyond Competition Day

Hosting an ASCL competition introduces competitors and their families to your facility in a high-energy, positive environment.

It’s common for ASCL climbers to:

• Return for future visits
• Purchase memberships
• Join team training programs

In short, hosting an ASCL competition creates ongoing revenue opportunities with little to no additional marketing effort. Imagine customer acquisition with a near-zero marketing cost — hosting an ASCL competition is a powerful step in that direction.