They’re Climbing the Walls at Tech! 

Dr. Karen LaRoe and Tech students cut the dedication ribbon for the new Climbing Wall located in the Auxiliary Gym of the Neal D. Baisi Athletic Center on the WVU Institute of Technology Campus. This climbing wall was the brainstorm of the Extreme Sports Committee at Tech. The idea to bring exhilarating and challenging sporting events to the Tech campus and community was achieved with the help of Passages to Adventure and its owner, Benjy Simpson. 

Along with several volunteer students, Mr. Simpson and his crew helped to construct a two sectioned wall measuring 15’x30’ and 20x30’ with overhangs and numerous hand and foot holds. Sandra Elmore, Professor of Physical Education, explained that the wall construction began
April 9, 2002 and is 98% finished but fully functional at this point. It will be used as a new course offering called Introduction to Wall Climbing and also to bring extreme sports competitions to the area.

A climbing demonstration was given followed by a random drawing for a chance to climb for prizes. The first student to climb the wall was Ben Reneau who received a prize for a High Line off the New River Gorge Bridge compliments of Passages to Adventure, and the first Faculty member Dawn Van Den Bosch, Tech Sports Trainer, received a rafting trip on the Gully compliments of Passages to Adventure. Other participants who received prizes were: Coach Tim Epling, Tech Baseball Coach – Rafting Trip on the New River compliments of Passages to Adventure; Davon DeVeaux – gift certificate for 10% of a purchase at Smitty’s Hardware; and David Statler and David Randall – both received Pizzas compliments of Frank’s Pizza.