Rachel CrocettiSpecial to the Chronicle
Right when you think that Hofstra has it all, an awesome new club pops up with opportunities to do another unique activity. Hofstra’s On-Belay Climbing Club is making significant strides in leadership and team building, both on campus and above it, too.
Hofstra’s first rock climbing club was founded last year by student Caitlyn Hutchison, so that club members could come together to scale the school’s rock climbing walls and its adventure course. Current co-presidents Brittany Schreiber and Robert Gutierrez are now looking to expand the club to other outdoor activities, like hiking and slack lining, in the future. Schreiber gave the Chronicle a hint of the goals that the e-board is looking to meet this year.
“The founder of our club [Hutchison] actually transferred to a college in Rome, so we have been really trying to build up this club,” Schreiber said. “Last year the club only had about seven active members, but now our membership has grown significantly.”
This year people have shown a lot of enthusiasm and interest in the club, and about 20–30 members attend meetings regularly. The club meets weekly on Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. at the adventure course, which is located to the north of the tennis courts.
As the weather gets colder, the club will be holding meetings at the indoor rock climbing wall in the physical education building, on Saturday afternoons from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. In addition to continuing to hold their meetings in the winter months, the new co-presidents are also looking to take members on separate trips to Island Rock in Plainview and Adirondack Adventure in upstate New York.
“This club gives students the opportunity to stay active while participating in an activity that is unique among traditional team sports,” Gutierrez said. “You don’t get off the ground much in other clubs.”
While the organization is called the On-Belay Climbing Club, its name will soon be changed to the Rock On Climbing Club, says the club’s E-board. Not only is the club’s motive to build teamwork and inspire self-improvement, but also the group’s activities are available to all levels of climbers, from beginners to the most advanced.
Schreiber weighed in on some of her favorite parts about the club.
“The best part about being involved in [Climbing Club] is you get to stay active, challenge yourself, overcome your fears, hang out with your friends and just have fun,” she said.
For anyone interested in joining the On-Belay Climbing Club, you can email the e-board at hofstraonbelayclimbingclub@gmail.com or find them on Facebook.