In their freshman year, Matthew McGrady and Cory Phillips came to Marywood with a common interest, a love for the outdoors. The two gathered some friends together and began the rock climbing club, simply because of a passion for the sport. “When people ask me about who I am one of the first things I say is that I just play outside. I’m one of those outdoorsy types and climbing allows me to get out, challenge myself, and connect with some of the most beautiful scenes around,” McGrady said. “I just really like to push my limits and challenge myself mentally and physically, this sport does that on a regular basis.”The students involved in the club have a different kind of mindset. They are always looking to the next level for that tougher challenge. They travel a few times a year to nearby competitions. The goal in each competition is to finish the climb with as little mistakes as possible. These competitions provide an incentive for the climbers to keep working hard in the sport.

The members of the club are always looking for new members and for people who would just like to give the sport a try. It’s an incredible experience and a great way to make some new friends. Cory Phillips, club founder, encourages the team atmosphere and loves working with the other members of the club. “Everyone just feeds off of each others energy and together we accomplish some pretty crazy things,” Phillips said. “The sport is just an adventure, you’re always exploring and discovering new things and doing stuff you didn’t think was possible.”