Bristol Youth Squad
The TCA Bristol Youth Squad comprises 30 young climbers who have been selected to represent The Climbing Academy (TCA) at local, national and international climbing competitions.
There is a busy competition calendar that includes events such as the British Mountaineering Councils ‘Youth Climbing Series’ (BMC YCS), Blokfest and the Junior British Bouldering Championships.
Although competitions are great fun and are a clear and tangible way to demonstrate the abilities of our athletes, they are just a small part of bouldering and climbing. We want the team to experience all aspects of the sport, so members are regularly taken to some of the UK’s top outdoor climbing and bouldering locations. When possible we also run squad trips to notable outdoor climbing areas, such as the Peak District.
Take part
SQUAD SELECTION
The squad year runs from 1 January to 31 December. Squad selection is held around end of November/start of December each year. There are no prerequisites, so any climber aged 8-16 can attend team selection. As long as you’re within the age limit for YCS events, you’re eligible to apply for the squad. Please refer to YCS for more details on age categories.
Squad Selection
Our current squad is at capacity, and though we normally see a large number of children age-out on the higher age-range – thus allowing more new squadlings to break in following a selection process – we have a rare year where NONE of the current squad will be ageing out of youth competition brackets.
The decision now is to continue providing high-quality coaching, support, and development opportunities for our existing climbers, something we value deeply and are committed to maintaining.
We understand that this news will be disappointing for those who were hoping to join the squad this year, and we want to express our sincere apologies and appreciation for your understanding.
We remain passionate about supporting youth climbing at TCA, and in the future, we’ll be able to grow the squad again and welcome new members into the team for 2027.
To find out more about our climbing squad, please email bristolcoaching@theclimbingacademy.com. You can follow the team on Instagram and photos from squad trips & competitions can be found here!
