About

I consider my family the most significant accomplishment of my life. I've been married to Blaise, the woman of my dreams, for 28 years. And we have two brilliant and kind daughters, Indiana and Dakota, and a fluffy, homicidal cat named Hobbes. These women are my priority - more than anything else by a billion miles. (And I also like the cat).

Vocationally, I am an educator and a coach. Working with athletes and helping young people discover their potential in the world is something that I am very connected to. I pour much of my time into studying pedagogy, psychology, philosophy, neurology, and a bunch of other ologies, mostly because I love to learn, which also allows me to be a better coach. But at the end of the day, just empowering athletes to love climbing and to discover their potential is the goal.

My approach to coaching pedagogy is rooted in three bedrocks:

Try hard. I cultivate this because life is hard, and it's tough out there in the real world. Things that matter to you are worth fighting for, and try hard is a skill and a discipline that will see you through climbing cruxes, as well tough obstacles in every area of your life.

Better Together. Relationships are the reason we have survived and thrived on this planet. We are stronger, more powerful, and more able to do great things when we are meaningfully connected to one another. I try to cultivate togetherness in life and in climbing.

Enjoy the moment. I believe that choosing joy and positivity are super powers. And I know for a fact that they can be learned and mastered. Part of this practice is learning to be thankful for all the craziness that happens in our lives, and to enjoy the moment we are in. Tomorrow is not promised to anybody. But this moment is.

Beyond these three things, I believe in technical excellence and ecological dynamics (athletes finding their own unique way). I believe that creativity in problem solving is the essential path through obstacles. And I believe that love and kindness are more important than accolades.

I have been climbing for nearly 30 years. I have been coaching and working with performance athletes for the past 15 years. My eldest, Indiana, is an IFSC Pro climber. Together we get to travel the world and invest in the incredible journey of professional competition climbing.