Accommodations for USA Youth Climbing

[u/BusyPeanut5688]

Does anyone have experience with ADA accommodations in youth climbing? My daughter just made our local gym's comp team and this will be our first year competing. She's only done rec comps prior so we don't know exactly what to expect. I am currently reading USA climbing's rules and regulations to help me grasp what is needed, but if you have experience, could you please share tips, thoughts, etc. Or DM me if that is more in your comfort zone. Thanks!

Edit: Added ADA in the body of the paragraph. I realize now that people might look at this and think lodging, etc.

[u/detoro]

It is Rule 3.12.2. Any individual desiring an accommodation (due to, for example, color-blindness, Type-1
Diabetes, serious allergies, neurodivergence, physical disorders or disabilities that require a
Competitor Aide, etc.) must submit a request as directed in the USA Climbing Accommodations
Policy on the policy page on the www.usaclimbing.org website. If USA Climbing grants (an)
accommodation(s), the Jury President shall have the authority to implement such
accommodations, including where such accommodations are in conflict with the rules

[u/BusyPeanut5688 → u/detoro]

I am aware of this rule. She has Generalized Anxiety Disorder and a phobia. She receives accommodations at school for these. I was honestly curious if anyone out there has a kid that climbs and they've been through the process and/or have tips.

[u/MorePsychThanSense → u/BusyPeanut5688]

What are accommodations are you seeking? I've coached a competition team (and coincidentally am a mental health therapist who works with teenagers) and haven't ever heard of anyone seeking or receiving accommodations in competitions.

[u/Zealousideal_Hand383 → u/MorePsychThanSense]

I know someone who receives such an accommodation. A parent stays with the child in isolation and through the round sits in front of the child and supports them. I don't know exactly how they went about getting the accommodations but it has worked well for them at various levels of competitions up to and including nationals.

[u/BusyPeanut5688 → u/MorePsychThanSense]

I'm thinking about ways that she could be supported in Isolation for an on-sight comp. Problem is, as she hasn't done done a USA Climbing comp yet, so I'm not sure the best way to support her. She loves competing and has done a red point top rope rec comp before, but I'm not sure how she'll handle isolation. This is why I was asking if others have gone through this... they might have suggestions and what have worked for them.

[u/sam-7 → u/BusyPeanut5688]

You could volunteer as an iso monitor so you can be in there and keep an eye out for if she is struggling.

[u/BeornStrong → u/BusyPeanut5688]

I’m not fully versed on the rules, but have glanced over them while considering if I should request accommodations for my daughter at comps, but I’ve never actually followed through on it. But I might have some experience that could help.

ISO was always a stressful thing to prepare for leading up to, bc in addition to her disabilities, awe also don’t have a team or coach. So, iso consisted of me alerting our region she would be on her own in iso, lining up a team (and backup option) for her to connect with after dropping her off at the check in table. And trying to go over everything with her beforehand so she could go in with confidence and help herself through any issues that might arise.

As far as setting up accommodations, I believe that the rule is the request needs to be submitted in writing a minimum of 30 days out before the comp for approval. And, there should be a request for each comp where you would require the accommodations, as in there isn’t just 1 request to cover the entire season. I don’t remember how limiting the “no electronics in iso” rule is right now, but if music is how yours helps to manage anxiety or a panic attack you should check now to see how the accommodation might be limited. See if an old iPod, or tablet that doesn’t have wifi or cell will work. Or a Walkman. If noise cancelling headphones are needed, maybe have a pair that doesn’t use Bluetooth.

This last season, I was finally able to volunteer for a comp, but it was very last minute availability. It turns out the universe really had things fall into place for this particular need. It was an iso comp, and there was a child there that had a disability that required their parent to remain close to the child. My job for the day was to stay with this parent and make sure there was no communication bn parent and kid, unless pertaining to their medical needs. Normally they’d already have someone lined up, but something fell through. They also knew that my kid would be in iso on her own, and so it worked out like it had been planned all along. So, we watched each other so there would be no room for cheating suspicions, and we also got to watch out for our kids’ medical needs. I’m not exactly sure if the no parent/child interaction in iso is a usac rule, or just a precautionary measure our region has in place.

[u/sam-7 → u/BusyPeanut5688]

I would reach out to your regional coordinators and talk through with them before submitting any paperwork. You can get contract info for your region here: https://usaclimbing.org/compete/regions/

Just fyi, they are volunteers and usually parents as well, not paid USAC staff.

[u/ShortBeta1505 → u/sam-7]

Go straight to USAC. Regional coordinators will just redirect you - we have no authority to talk about potential accommodations. There’s a USAC committee that handles everything - we just implement it.

[u/sam-7 → u/ShortBeta1505]

Even just to ask about experiences they have had in the past with accommodations and what might be possible to ask for?

[u/ShortBeta1505 → u/sam-7]

I would be very unwilling to discuss anything with a parent before they’ve gone through USAC, because I truly don’t know what’s possible/allowed (outside of the two accommodations we currently deal with in our region, and even those wouldn’t necessarily be the same for another athlete with the same condition).

USAC’s accommodation committee determines accommodations on a case by case basis, based on multiple factors including the condition, doctor’s recommendations, and USAC rules. USAC would never grant an accommodation we can’t implement in our regions, so we simply do as we are asked in the accommodations document we receive from them.

Now, YMMV depending on the RC you encounter. But it’s not our place to discuss those options with parents and athletes.