Hey everyone! A lot has happened to me in the last week and a half regarding rock frogs.
My wish to see the business side of things was granted and I got a small but insightful window to get in on the work behind the scenes of the walls, ropes and heights.
I got the pleasure of going back with Graham one night after packing away the equipment and stayed over at 'frog’ headquarters for two nights. Between the distractions of tasty kebabs and seven different cats to trip over or sit on I learnt how money comes in, gets handled and goes back out of the business, how appointments and booking are registered and how equipment is checked and organised. And even though it sounds boring its seriously interesting stuff! I learnt so much in those three days and I’m very thankful for the opportunity that was given to me. Besides that, I’ve done a lot of rock climbing lately taking a sneaky quick climb every time there’s a break and at the end. All these quick climbs are starting to show! My whole life my upper body strength has been flimsy and none existent but now woo I got a little bit of muscle to show off! Especially my shoulder muscles, it’s quite surprising how many muscles you use around your whole body for rock climbing. It makes me think what kind of sport rock climbing is because it works your muscular strength, muscular endurance and cardiac abilities all at once!
There have been a lot of parties lately most likely due to the summer holidays, within these party groups there has been a lot of kids with disabilities of some kind, and it’s been quite interesting interacting with them and giving them just as much fun as everyone else. There was a young girl with hearing problems and to overcome this we used a lot of hand signals and expressions instead of using words, it just goes to show how many different ways there are of communicating with people without using words.
Soon we are going on a trip outdoors and its going to be fun to see the differences between indoors and outdoors.

Steven

(below is my last blog installment and above will be my next so the latest is always 1st)

Hi. My name is Steven Dalzell-Brown and im just starting a blog for the Rock Frogs website. Ive never written a blog before and am intrested to see how this will turn out. So here goes!

Currently I have just finished my first year at uni and am on my summer hols, Woo!
The university I go to is the Uni of Derby, Buxton campus and the course im doing is Outdoor Activities.
Even reading that now it still seems quite random, but basically I'm learning the skills needed to be an instructor or guide for rock climbing, canoeing and kayaking, hillwalking and navigation. Those are the main activities.
One of the modules requires me to do a work experience module over the summer and first thing that came to mind was Rock Frogs!
About five years ago I use to come to Rock Frogs as just an energetic young boy with my mum and younger sister, the three of us really enjoyed the whole experience and the friendliness of Graham, Val and the others, so when this module was given to me they were who I turned to!

It's been really great to see all the old faces from ages ago and to see how everyone has changed and grown, including Brunel Uni where the wall is. When I first walked back to Brunel I didnt remember anything outside, there's been a lot of construction and new buildings lately! But when I saw the wall I noticed nothing had changed at all inside. Along with the people I knew there was also a lot of new faces and new friends to make! So far I've got along with everyone really well, and it kinda makes me think why did I stop coming ages ago!

There's been a lot of changes in my life lately, one of the biggest would be moving out to uni and because of it I've been hanging out with people who are older then me for the past year. But now coming back to Rock Frog's  Junior Club where i do some of my work experience, most of the people here are younger then me! And its kind of weird how easily it was to change and fit in.

Besides the social side I'm also really enjoying learning everything I can about rock climbing, the climbing, the teaching it, the techinical rescues, rope knots, and how things are put together to work, also I'm really intrested in the business side of how it all works and keeps up and running. And I am learning a LOT about everything. Its quite surprising how much information is being thrown at me and yet I seem to be remembering most of it, I dont know if my hair has anything to do with it but my head feels like a sponge absorbing every word!

When I sit back and think about what Ive been doing, it seems like it should be really repeatative and boring but its not at all.
People come in, mainly kids with their parents, and my job is to get them to get kitted up, tie them in, watch them climb the walls, take the equipment off, and wait for the next group of people.

But its not that simple at all, each person who comes in is a completly different person with different perspectives on climbing and different skills at climbing. Each person wants to climb different walls, and climbs them in different ways. Its really interesting having such a variety of people passing through and watching how they adapt to each other and the situations they can get into, and also putting myself into the situation too. I basically make new friends with every group I work with!

Ive been working with Rock Frogs for almost a month now and I'm still finding it surprising and flattering how the people im working with really listen to what I say and do it unquestioningly as if I know what I'm doing and they dont'. Which I guess is true but I still havn't got used to it yet. When they dont know how to tie themselves in, they turn to me for help. This really hits me more when its the adults who do it, because they are sometimes much older then me, and its kinda like 'wow' when theres a thirty five year old man listening to every word im saying. In a way it's pressure, but I'm welcome of that because it means I'm going to try my best not to mess up at all!

I will leave it there for now. Quite surprised that I had that much to say, when I could of just said........"Im really enjoying working and learning from Rock Frogs!!!'

Below is a video clip of me at Harrow Wall and you can see other pictures of my course and my work experience by following this link to - my gallery.