Let’s get one thing straight: selecting a national team isn’t just pinning photos on a corkboard and saying, “You look strong.”
It’s one of the hardest — and most humbling — jobs we do. Why? Because it means balancing fairness, transparency, and performance while also remembering these are real humans with dreams — not just names on a list.
We know every decision we make can light someone up or break their heart. And we feel the weight of that. Every. Single. Time.
Moving From Gut to Goals
When Ice Climbing Canada (ICC) first started, selection was… let’s say… casual. We were a small community. Everyone kind of knew everyone. Decisions were made based on who showed up, who could afford to travel, and who seemed ready.
It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t good enough. As the sport grew — and as more athletes began training seriously — we realized we owed them more.
That’s why over the past few years we’ve worked hard to create a process athletes can trust. We’ve moved from subjective “gut feeling” decisions to structured tryouts, clear criteria, and open communication.
This season are taking a big step forward: introducing the two-path selection system.
The Two-Path System
The two-path system is designed to offer athletes two clear, fair ways to earn a spot on the team — through an in-person tryout or by submitting a video application.
This wasn’t just about convenience — it was about accessibility. We knew not everyone could make it to a single tryout location, and we didn’t want geography or logistics to stand in the way of opportunity.
Its not perfect — no process ever is — but it is a step toward fairness and clarity. It opens the door for more athletes, bringing fresh energy and talent to the team, and gave everyone a clear way to show what they could do.
Will the process change again? Absolutely.
That’s the nature of building something worth believing in — you keep adjusting, refining, and improving. But what won’t change is our commitment to being transparent, to listening to feedback, and to giving every athlete a fair shot.
The two-path system isn’t the final destination — but it’s the right path for where we are now.
Why It’s So Hard
Here’s what people don’t always see:
We’re not just evaluating athletic ability — we’re also evaluating readiness, resilience, and commitment to the whole journey.
It’s easy to think that picking a team is as simple as choosing the highest scorer at a competition. And yes — performance is the backbone of selection. But competitive ice climbing also demands mental toughness, a willingness to travel and adapt, and the ability to represent Canada on the world stage with pride.
We’ve had athletes who could crush any route in the gym but struggled under the lights at a comp. And we’ve had underdogs who fought tooth and nail and then rose to the occasion when it mattered most.
We’ve seen enough now to know: numbers matter, but character carries you through the hard moments.
Tryout Days: Where It All Comes Out
If you’ve never been to a tryout, let me paint you a picture:
It’s a freezing gym at 8 a.m. Ladders clank, and everyone is buzzing — equal parts nervous and caffeinated.
Athletes warm up in corners, taping fingers and whispering beta. We’ve seen tears of frustration, tears of joy. And through it all — everyone is watching.
Not just the selectors watching the climbers, but climbers watching each other, pushing each other, cheering when someone nails a crux, offering quiet encouragement when someone peels off.
That’s when we see who’s ready. Not just the strongest climber, but the one who digs deep when it matters. The one who can fail, shake it off, and go again.
What We Look For
We get this question a lot: What exactly are you looking for?
Here’s the honest answer:
- Performance: Can you climb the routes? Can you execute under pressure?
- Consistency: Are you strong every day — not just on your best day?
- Growth: Are you showing improvement and putting in the work outside of competitions?
- Team Spirit: Can you handle the ups and downs of travel, tight schedules, and representing Canada on the world stage?
- Commitment: Are you willing to make sacrifices — financially, personally, emotionally — to compete at this level?
No one is perfect in all these areas. But we want to see the trajectory. We want to see that you take this seriously — not just as a hobby but as a craft you’re working on.
A Few Things We’ve Learned Along the Way
Here are some truths:
💡 Nobody climbs their best when they’re nervous. We see it every year — athletes who crush in training but tighten up when it counts. That’s okay. Part of the process is learning to handle that pressure.
💡 There will always be surprises. Someone always shows up and blows us away. And someone always has a tough day. That’s the nature of sport.
💡 The goal isn’t just to pick a team — it’s to show athletes that their hard work is seen, that their path forward is clear, and that they belong here.
The Heart of It
At the end of the day, tryouts aren’t just about picking the strongest climbers — they’re about building a team that can stand tall together on the world stage.
We know how much it means to every athlete who shows up, who tapes their hands and swings their tools and gives it everything.
We see you.
We see your early mornings and late nights.
We see the sacrifices you make.
We see the fire in your eyes when you look at that wall.
And we promise: we don’t take any of it lightly.
It’s not perfect. But it’s honest.
And that’s how we build something worth believing in.
— Ice Climbing Canada
