Every year the kids climbing in the gym mutate a bit more. Since the introduction of the Team Touchstone youth climbing team, the kids seem to be even stronger than normal.
“This is my 10th year climbing, which is kind of scary to think about because I used to think that all the guys that I’d climbed with were really old, and now that old guy is me,” said Nick Bradley. Bradley, an eighteen year old Granada High senior in Livermore, began climbing at eight years old.
Bradley climbs well for an “old guy.” He onsighted Whole Shot (5.13d) in Maple Canyon, redpointed Surf Safari (5.13d) at Mickey’s Beach when he was 16 and he’s bouldered Maze of Death and The Mystery, both V12 boulder problems in Bishop.
Bradley began climbing after trying a number of different sports, none of which fit him. “Eventually I signed up for a little week-camp thing at my small local gym where I learned to love the sport. It was something that I could just throw myself at and never get bored of it. The more work I put in the more motivated I got, and the more fun I began to have,” said Bradley. Soon after, Bradley joined Zero Gravity. “Scot Jenerik and Scott Cory taught me how to climb my best since I was 10 years old, and every achievement I make to this day I thank them for.”
Since he began climbing, Bradley has attacked the competitive climbing circuit. He has won Nationals in 2011 and 2013 and has consistently placed on the US team, two outstanding accomplishments that he brought with him into Team Touchstone, which is led by coaches Scott Cory and Zach Wright. “Nick is different from other climbers because of the dedication he puts forth to climbing,” said Cory. “He’s always being an example and training his hardest to make sure that he becomes a better climber. He’s always extremely motivated to train, even though he’s won nationals twice he’s never content and always wants to get better.”
But dedication isn’t Nick’s only noticeable attribute according to the Touchstone route setters. “He has no muscles,” said route setter and fellow climber Ben Polanco. “Absolutely no muscles. He’s like one big giant tendon.”
Undoubtedly, the Bay Area will see more of this “old guy” crushing around California and into the international climbing scene.
