USF students ‘hooked’ on using new bouldering wall in REC Center

Gym goers can climb USF’s new bouldering wall at the Recreation and Wellness Center. ORACLE PHOTO/JOANA RIVA

For beginner climber Gianni Crowl, having a new bouldering wall on campus is an opportunity to talk to other students and challenge himself with something new.

Crowl was one of the students who visited the bouldering wall at the Recreation & Wellness Center (REC) when it opened Monday morning.

The freshman computer science major said he’s been “hooked ever since.” 

“It’s exhilarating,” Crowl said. “It offers a different challenge than regular workouts. It’s a lot of patience because there are so many combinations to get right.”

It has been a long time coming for Crowl. He said he saw the construction for the wall for the first time during the summer.

But the initiative for the wall had been around since 2018 and construction began in fall 2022. Funding and construction issues delayed the opening of the wall until this semester.

Related: USF REC’s bouldering wall to “finally” open this spring

Jason Gosch, interim associate director of programs for Recreation and Wellness, said about 300 people tried out the wall on Monday.

The bouldering wall cost ​​$275,000, $125,000 more than originally predicted and $64,000 more than the last budget prediction in 2023. 

Gosch said it’s “very exciting” to have the wall “finally” open at the REC because it’s been a long road since the idea was first brought up. 

“It’s been wonderful seeing people make friends right in front of you, a whole new community, which is the point of it,” he said. “It’s physical, but it’s social and that’s awesome.”

The wall is 14 feet tall and has around 650 square feet of climbing surface, said Aaron Nichols, a spokesperson for USF Facilities. 

Gosch said the routes are color-coded, with each color being for a different level of difficulty and no gear necessary.

Anyone at the gym can make use of the wall — there is no need to sign up or check in.

Gosch said there are only a few “simple” rules to use the wall, such as closed-toe shoes. However, he said climbing shoes are recommended and available for free rental at the REC’s equipment checkout. 

“You can just come do the thing, make friends, have a good time if you’ve never done it before,” he said.

A sign in front of the wall explains the basics of bouldering for beginners. ORACLE PHOTO/WILL RAINSBERGER

Ray Burdge, a junior mechanical engineering major, said he has been a climber for three years and was “super excited” to try out the wall.

The wall can offer students who have no experience with climbing get a more fun workout, Burdge said.

“It’s fun because you’re solving a puzzle and working out while you’re doing it,” he said. “Plus, you can work with friends and try new things.”

As an experienced climber, Burdge said even though the bouldering wall might not be challenging for him, it’s still a “good start” for beginners.

“The routes are pretty good,” he said. “Some of them are a little easy, but I think it’s a really good start with it and I’m excited to see where it goes.”

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Burdge said it’s “awesome” to have a bouldering wall for free on campus because it’s expensive to get into rock climbing due to gym membership prices.

Crowl said the wall offers an opportunity for beginners like him to talk to people with different backgrounds, including more experienced climbers.

“It opens up a treasure trove of knowledge from people who have expertise,” he said.

Having the bouldering wall on campus will provide students with an opportunity to relieve stress and relate to people on a “different level,” Crowl said.

“Being able to challenge my mind but also my body is cathartic,” he said. “People try to deal with stress in different ways, but being able to put it forth to something that you can express physically is something beautiful.”

JOANA RIVA, STAFF WRITER

Joana Riva is the news staff writer for The Oracle. She’s a Mass Communications major with a Broadcast Program and Production concentration. She’s passionate about storytelling in all forms, from journalism to literature and film. She was born and raised in Brazil and moved to the U.S. in fall 2023. She joined The Oracle the same semester as a news correspondent, and became an intern and staff writer in fall 2024. Reach her at joanacastanheira@usf.edu.

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