Rocklands Youth Performance Camp
A three-week outdoor training experience for serious youth climbers.
July 11 - August 1 2026, immediately after USA Climbing Nationals
Dates
Rocklands, Western Cape, South Africa
Location
$5,350 – Includes accommodations, meals, coaching, and cultural excursions. Financial aid available.
Trip Cost
Who this trip is for:
This trip is designed for serious youth climbers who are motivated to improve and climb outside at a high level.
Why Rocklands?
Rocklands is one of the most iconic bouldering destinations in the world.
For three weeks athletes will:
project world-class boulders
develop outdoor climbing skills
train with elite coaches
climb alongside a motivated team
expand their worldview through cultural immersion
This isn’t a vacation — it’s a performance experience.
A Typical Day
Breakfast + Goal Setting
The day begins at 8am with a healthy breakfast. During this time, coaches consult with each athlete to assess their energy levels, set goals for the day, and discuss tactics.
Warm Up
Once athletes are fed and ready for the day, the group does a warm-up at the cabins focusing on mobility, light hangboarding, and muscle activation. Lunches get made, bags get packed, and the team then loads the vans to head to the boulders.
Climbing Session
Once at the crag, the team finishes warming up on easier boulders and begins to work on individual projects with coach support. Throughout the day we move to different areas, allowing athletes to try multiple boulders as well as encouraging periodic breaks for skin management, fueling, and resting.
Dinner + Review Session
Once home, the coaches prepare a nutritious dinner with the help of some athletes. This is followed by review sessions, goal setting, and preparation for the next day, as well as a couple hours of free time for athletes to relax, call home, and spend time together.
What’s Included in the Experience
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Coaching happens from after breakfast to dinnertime. Before the climbing day we go through a thorough warmup, focusing on activation and mobility.
Before heading to the boulders, we help each athlete define their goals and intentions for the day to ensure they approach each attempt with intention.
At the crag we focus on movement, tactics, and projecting strategy. We help athletes manage conditions, skin, and energy to keep them in peak condition throughout the trip.
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In the evenings coaches sit down with athletes to review sessions, talk through beta, and help them reflect on what they learned so progress carries into the next day.
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The group will stay at the Rosenhof Cabins in Clanwilliam, featuring a pool, internet access, and facilities for group activities such as cooking, stretching, and video review.
Athletes are fueled with balanced, nutritious meals throughout the trip. We prioritize whole foods that support recovery, performance, and long days outside, with plenty of fresh produce and high-quality protein.
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Rest days are great opportunities to explore beautiful and vibrant South Africa. Excursions include a safari, beach visits, local fish fry, and more.
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Athletes will receive a professional media package from the trip, including photos and video from climbing sessions in Rocklands. It’s a chance to capture memorable sends, document the experience, and walk away with high-quality content from one of the most iconic bouldering destinations in the world.
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Each climber receives a small athlete kit that includes Realization-branded apparel and a climbing logbook for the trip. The logbook becomes a place to track sessions, record beta, and reflect on progress throughout the three weeks.
Your Coaches
Kieran Hadley
Kieran has managed complex international programs, overseeing logistics, safety planning, staff coordination, and parent communication for groups of more than twenty students. He has led trips all over the world, from Slovenia to West Africa, and has traveled extensively as a climber – including to Rocklands – with ascents of up to V12 and 5.14.
Founder
Jackson Wetherill
Jackson brings over a decade of coaching and climbing experience, working across competitive, recreational, and outdoor contexts – including Rocklands. Jackson has also coached for USA Climbing and worked on youth teams that have produced World Cup athletes. He has also logged ascents up to V13 and 5..14.
Founder
Coach
Sylvie Cressman
Sylvie has extensive personal climbing experience and outdoor leadership skills. She has been climbing in competition and outdoor settings for over a decade, with personal ascents through V9 and 5.13.
Testimonials
How to Apply
Start by filling out a short form to request the full application. This helps us learn a little about the athlete and answer any initial questions.
1. Submit a Pre-Application
After submitting the pre-application, we’ll send the full application with more details about the athlete’s climbing background and goals.
2. Complete the Full Application
Our team reviews applications and gets back to athletes within about one week. Once accepted, athletes receive confirmation details and next steps to prepare for the trip.
3. Review & Acceptance
Request the application below.
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.
Spots are limited.
Ready to Start?
Questions before applying? Feel free to reach out — we’re happy to help.
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Our price includes everything but airfare – that means lodging, food, transport in-country, and of course performance-oriented coaching drawing on over a decade of experience.
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After years of experience taking athletes to international climbing destinations, we’ve learned how to select areas that offer challenges to a range of ability levels. If a student is accepted to join a trip, it means we’ve taken their experience into account and are confident they can push themselves in a safe and enjoyable way.
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The first step in the process is to apply. Once we have determined whether the athlete is a good fit, we will reach out with details on securing a spot.
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We require a nonrefundable 20% deposit to book the trip – this covers our overhead in the event of cancellation. However, we understand that circumstances change, and if you need to cancel a trip after the deposit has been paid, we are happy to offer a voucher to be used for future trips.
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Yes, we are happy to help book travel. For every trip, we have a recommended flight itinerary to allow athletes to travel with a coach – if this is of interest, we can make it happen.
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The packing list depends on the trip – upon acceptance to your trip you will be provided with a full packing list.
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Pre-trip training is recommended, but not mandatory, and we understand that athletes on climbing teams may not be able to train specifically for the trip prior to departure.
We can design custom training plans for interested athletes for a small fee – email info@realizationclimbing.com to learn more.
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Rest days are a great opportunity to experience the culture and beauty of the countries we visit. Every trip is different, but rest days usually involve a fun excursion – visits to local museums, hiking, beach days, culinary experiences, and even safaris.
Common Questions
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