(Courtesy Victoria Clark)
By John McCarty, Staff Writer -- mccarty12@up.edu
While the average student is counting down the hours until spring break and thus relaxation, freshman environmental science major Lisa Chulich is planning for her next big climbing trip while bustling back and forth between classes, two jobs and the demands of both competitive climbing and volleyball.
After placing fifth overall in the 2011 Bouldering Youth Nationals, Chulich was invited to be a member of the U.S. National Bouldering Team, but she'll only tell you about it if you ask really nicely.
"Did she tell you she made the U.S. National Team?" Nina Holbrook, Chulich's competitive beach and grass doubles volleyball partner and best friend since kindergarten, demands. "She's also like a perfect student and she has been since middle school. She's the most deserving person ever but she refuses to toot her own horn about anything."
Upon first impression, the only thing that seems to betray Chulich's love of climbing is her firm, confident handshake — she is definitely stronger than me. Her disarming laugh and friendly smile make it easy to talk to her about almost anything, even for a climbing neophyte like me.
Chulich, who came to UP from Olympia, Wash., was named one of Urban Climbing Magazine's "Young Guns of 2010" and is sponsored by Five Ten and Stonewear, but she speaks of these accomplishments in an "oh, by the way" manner borne of her passion for climbing, volleyball and life in general.
"If I focused on just one (climbing or volleyball) I could have a better shot at being the best but I'm just happier doing both," Chulich said.
"Lisa is the most driven person I've ever known," Holbrook said. "She goes all out for whatever she is doing and she is always positive. She wants not just to be the best, but her best. She is inspiring to others and always pushing herself."
Inspiring and driven seem to be appropriate adjectives for Chulich's climbing career. She began as a gymnast at age four and competed for eight years before the local gym was forced to close for financial reasons. While Lisa was in between sports, her older brother Jimmy began going to the newly opened rock wall at the local YMCA. When the Warehouse Rock Gym opened eight months later, Lisa and Jimmy were hooked.
"We basically lived there," Chulich said. "I was 12 years old when I started working there (the Warehouse) in exchange for a membership."
In its early years, the Warehouse lacked a program for youth climbers so with the help of their mother and a number mentors, Lisa and Jimmy kept climbing and working until they could get a program started.
"Different employees would pass on their knowledge to us so we ended up starting a team and kind of coaching ourselves," Chulich said. "My brother and I are products of the Northwest. We've had a variety of teachers, lots of trial and error and lots of scars."
According to Chulich, her brother Jimmy's passion for the sport, in combination with a stressful family situation, has put a strain on their relationship in the past.
"It was good in the beginning but then everything was climbing, that's why I started playing volleyball," Chulich said. "When I went from volleyball back to climbing people were like, ‘Who is this person?'"
Chulich has competed in and won a variety of doubles beach and grass volleyball tournaments around the country with Holbrook. When asked about each other, both Chulich and Holbrook replied, "She's my wife!" Chulich added, "Not really, there is a funny story about a ring though..."
Chulich works at both The Circuit and Multnomah Club, where she sets, grades and tweaks routes for members to climb. She does training and conditioning twice a week and practices climbing an average of four days a week.
"Leavenworth was the first place I went climbing outside so I'm obviously attached to it. I love climbing at Waco, and I must give credit to Little Si in Washington," Chulich said of her favorite places to climb.
For Chulich, problems come in the form of 20-foot rock faces with an overhang at the top, but that's just her warmup.
"There's talent but that just isn't enough," Chulich said. "You should be encouraged by your success but not satisfied."
(Courtesy Sebastian Berisford)
