With over 12 years of climbing experience, 8 years of coaching, and 9 years of route setting, Olivia brings a deep passion and well-rounded perspective to our climbing community. As our Head Route Setter and one of the head coaches, Olivia is dedicated to helping young climbers grow both on and off the wall.

Climbing is as much a mental challenge as it is a physical one, and Olivia believes in supporting kids through every aspect of that journey—building confidence, resilience, and emotional awareness alongside technique and strength. For her, success isn't just about performance—it's about helping each climber develop a lifelong love for the sport.

When Duke began bumbling around on the small bouldering wall tucked away in the corner of the athletics department of Chico State in 2010 he had no idea how it would shape his life in the future. What started out as a fun thing to do before getting tacos with friends on Thursday soon became an obsession. The combination of movement, athleticism, and mental focus that climbing requires fostered a deep love for the sport. That love has only grown as he has discovered that climbing can be an avenue for building community, travel, and nourishing profound personal relationships.

During his teen years, long before he started climbing, Duke excelled in the sport of cycling. The positive impact that his coach had on him at that time has helped him greatly through his life. Now, as a coach himself, he strives to be a similar positive influence on the athletes that he coaches.

Sielya started climbing in her youth as an after-school activity and quickly fell in love with the sport. Not long after, she joined her gym’s team and began climbing competitively. In 2018, she began transitioning from competing to coaching and discovered a true passion for working with youth. Helping young climbers build confidence, develop technical skills, and realize their potential has been more fulfilling than she ever imagined. Sielya is excited to continue developing her coaching skills and looks forward to what the future holds for youth climbers.

Eva has been climbing for 14 years, with over a decade of competition experience and a strong background in outdoor climbing, having explored areas across the U.S. and internationally. Climbing has always been a central part of her life, and she now has the opportunity to help guide the next generation in their own journeys—both mentally and physically. Watching young climbers develop a passion for the sport brings back meaningful memories from her own time on the team.

It's especially meaningful for Eva to now coach alongside Olivia and Duke, who were her own coaches growing up. Being part of the team shaped not only the climber she is today, but also the person she has become. That positive, supportive experience continues to inspire her, and she is passionate about creating that same kind of environment for today’s youth climbers.

Hunter is a route setter and coach at Session Climbing. He has been climbing for 13 years and working in the industry for 7. Having grown up competing in the youth circuit in Santa Rosa, he now coaches Session’s Youth Competitive Teams 4, 3, and 2, as well as the Adult Team. Hunter’s style leans toward high-tension, overhung climbing, and he thrives on helping athletes push their limits. He’s passionate about passing down the knowledge and experience he’s gained through climbing and about creating the same kind of supportive team environment that had a lasting impact on him growing up.

Sarah grew up doing classical ballet but discovered climbing through a YouTube video and was instantly intrigued. She decided to leave the world of ballet at fourteen and enter that of competitive climbing on Vertical World climbing team in Seattle. Her background in ballet has greatly shaped her climbing style and how she approaches teaching. 

What inspires Sarah most about youth coaching is being able to help develop lifetime athletes and a lifelong love of the sport of climbing. Everyone’s climbing development and journey is unique and youth comp climbing is only a small sector of what the sport can offer. There are countless avenues to take as a climber and there is no ceiling to the growth it fosters in numerous aspects of life. 

What excites Sarah most in her climbing world now is trying hard outside on beautiful sport lines and working towards climbing big walls someday.