Like many 11-year-old boys, Zach Galla thought the black jackets worn by the U.S. National Sport Climbing Team were cool.
When he entered a national competition in Atlanta against 400 other kids earlier this month, Zach had no idea he would walk away with more than a jacket.
Now, the fifth-grader at Level Creek Elementary School in Gwinnett County is one of just four children in his age group who will soon represent the U.S. in international competition.
"I am pretty excited about being on the team," Zach said. "You get really pumped when you're at the top."
Zach will be "sport climbing" -- meaning he will use ropes and mechanical devices to help him scale tall walls -- for the national team in the 8- to 11-year-old division.
"I like climbing rope," Zach said at the Stone Summit climbing center, just south of Spaghetti Junction on I-85 where the national team trains. "[Because] the boulder routes are shorter, there are bigger moves. Big moves are pretty hard for me, but rope climbing is about technique and not just about big moves or different holds. You have to really focus on your footwork."
Zach, the youngest Georgian to make the national team in 10 years, enjoys the endurance of rope climbing, and nothing tests endurance like climbing real rocks. He mostly climbs inside but loves when he gets the chance to climb outdoors.
"It is just fun to climb real mountains and sides of cliffs," he said. "Just the natural [holds] are really cool."
One of his favorite places to climb is Foster Falls in Tennessee. His goal is to complete a 90-foot climb there via the "Story of My Life" route.
"I really want to get that," he said. "It was a cool route."
For Zach, climbing is not just about the fun, it is also about training for a potential Olympic sport.
His mom, Jenny Galla, said the sport is on the short list for the 2020 Olympics. It was originally set for 2016, and Zach was nervous he would not have enough time to train.
"I will be a little bit older, so I will have longer to train for it," he said.
Perseverance sets Zach apart from his peers, said Jordan Martin, general manager of Zach's home gym, Adrenaline Climbing in Suwanee.
“[Being on the U.S. National Team means] you get to compete with the best, you are challenged by other climbers in your age group,” Martin said. "We're really proud of him."
While on the team, Zach will compete about four times a year against other children in his age group, Martin said. He will not compete nationally until he is 14, said Claudiu Vidulescu, his U.S. National Team coach.
His perseverance is also evident in the classroom.
"Zach's grades went up after he started climbing," his mom said.
Climbing requires children to use strategy and not just jump on and go, so many of the climbers are in the accelerated programs at their schools, she said.
"You look at the climb from the bottom before you climb it," Zach said. "You visualize yourself climbing it and what hand is going to go to each handhold."
Zach also enjoys playing video games and skateboarding, but he finds time to climb nearly every day.
As he gets older, Zach is only worried about his flexibility.
"[I am afraid] I won't be able to get my foot as high as I used to," he said. "Now I can get my foot almost as high as my hand and push up with it."
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