Sandhills Gymnastics Academy is expanding its offerings with the addition of an indoor rock climbing wall designed for beginners and experienced climbers alike.
In a big win for Sandhills climbers, the academy recently upgraded and reopened its climbing wall, which will provide a new training option for athletes and a recreational activity for the community.
Coach and former owner James Ayars said the wall had existed in the building for years but saw limited use after the gym temporarily closed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Physically, the wall was still there, but during COVID, the state made us close the gym,” Ayars said.
Before the closure, the wall was used during summer camps, birthday parties, and supervised play sessions known as “Fun Gym,” where younger participants could climb below a designated height. Boy Scout groups also visited the gym to work on climbing merit badges, and Ayars said he sometimes brought students from his teaching career to the facility as well.
The updated wall now includes belay systems that allow climbers to scale its full height under supervision, and climbers ages 4 and up are invited to give it a try.
Justin Tew, a USA Climbing-certified instructor with more than two decades of climbing experience, helps oversee the program and instructs participants on safety procedures.
Justin Tew demonstrates assorted climbing techniques.
The wall features five climbing lanes with ropes anchored from the top and routes that change regularly. Tew said he resets the wall by rearranging climbing holds and cleaning them before installing new routes.
“The wall changes week after week,” Tew noted. “You might not climb the same route twice, and that encourages you to try harder.”
Tew stressed that all ages and ability levels are welcome to sign up to climb, and that the wall is not limited to members.
Prior to the wall’s restructuring and reopening, climbers looking to get their fill would have to travel far out of Moore County to do so.
“To get this type of climbing experience, you would have to go to Raleigh or Fayetteville,” explained Tew. “You’d have to drive at least an hour fighting traffic. Then we heard that the community provided insight that they’d enjoy doing this on this side of town. Now, we have everything here for climbing without having to drive across base—we can do it locally.”
The routes include vertical sections, overhangs, and crack-style climbs designed to build grip strength and full-body coordination. Tew said the movements mirror techniques used in outdoor climbing and can serve as cross-training for athletes in other sports.
“Climbing works your hands, your feet, your core—the whole body,” said Tew.
General Manager Virginia Nichols said the gym plans to offer climbing classes and sessions several days a week, with beginner, intermediate, and advanced sessions available for participants ages 4 through adults. Sessions will run about one hour and 15 minutes, and participants can sign up individually rather than through a membership.
Nichols said the climbing wall will also be introduced to hundreds of children attending the facility’s camps this year.
The gym hosts a wide range of youth programs, including cheer, tumbling, trampoline, artistic gymnastics, and ninja training, as well as camps, parties, and community events.
More than 1,200 children are expected to attend various summer camps at the facility this year, Nichols said, including school-age and preschool camps and gymnastics programs.
“That’s how many kids are going to get exposed to the wall,” Nichols said, smiling.
To learn more, visit www.sandhillsgymnastics.com or in person at 220 Ampersand Dr., Aberdeen.
Abegail Murphy | Assistant Editor
Article, video, and photos by Sandhills Sentinel assistant editor Abegail Murphy. Abegail has been writing for Sandhills Sentinel since 2021.
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