Competition Climbing and Tree Work

Not Jamming Jambo in any way. Just a general observation of people not necessarily at the events themselves. I respect your opinion. I'm also not a good gauge of people. I generally like who I like and can feel a little stressed in a social setting. I'm an extroverted introvert. I'm glad your experience is positive. I will most likely volunteer at Jambo again. Maybe not as a competitor next time. It was a positive experience for sure. I'm simply stating an opinion based on how people carry themselves online and in person.

On a side note. People who meet me don't know me. I introduce myself as Steve Connally (Con-al-e) Most think its (Con-ly) Therefore people think I'm somebody different than who they've been talking to online. Kinda funny actually
 
Steve, Re: your first post. They were never your friends to start with, evidently. Better to find out sooner than later.

I don't believe doing well or even partaking in competitions makes a person snooty. They were probably just dick heads all along but had yet to find an outlet for it. If you ever get to meet or spend any time with Mark C, you'll know the difference. He would make my top 3 for best embassador in the industry.

But yeah, I know the other type you mean....and on a personal level they're probably not fit to carry your jock strap, Steve. So don't let it bother you.

I see the competitions as more of a discipline, and a sprint. I'm sure it's not easy. But I have a lot more respect for a climber who can hold a 3120 in a tree for 6 hours, as opposed to swinging around ringing bells for 20 mins. Better still if you can do both.

I wouldn't be seen dead at jambo, without getting paid. Im not knocking it. Its just not my thing. Everybody's different.
 
Well this in now a realy interesting discussion for me. I have now competed for 2 years in 4 tcc-s together. Havent won yet (but im working on it). I dont think im gonna be cocky when i do win a competition.. But who knows.
I started competion climbing thanks to fellow climbers, who said i should try it and it would suit me (they themselfs dident compete). Actually at that moment i was thinking better of me, that i do right know. After my first competition (which was abroad) i did understand that i wasent that great as i was thinking. I must say i realy did need that kick in my butt. After that i started to look around how could i improve myself (thanks to that i found also treebuzz).
It must be said that im not from the US. Im from a small country where treeclimbes have been teached for ten year now. The arborist course includes 2 weeks of climbing and 3 days of rigging... After that you are on your own. You dont even get teached the basic stuff for ascending like footlocking and dont even dream about SRT (i wasent even allowed to use it at the exam).
So competitions (and the internet) got the place where i gained my knowledge. I started praticing after work and on the weekends. It improved also my production climbing (small things like hiting the right crotch with he first throw etc.) I started to use different climbing systems for ascending and climbing (footlock, srt, different redirects etc), before that i did just spike up and "get her done". I still go as strict as possible aslong as it is the safest way, cause its the fastest way to get the job done (im selfemployed and time is money).
Even if i will win a TCC i wont be thinking that im the greatest. I bet there are here alot of guys who could outclimb me enytime, and havent ever competed. But one thing i did notice that after getting better and better in competitions, other climbes started to ask me for advice and i havent never turnd enybody down. So my gains where also noticed by others... I will teach them as much as i know and if i dont know the aswer to the guestion they are searching i will help them find it and advance from it myself to. You must not be a good competition climber to be good at your job, but i think it helps alot. I am very thankful to competitions cause that opened a new world to me. And actually one thing i like about competitons is that everybody is ready to help the rookie. So these guys you where talking about are just d...head enyway. I dont remember ever enybody beeing a d..k to me at a competition.

I have heard alot of times, that competition climbing hasent nothing to do with the real life. When a other climbes heard that i was spending my two months sallery on travelling to Italy to take part of Marks course there i did hear it again. "Yeah, his 3x world champion, but that dosent mean his a fast worker. " Well i dont regret taking part, and it looked that he knows his work very well. I think he is a good example that you can be good at bough. Gained alot from the course (i work faster and safer than ever). And actually all that thanks to competitions, cause i would never had found treebuzz without them and never get info about the course.


Climb safe! And share your knowledge.
 
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good point... I think many of the things we think of as important are just passing moments of outer appearance.. in time as our perpective changes we realize how little these thingsreally meant..
I have felt a nice energy of comraderie at comps before.. There was an era at penn-del where Jim Roach was winning every year and everybody was there to take a crack at Jim... everyone seemed pretty laid back and positive ... I won;t use the word humble.. maybe humble for a tree climber but that's not saying much.. Some of the best production guys weren't necessariy the best at competitions.. the one thing they can't measure is how well do you handle a saw and rig big trees... Even that means little compared to how well do we love and take care of ourselves, our family and our community... in the end those are the things that matter... how well did we treat others???
 
I appreciate all the comments however I think the original intent of my post may be a bit missed. It was a generality. I don't think all competition climbers fall into this category nor do I have any problem with the comps. I have not had bad experiences at the comps either. I'm just saying there's a category of person out there who fall into the "hey, yesterday you didn't know shit and today you're an instant authority thanks to placing well at a comp or 2". That's all I'm saying.

I feel like I'm starting to get a little pigeon holed as an anti comp/comp climber guy. Not the case. I'm all for it. I just don't like people full of shit.

I don't feel under attack here, I just want to make sure nobody takes the hypothetical question posed as an anti blah blah blah statement at all.
 
Steve, I didn't feel you came off as anti comp, just anti comp climbers who are full of themselves! Reg hit the nail on the head with some guys are just going to be dicks no matter what, and sounds like you know a few of them. I feel like there are a lot more of the nice and humble guys and gals in our community than the arrogant type but there's bound to be some.
 
I've been in two comps ever and sucked so bad! I'm way way better at work with no one watching...that way when I get three throwlines horribly suck in under five panicked minutes I don't have to watch the volunteer clean out the tree after I've gift wrapped it. It happened and was disgraceful.
The up side for me is definitely watching the tree heros throw, climb, win, shrug, give away most of their prizes and lust for their arbormajik.
 
Giving this comp thing a try tomorrow. I don't care how I do, should be fun. I went out and footlocked for just a bit today, first time in forever. Also gave the rope wrench a go for the first time today. Just wish I got to use the stuff I'm use to climbing on.
 
great thread! i think i like almost all the posts.
yes, some people do let it go to their heads for sure, people are susceptible to the "gains", ego boost, or validation from being handed a medal and being told they're the best...that day. it's the type that forget the "...that day" part that need to be reminded to stay humble. and the ones that can't/ won't / don't heed the advice probably had their chest out to begin with. maybe they did or do know a thing or two but no one wants to listen to someone who turns sharing knowledge into a pissing contest. they may find an audience but you, and the rest of the truly clever climbers, won't be in it.
pretty much what a lot of you have already said :numberone:

as for the "Hollywood" climber thing, yeah, social media is outta control in general and it's making everyone think everything they are doing is the most amazing thing ever and it must be documented and shoved down everyone's throat because it's so great. got to get all those "likes" and collect all those "friends" to be happy and achieve Instafame :cachetada: add a "badass" activity like being a tree guy and you might have a photo shoot on you're job sight like every other day. just like in contest climbing, there is a way to be a graceful winner here too. sharing your ideas or even just a "look at this interesting or tricky thing on the job today" can be done without all the hubris.
i can easily see how people who never met me might speculate about my ego and attitude, no harm, no foul. thanks to those of you that shared your first hand accounts. i started making videos as a means to share knowledge because i myself had learned so much watching guys like @Reg @countryboypa31 @theXman to name a few. I also wanted to show the ultra urban area i was working because it was so different. somewhere along the way the video making portion turned into a fun new hobby and a way to keep work more interesting for my ADD. it blossomed into what yo see today, Pfanner man, hero to the people :rock: I'm not an ego maniac or a full blown nut case, just a tree guy. i like to share what i know and hope to learn from you. i like to make funny, crazy, "badass" entertainment for tree guys. I like to compete in contest for the challenge, comradery and the good feeling of doing well. and if you happen to see me in person come on up to me, we'll have a chat and, if we got time, a beer or two. if i don't remember your name or face or one time we met a while back it's not because i'm a jerk, i'm just bad with names and i've put a lot of miles on this make and model :birras:...that's me on the right
 
tc262 said:
Giving this comp thing a try tomorrow. I don't care how I do, should be fun. I went out and footlocked for just a bit today, first time in forever. Also gave the rope wrench a go for the first time today. Just wish I got to use the stuff I'm use to climbing on.
Click to expand...

How was comp?!?!
 
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