This is just the beginning! I’ve been climbing on and off for a few years now and I’ve always loved everything about it. Living in Louisiana at the time made it difficult to really get involved in the climbing community. My friend and BB(belay brother), Matt May, and I would make the two and half hour drive to Lafayette to climb at the Roc Haus every chance we got! We took a few outdoor trips up to HCR in Arkansas which really drilled in the quite desire that climbing was something that I wanted to do with my life. After moving to South Carolina with my wife, I was financially broke and struggling to find a job in this crappy economy; sadly, climbing took a back seat for a year. After that long year I finally got a break and got a membership to a local climbing gym called Climb Upstate. Shortly after this my wife left me. I was completely devastated, but I kept climbing and kept climbing. The staff of Climb Upstate quickly took me in as one of their own and I made several great friends! It didn’t take long for me to start setting for them and through that I met Lucas Johnson. He and I quickly became brothers, challenging each other to be better and climb harder. I read an article about how the International Olympic Committee was considering climbing as an Olympic sport for the 2020 summer games. I knew then what the next eight years will have in store for me. I am determined to achieve Olympic glory. Pushing myself harder than I ever had before I began training everyday, setting harder problems, and taking as many trips to Rumbling Bald as I could. I recently made the decision to move to Louisville, Kentucky. My long time friend Louden Wells got back into climbing over this past Thanksgiving after I came to visit him in Louisville. He has been a source of moral fortitude and inspiration. With the support of all of the great climbers and friends that I’ve made over the years I know that this dream will be a reality! I’m starting this blog to chronicle the long journey to the Olympic podium.