Page 35 - 2017 AMA Summer

trad and sport), scramblers and walkers made best use of the great weather that we had. It was particularly good to have some sport climbing and bouldering taking place, as neither really featured on the meets until now.
What makes a good venue?
If you have been in the AMA for more than two years or so, you may be aware that I made the decision to make a small charge for attending the meets. This has sparked debate but I will explain why the decision was made. Every time I arrange a meet, I ask those that attend whether they would prefer to stay in military accom for free or to pay approximately £20 for a weekend to stay in a civilian bunkhouse. The answers are unanimous; nobody wants to travel from their barracks, just to stay in another military camp for a weekend. They would rather break ties with the military environment and stay somewhere a little more relaxed. To quote one attendee “The last thing I want is to spend my weekend stuck to a green Army mattress” Almost all the venues we now use are civilian. Things I look for when choosing a venue:
• Non-military if possible
• Space for approximately 20 people
• Ideally a pub that serves good food no
more than 5 mins walk
Some of the venues we use offer a full cooked breakfast on both days of the meet, others are self-catering. It amazes me to see what people actually consider to be breakfast in the morning. I have seen everything from Pot Noodles, to Chinese crispy duck spring rolls along with the full English fry-up! The big advantage of using civilian accom is that it provides freedom. There are none of the usual restrictions that you find with military establishments, such as adhering to meal times or curfews. The obvious exception to this is large events such as the AGM or Army Festival of Climbing, where JSMTC Indefatigable or Capel Curig is perfect.
What are the aims of the meets?
The aims of the meets are numerous:
• Have fun
• Learn new skills
• Gain experience in preparation for
higher JSAT and NGB qualifications • Make new friends
If you have never attended a meet, you can be forgiven for conjuring up an image of a strictly controlled weekend. One where there is no choice in activity, pace and difficulty. I am glad to say that the weekends are a far cry from this image that some may have.
All meets are conducted ‘On-Duty’ and in accordance with JSP 419. It’s important that all instructors stay within the remit of their qualification. No plan survives contact with the enemy, I have never had a spreadsheet yet that hasn’t had ink all over it, crossing names off or adding a last minute arrival. For this reason, I don’t allocate students to instructors until first thing on the Saturday morning. There is nothing very scientific about it; it’s a bit like picking football teams in school, with the instructors lined up on one side and the students on the other. Students are allocated to instructors depending on what they would like to do.
From a personal perspective, I have been involved with many people on the various meets that I have run. Some have wanted to learn to navigate, others to lead climb under instruction, some want to try multi-pitch climbing for the first time. Others have no idea what they want to do, but after a quick chat and a few suggestions a plan is usually made for the day. On the other end of the scale, some of the more experienced members have wanted to learn more complex skills and techniques. The basic principle is, if we can make it happen we will! The only thing we can’t do is award qualifications, that is the role of JSMTC, what we can do though is help you on your way!
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