It’s Our Turn.

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Welcome to the Competitive Travel Team to fortified confidence and support all experiences in the competition arena.

It’s Our Turn

The Brown Girls Climbing unique experiential-based for girls of color, gender non-conforming youth and transgender boys is pioneering access to full participation in for the Global Majority.

Exploring self through sport with community elevates confidence and autonomy. The Competition Travel Team provides opportunity for our community to experience the sovereign joy of competitive climbing with unapologetic confidence from bonding inclusion. Our culturally conscious team promotes a decolonialized holistic approach to the pedagogy of climbing, training and competing; fostering autonomy, celebrating individuality. We center sovereign joy of exploration in our collective experience as trailblazing women of color and gender expansive adventurers.

On this journey, we explore, connect, commune with intentionality honoring our ancestors through our core principles of Each One, Teach One. It’s our turn to enjoy the fulfilling experience of rock climbing to the top.

Brown Girls Climbing is an independently owned and operated program of Tayloredfit Solutions, LLC, proudly based in Oakland, CA. Our program has been a fabric in the community since 2017.

Coach Emily Taylor

Professional Coach Emily Taylor is the first Queer and Black Professional Coach in the competition climbing industry. She started competing 1996-7 as an adult in ASCF/JCCA (now USA Climbing), medaled 1st place on the US Team three consecutive years before full investing in professional coaching development.

Through a 30 year coaching career, she has developed CoachApproach, an applicable methodology to learning and training the fundamentals of movement. She is a specialist at coaching efficiency of movement and mental strategies for competitive performance, making her one of the most sought after coaches in the competitive arena.

Learn More

“As the first Black, openly queer climber, competitor and coach in the rock climbing arena; building this bridge of resistant sovereign joy is the legacy of my ancestors.”

—Emily Taylor 

Professional Coach

Competition Team Beta

  • We blend guided moments, open exploration, and space to reflect—so the experience feels both sovereign and collective.

    • Small group size

    • Rhythmic training program

    • Holistic approach

    • Culturally conscious coaching

    • Women empowerment purpose

    • LGBTQ acceptance

    • Mentoring

    • Experiential learning

    • Peer lead

    • Nature-based experience

    • Multi-adventure access

    • Outdoor climbing education

    • Individualized instruction

    • Proper fundamental training

    • Technical foundation

    • Cross training

    • Competition preparation

    • Mental training

    • Emotional support

    • Nutritional support

    • Leadership development

    • Expedition trips

    • Climbing shoes

    • Harness

    • Chalk bag

    • Chalk

    • Team t-shirt

    • Team hoodie

    • Training journal

    • Sponsor discounts

  • Each season we explore adventure goals and determine participation to YCL competition series. Often the series competitions bookend important family holidays every season. We will always prioritize needs of our community over a mandatory requirement to compete.

    Program OutLook -

    Fall Season:

    2 sessions f1 - 8 wks / f2 - 6 wks

    1 practice day p/week + select weekends + Comp Team (only) trip

    Thurs 6:30p-8:15p / DLST 6:15p-8p

    • Pre-Season Training

    • Team Development

    • Fitness

    • Outdoor Climbing

    • + weekends

    • Indoor bouldering

    • Endurance-Strength Cycles

    • Technical Training

    Spring Season:

    2 sessions s1 - 5 wks / f2 - 6 wks

    2 practices day p/week + select weekends + All team trips

    2 NorCal Youth Climbing League Competitions

    Tues 6:30p-8:15p / DLST 6:15p-8p

    Thurs 6:30p-8:15p / DLST 6p-7:45p

  • Spring Season 2026

    sessions s1 - 5 wks Feb 24 - Mar 30

    • Tues 6:30p-8:15p

    • Thurs 6:30p-8:15p

    2 practices days p/week + select weekends + team trip (optional)

    2 NorCal Youth Climbing League Competitions

    Training Focus: Endurance /Competition Preparation

    s1 Schedule

    Practice: Feb 24, 26, 28, Mar 3, 5, 10, 12, 17, 19, 24, 26

    Comps: Mar 8, 21

    Adventure Trip: Mar 28-29 (overnight)

    Competition Team Radical Rest Break: Mar 30 - Apr 13

    Spring Season 2026

    s2: Apr 14 - May s2 - 6 wks

    • Tues DLST 6:15p-8p

    • Thurs DLST 6p-7:45p

    2 practices days p/week + team trips (optional)

    *Outdoor practice focus Thursdays

    Training Focus: Strength / Outdoor climbing/sport climbing

    s2 Schedule

    Practice: Apr 14, 16, 21, 23, 28, 30, May 5, 7, 12, 14, 18, 20

    Adventure Trips:

    May 2 Sport Climbing Day

    May 15-17 Whitewater Trip

Comp Team Calendar

Competition Travel Team

  • Experiential

    Learn through experience. Learn by doing. Centering independence, autonomy and mindful connection is the experiential learning journey of every class.

  • Leadership

    Competitive Travel Team members are pioneering leaders of this generation, bravely representing joyful resistance preserving Each One, Teach One.

  • Competition

    It’s Out Turn to show up and send our best! The Competition Travel Team top rope, boulder and speed climbing compete in the NorCal Youth Climbing League

  • Adventures

    Wanderlust as guide, ancestors by our side, trailblazers of this team adventures beyond rock climbing! Surfing, sea kayaking, caving, skiing, backcountry camping, international expeditions…our adventures are limitless!

  • Training

    Maximize climbing journey establishing a strong foundation in proper climbing fundamentals technique.

  • Community

    It’s our turn to send, and we do so safely bonded in our community, centering the emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual needs of our diaspora.

NorCal Youth Climbing League 

The NorCal Youth Climbing (YCL) is the longest-running indoor climbing competition league in the United States. Based in California, the independent organization provides organized youth competitions in a supportive non-aggressive environment. The goal of the league is to get young climbers excited about training, the sport of  climbing, outdoors and competing in healthy community.

Competition Season

Brown Girls Climbing Team competes during the spring Sport Season. This season includes sport, speed and bouldering formats in competitions. Competitions are organized on age a gender categories (Girls, Boys, GNB).

The Sport

Competitors can choose the disciplines they want to compete in—Bouldering, Route Climbing, and/or Speed Climbing. They can compete in one, two, or all three; and encourage try them all!  Competitors have three hours to attempt top-rope routes or boulder problems set for the competition. Speed climbing climbing is a race for  personal best. Two routes determine the success of that goal, climbable at anytime throughout the competition.

Competition Schedule is set by NorCal Youth Climbing League

Fall Season : November - December Spring Season : March-April

BGC will participate in as many competitions that align with the training schedule. Championship is not mandatory.

  • 2-3 Local Competitions

  • Championship

For information and questions about the Northern California Youth Climbing League, contact: Andy Puhvel and Lisa Coleman, YCL Directors PO Box 1027
Bishop, CA 93515-1027

Waiver Forms

Competitions are hosted by N.Bay Area indoor climbing facilities. All participants are guests of the facility and a waiver is required for any competing participant and volunteer belayer, coach. A separate waiver form is required for each facility.

Complete these waiver forms before scheduled competition.

League Registration

Brown Girls Climbing Program participates in the NorCal Youth Climbing League Season. Team members are required to register as a member of the organization and pay an organization fee.

Scholarship registration opportunities are available through the league.

Competition Registration

There are 3 local competitions, 1 championship in the series. We participate in 2 competitions in the spring Climbers are welcome to attend all competitions and championship. Host facility fees $16-$25.

BGC climbers on scholarship have reduced entry fees paid by BGC.