Shakira Stowers — rock climber

By Dylan Huey

What do you think of when you hear the word bouldering? Challenging? Maybe scary? Powerful? Or perhaps you are thinking, “What is bouldering?” When14-year-old Shakira Stowers hears that word, she envisions a relaxing day climbing with her friends.

Bouldering is rock climbing but on shorter walls with no ropes and lots of padding below. This can mean scarier falls, more powerful moves and lots of fun to watch.

Shakira started climbing at age 9 and has been a member of the Youth Adventure Climbing Competitive Team ever since. She has always shown an affinity for climbing and bouldering, but this year she is taking her skills to a new heights. Shakira is at the climbing gym almost every day, while also training her strength and power. It’s working. How many people of any age or gender do you know who can do 15 pull-ups? Right now her life revolves around climbing. She works hard on her weaknesses and considers everything to make sure nothing will affect her training. When your goal is the podium at Bouldering Nationals in March, that is how you have to live. She had a strong second-place finish at the Bouldering Midwest Regional meet at Climb Iowa in December. Her training continues for the divisional meet in South Carolina in February right through the national competition held in Colorado Springs.

Whether she is at team practice or just climbing with friends, there is nothing she enjoys more. It is the other climbers who make this sport fun because they push her to climb routes she might not have done. Climbing also allows her to meet new people and travel. She was recently able to train with one of her heroes, professional female climber Angie Payne. One of things that stuck with Shakira the most was treating each bouldering route as a fresh start. You don’t want to let one bad performance in a competition ruin your mindset.

Climbing has also found its way into the rest of Shakira’s life as well, and this could not make her parents happier. Her dad started climbing when Shakira did, and they both come to Climb Iowa to play on artificial rock. As you can imagine, her father has to accept a lot of advice from his talented daughter. Both of her parents love the community climbing offers and enjoy traveling and watching her compete. She also heads up the Waukee High School Climbing Club with Jason Wittmus, another team member. They both organize training and work to make sure everyone in the club is learning.

Shakira is confident that climbing is going to be part of her life for a long time, whether that be training on plastic or climbing on real rock. Climbing outdoors offers its own variables that keep things fun and exciting. It is what really makes climbing a lifelong sport.

Whether inside or out, keep an eye on Shakira, but be sure to look up.

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