What it Means To Be A 14er

By John P. Morris, Lead Climber

When I first joined RMA, I noticed that the members of RMA were a tight group and I felt kind of like the new kid on the block, sort of an outsider. It took a number of years before I felt like one of the “gang”. It took even longer before I felt comfortable enough to actually get involved at the leadership level.

As the 14ers Club description notes: The purpose of the 14ers Club is to promote a recognition program for individuals within RMA who have achieved a level of commitment and accomplishment, and to support RMA in its mission to elevate the leadership and influence of facilities professionals. The other goal, and perhaps more important than the other two, is to mentor others to prepare them for and fulfill leadership roles at their own institutions, within RMA and within APPA.

I think back when I first started and wonder if I had an RMA mentor would I have possibly been more successful in my career. As a member of the 14ers Club, and lead climber, I would like to do my best to provide that mentorship and possibly help another fellow FMer dyno* into their career. We want the “new kids on the block” to feel like they are part of the gang. We also want you to feel comfortable enough to get involved. RMA and APPA have a lot to offer, and the sooner you get involved the sooner you reap the benefits.

By now you have probably picked up on the climbing theme. This is intentional. Not only is rock climbing and achieving the 14er status something that emulates the Rocky Mountains, it is a metaphor for your career. Just as newcomers, or gumbies as they are referred to in rock climbing, would rely on an experienced climbing buddy to assist them with a technical climb, so it goes for your career or your climb through RMA and APPA. 14ers can show their climbing buddies the anchors, cams, biners and ropes in order to gain the benefits of what RMA has to offer. The following are a few of RMA’s strengths.

• Training opportunities to ‘sharpen your saw’
  - Scholarships to the APPA Institute
  - Scholarships to the APPA Professional Development Academy
  - Funding support for the Supervisor Toolkit
  - RMA Annual Educational Forums
  
• Comradeship – I have made many friends through my years with RMA and always look forward to interacting with my peers. Through these friendships I have received mentoring (formal and informal), networking opportunities, and have learned more than I possibly could have on my own.
• Mentorship – The new 14ers Club is aimed at creating formal mentorship opportunities, although informal mentoring occurs on a regular basis. I continue to learn something new every time I interact with others from within our region.
• Networking – I have often been asked by my superiors to find out about what others are doing on various topics, and through my involvement with RMA I feel I can ask friends in the business for assistance. By sharing ideas with my peers I have found numerous opportunities to apply what I have learned.
• Partnerships – Competition is great on the football field, but in the facilities management arena we all need to partner together for our mutual success.
• We offer a continuum through your career - Early in your career, RMA provides value by providing training, networking and learning. Later in your career, RMA fulfills a need to share your wisdom and experience through mentoring.
• Overall - RMA is a conduit to transfer knowledge and wisdom, provides an opportunity for fellowship, and is a venue for melding the science and the art of facilities management.

As the 14ers Club Lead Climber I encourage you to get involved. Engage with your peers. It is a fantastic opportunity to gain personal enrichment and professional development. Participate in your organization’s leadership to ensure your needs are fulfilled. RMA is the organization that can help you make connections in the profession and the region. Be open and welcoming to our new members and take time to mentor others; after all the success of RMA is a result of membership participation and leadership.

The fact that you are thinking about getting involved as a climbing buddy is your first step towards the rest of your climb. I welcome you and look forward to climbing with you. If you have any questions about this program, RMA or APPA, please feel free to contact me.

John P. Morris, P.E.
john.morris@colorado.edu
University of Colorado at Boulder
UCB 053
Boulder, CO 80309-0053
(303) 735-0716

*Some common climbing terms and techniques for those gumbies out there:

Aid climbing - A type of climbing in which the climber uses devices that alter the rock face, such as bolts or hooks, to assist in the ascent.
Anchor - A natural or man-made structure (tree, bolt or cam, for instance) that holds the belay.
Belay - A rope setup that catches a climber who falls, typically guided by a second climber.
Biner - A small metal oval that opens and closes to hold multiple devices together; short for carabiner.
Bouldering - Climbing a small rock, usually less than 30 feet (9 meters) high and typically without a rope.
Cam - A protective device that retracts to be inserted into a crack and then expands to grip it.
Crimp - Establish a hold by pressing the fingertips into the rock and raising the knuckles.
Dyno - Jump across the rock face to reach the next hold, temporarily losing all contact with the rock.
Deck out - Fall off the rock and hit the ground.
Elvis - A leg that shakes uncontrollably, often due to exhaustion or nervousness.
Free climbing - A type of climbing in which the climber uses no assistive devices for the ascent; it's just the climber and the rock, and a protective device, like a rope, only in case of a fall (no-rope climbing is free soloing).
Gumbie - term for a novice rock climber
Leader - the climber who climbs first and puts protection in place for the climb.
Piton - Pitons or pegs are steel (or alloy) pins which are driven into cracks in the rock to provide belays and points of assistance. There are a number of piton types, Blade, Angle and Bong, for example.
Strength/Endurance - the strength of a climber to continue climbing for a considerable period of time without sacrificing efficiency.
Traditional climbing - A type of climbing in which the climber uses non-altering devices, such as cams and slings, to aid in the ascent.

Remember: Make sure you brush up on your terminology before heading out with more experienced climbers who use the jargon. Nobody wants you decking out.

Download a 14ers application today! (Word Format, PDF Format)