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Meghan McDonald

@megclimbs

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Mental Performance Coach
Head Coach US Youth National Team
@clmbiq 💪 @drlarapence ❤️
🏳️‍⚧️ support trans athletes

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I couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunity to coach Youth Worlds in Arco for @usaclimbing. It was an amazing experience to coach alongside this badass crew of coaches, and support these inspiring athletes. I learned so much and my passion for this sport grows all the time❤️‍🔥

It was even more special to share this experience with Analise and Arief. They both showed up in a huge way for this event. I cannot wait for what’s ahead for these two and for all the US athletes I got the opportunity to work with! They are all truly inspirational and I know the future is bright for them💪💪

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most people think naming an emotion is an exercise in self-awareness.

it’s more than that.
it’s a strategy.

when you put a feeling into words you give your thinking brain a better chance to do what it does best. you create a little space between the emotion and your next decision.

use strategies more often. they’re not lame. just sayin’.
#mentalperformance #athletemindset #sportpsychology

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Still thinking about Nationals. 💙

What a week.

We showed up for each other through the highs, the lows, and everything in between. We’re proud of everyone who wore CIQ this week, and topped it off with 🥉 as a team in Lead.

A big shoutout to Aiden for representing Team USA at Youth Worlds in Arco this past week. 🌍

And thank you to all of our gyms back home for the setting, the support, and all the work that went into getting us ready for Nationals. We couldn’t do it without you. @movementgymscolorado

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Event Overview
We’re excited to bring our nation’s top competitors together ahead of the 2026 Youth World Championship in Arco, Italy. This event will be geared towards building community, cultivating culture, and helping athletes prepare for the demands of international competition.

We’ll be debriefing Youth National Championship performances, returning to routes and boulders from YNC, and honing our fundamental movement skills in the USAC TC. Athletes will head home from this event with concrete takeaways to guide their final preparations for the World Championship.
Coaching Staff
Meghan McDonald - Youth National Team Head Coach
Frankie Caiazzo - Youth and Elite National Team Assistant Coach
Jon Mavko - Youth National Team Apprentice
Jasper Jarecki - Youth National Team Intern
Charlie Barron - Youth National Team Intern
Athlete Eligibility & Pricing
Current U17 and U19 athletes who meet the following criteria are eligible for registration:

First Round Registration (6/10 - 6/19)
2025 National Team Members
2026 Elite Series Top-30 Ranking
Second Round Registration (6/20 - 6/29)
2025 National Development Team Members
2026 Divisional Gold and Silver Medalists
Reserved Registration (6/30 - 7/4)
2026 National Team Members

Registration costs $450. Maximum capacity for the event is 60 athletes total, with 20 spots held in reserve for athletes who earn their place on the National Team at the 2026 Youth National Championship.
Additional info via the link in BIO.

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Collegiate Nationals ‘26

Pretty psyched to have made lead finals! I dropped three tops in boulder qualifiers, which had me bummed for a little bit but, that’s the way it goes sometimes lol. It was nice to see where I am after being injured for so long. Excited for the Vail NACS next weekend then it’s time to get back on the grind.👊👊

📸: @theshortbeta

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The Destiny Project

I came across this boulder in 2024 and was instantly mesmerized by the line’s difficulty.

The final move walked the line between possible and impossible in my mind. Leaning more towards possible as I began projecting and learning. It’s just extremely hard.

A 5mm flat crimp.
Crap footholds in less-than-ideal positions.
~45 degrees overhung with slick texture.
A ledge that’s really far away.

I’ve become obsessed with this project. The line embodies what makes me passionate about climbing.

Exploring the limits of who I am. Who can I become? How far am I willing to go?

I began calling it The Destiny Project because it calls to me in an inevitable yet futuristic way, as if I’m exactly where I need to be without fully understanding where I am in life.

The climb feels so far removed from reality yet, at the same time, inevitable.

It takes my values of passion, self-discovery, and resilience to a whole new level.

I have no idea who I will become after this long process.

I have no idea if I will ever do this climb, despite no doubt that I will one day.

The story keeps being written with many plot twists.

We’ll see what happens.

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Documented L+M’s date day in PG last week and loved every minute of it.

Shout out to @lucyspg for always being such a cool ice cream stop.

#pacificgrovephotographer #loverspointbeach #californiaweddingphotographer

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CIQ coming through.
we show up for our people.

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‼️ We have 5 spots opening on CLMB IQ.

This year we’re graduating some of the people who helped build us and help define what it means to be CLMB IQ.

They are culture carriers.

We are different because of them, and we’ll be different after them.

Now, we’re looking for people who want to carry that forward and help make this team even better.

If that feels like you, DM us “TEAM.”

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2026 Bouldering Divisionals — Team Champions.

CIQ showed what it looks like to stay composed, try hard, and support each other all the way through.

We showed up when it mattered.

That’s what this team is built on.

@thespotroutesetting showed up too—thank you to the volunteers, parents, @denverboulderingclub and @movementgymscolorado setters.

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this is us. #fam #ciq #team #bold #compclimbing

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2026 Rope Divisionals 🙌🔥

Divisionals demands that you show up fully, stay composed, and try hard until the very end.

CIQ showed up all weekend.

Thank you to @g1climbing and to our parents, volunteers, and route setters for making it all possible. 🫶

Not done yet.

Up next: Bouldering Divisionals
📸: @izzyorner

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