Developing your Head Game on a WAAC Meet

Felicity joined us on the 2025 Trad Development Meet in Pembroke and sent in her feedback about how the weekend has changed her approach to trad and helped her fall back in love with lead climbing again.

I went on the Pembrokeshire lead development meet in August 2025. It surpassed all my expectations. I hoped to have some coaching as my head game lead climbing trad had essentially collapsed and I couldn’t get off the ground anymore. I love sea cliffs and had heard the Pembs rock was lush so I was hoping this aspect would be supportive. I had a marvellous time following some classics starred routes with Sam and a trainee mci. It was wonderful climbing and learning from other women. Then gradually I moved from following to ghost leading to leading. The coaching I received was some of the best coaching I have ever received and I’ve played a lot of sport in the past. I was so grateful for how kind people were while I took such baby steps in getting to a more confident point (eg having to lace a diff). I came out of it leading a severe feeling so happy and climbing in my comfort/stretch zone not in panic zone. 

The weekend changed the climbing game again for me and I refound my love of it, gained tons of confidence and had an all round epic few days.  I can now trust my skills and have fantastic systems from Sam I can use to work with fear as it arises as I am lead climbing, which I still use and can imagine I always will. The environment was great with loads of thought into accommodation and all the different arrangements and such a welcoming generous team of people. Massive thanks to all the waac people who made the weekend happen, as well as Sam and Laerke.