BROOKFIELD — This weekend one rock climber will be reaching new heights as she proves anything is possible as long as you believe in yourself.
“Other people don’t think people with disabilities and stuff like that can climb, but we can," Anna Konkel said.
The 18-year-old rock climber is visually impaired. However, that has never stopped her from doing what she wanted. The high schooler has also been doing cheer for the past four years.
"I can do what you can do too," she said.
This weekend she will compete in the 25th Quick on the Draw climbing contest at Adventure Rock in Brookfield. The tournament will feature roughly 200 climbers of all abilities and ages. Rather than a speed competition, climbers will try to complete a series of increasingly difficult routes. It's the second year there has been an adaptive division.
“We want more and more people to climb, so it allows more and more people to get involved," Craig Burzynski the co-owner of Adventure Rock said.
Konkel has one goal in mind this weekend.
“Try be like impress myself like I just did that."
She is competing with the help of Sophie Willihnganz, an adaptive rock climbing volunteer at Adventure Rock.
“She can do the routes just as well or sometimes better than other climbers. and I think that really helps to build a lot of confidence in themselves," Willihnganz said about Konkel.
Willihnganz acts as a GPS for Konkel. She will give directions like "bring your right foot up" or "you're going to reach with your left straight up". The two work as a team to navigate the wall. Willihnganz wants to make climbing accessible to as many people as possible.
"Rock climbing can be really intimidating for someone who is perceived as able-bodied. That someone who might have a disability or a difficulty with moving their body, they think that’s something they couldn’t possibly do or take part in. So like Anna was saying earlier, she can do it to,"
When it comes to this team, it's not all equal. Konkel is the one doing the heavy lifting, literally. However, she doesn't mind that.
“It feels like great," she said.
When she is on the wall, Konkel is just like everyone else. You can't tell she is visually impaired.
"I feel like every other person in the room because they are climbing too."
While her goal this weekend is to impress herself and reach the top of the wall, she is sending a bigger message.
"(People with disabilities) can do whatever we put our minds to."
There’s no telling the heights she’ll climb. Adventure Rock and cheer are just the beginning.
To get more information on adaptive rock climbing, go to the Adventure Rock website.
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