12 of our 15 competitors placed in the top three at the inaugural USA Paraclimbing National Championships, 8 of which qualified for worlds in Spain. We are proud to announce that through dedication both in the gym and on the fundraising trail three Catalyst athletes were able to make the trip to Spain.
Meet Our Team Ryan was born missing the lower half of his right arm but has never considered it to be a disability. Instead, he thinks of it as a minor inconvenience. His favorite sports growing up were soccer and football, he was the kicker on his high school’s football team. He started rock climbing in late 2012 and instantly fell in love with the sport. He took gold at the 2014 American Bouldering Series Paraclimbing Nationals (his first para climbing competition) and followed it up with another gold at the USA Paraclimbing National Championships. This month he is traveling to Spain for the IFSC Paraclimbing World Cup, where he hopes to take home another gold medal. Ryan hopes to one day become a prosthetist so he can help others turn disabilities into minor inconveniences.
Lisa Aguilar was born on September 16, 1982. She lost her left leg above the knee after getting hit by a car when she was eighteen years old. It took a long time to heal from this life-changing event, but she rediscovered passion and confidence in her life after she started rock climbing. This confidence fueled her to pursue a Masters in Rehabilitation Counseling at Mercer University. She wants other people with disabilities to find purpose and meaning in their lives. She is a truly inspiring person who brings a lot of great energy and style to the team.
William Lowery does not believe in giving up and it began at birth. During an emergency C-section in 1986, his lung collapsed leaving him deprived of oxygen. The doctors told his parents he probably wouldn’t live. Stating that if by chance he did survive, he would not see, hear, or speak. Miraculously, he was able to do all three. After 20 years of having Retinitis Pigmentosa, (an eye condition characterized by the gradual degeneration of the retina) the disease took his sight. In 2012 on the anniversary of his kidney transplant, William decided to try indoor rock climbing at the Catalyst Sports Adaptive Climbing Clinic. He absolutely loved the experience and has been participating in Catalyst’s Wednesday night climbing sessions for the past two years. He placed 2nd in his first-ever climbing competition and will be representing us on the USA Paraclimbing Team!