Meet the Coaches
Janet Hirsch, Team Manager / Indoor Climbing School Director: janet@earthtreksclimbing.com
Janet’s first taste of climbing was in the 2nd grade, and she’s had the climbing bug ever since. While attending University at SUNY New Paltz, the home of the Gunks, Janet was introduced to the joys of multi-pitch trad climbing. For the next two years, she balanced school with climbing every weekend and working at the local indoor gym.
Once graduated, Janet became Manager at the Inner Wall where she set, scheduled staff, and created curriculum including a very successful youth summer camp and after school programs.
After moving to Baltimore Janet began working for Earth Treks as an instructor and part time assistant coach, and in 2012 became the lead instructor for Earth Treks Columbia.
In the summer of 2013 Janet became the Indoor Climbing School Director for all Maryland based programming, with climbing team management being one of her primary responsibilities.
Janet is thrilled with the opportunity to continue working with the Team and she can’t wait to see what amazing progress the Team makes this year.
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Matt Jones, Columbia Head Coach: mattj@earthtreksclimbing.com
Matt began climbing in 2009, during his freshman year of college at the University of Maryland, where he received his Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology (the study of movement in the human body). Before becoming a full-time route setter at Earth Treks, Matt was the head route-setter for the better part of 3 years at the University of Maryland wall and helped to organize a number of large, intercollegiate competitions. Matt’s favorite places to climb include Coopers Rock, WV, Stoney Point, CA, and Waimea Bay, HI.
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Justin Wyse, Timonium Head Coach: justin@earthtreksclimbing.com
Justin graduated from Western Washington University in the winter of 2013 with a BA in Therapeutic Recreation. While earning his degree, he founded, coached, and competed on Western’s climbing team, which won 3 consecutive back to back championship titles in the Northwest Collegiate Climbing Circuit. This experience cemented his passion for climbing, especially competitive climbing.
Over the years, Justin has worked as a head route setter at his college, at Seattle Bouldering Project running youth programs, and at the Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center in Colorado, running outdoor programs for people with disabilities
Most recently Justin worked in Washington D.C., teaching student leadership through the National Young Leaders Conference, where he fortuitously found out about Earth Treks.
Justin’s favorite place to climb is among the boulders in Joe’s Valley (Utah), but he’s learning to love East Coast climbing.
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Tori Guido, Rockville Head Coach:
tori@earthtreksclimbing.com
Tori started climbing in 1999 with the Sportrock Junior Team. She competed in four Youth National Competitions and two Youth International Competitions before going to University of MD – College Park to receive a BS in Economics. While earning her undergraduate degree she worked as a climbing instructor at UMD’s Outdoor Recreation Center and competed at local college-level competitions, often winning first place in Women’s Advanced. She also traveled extensively to climb at places like Bishop, CA, Hueco Tanks, TX, Smith Rock, OR, Fontainebleau, FR, and Mallorca, SP. After graduating from UMD she found a full time position with an IT company and earned her MS in IT Project Management at UMUC. Since then Tori has started training hard for climbing again, winning the Light Roast Event at the Triple Crown Bouldering Series in Little Rock City, TN and onsighting 5.12a at the Red River Gorge, KY in the fall of 2012. She is excited to be a part of the Earth Treks Climbing Team and help young climbers achieve their goals.