Suzu Jeffery's Great Climb

For the majority of college freshmen, the first days of school are fraught with learning the way around a new campus and getting used to dorm food. Northern Arizona University freshman Suzu Jeffery, 17, has a few other things on her plate.

For one thing, the Manhattan Beach native has been living out of a suitcase all summer while she traveled. Then there's the fact that she has left campus during the second week of school to compete in the International Federation of Sport Climbing Youth World Championships in Scotland this weekend.

Jeffery will celebrate her 18th birthday while in Scotland. "I can't wait," she said in a phone interview earlier this week. "It will be exciting to represent America in the event, but also lonely on my birthday."

Still, she seems more preoccupied with visualizing success once she gets to the 60-foot-high wall, which is more than twice as high as the walls on which she usually trains. 

"Sometimes before competitions I'm really nervous, so I'll grab the first two holes of the competition and visualize myself climbing the route," she said. "This might sound weird, but sometimes I visualize a jaguar, because they inspire me. They are smooth and powerful, so I envision a jaguar climbing it." 

Jeffery trained extensively with her two coaches, Mary Acharon and Deanna Lapen, in the Stone Monkey Club back home in Hawthorne. She ranked fifth at nationals and sixth at biannual continentals, where she competed against young climbers from the U.S., Mexico and Canada.

When asked how she feels about stepping on the world stage of young rock climbers, Jeffery seemed unfazed. 

"It's pretty exciting," she said. "I'm not nervous yet, but I'm sure I'll get nervous on the plane. You would never think it actually happens and then it does."

Jeffery said that her brief experience so far at NAU has been a good one.

"Most classes are the basics, like English and math," she said, "but I'm hoping to be an exercise science major, and I had my first class for that today.

"I had to tell everyone I was leaving the second week," she said. "The friends I met so far and my roommate were impressed. It was difficult to tell my teachers and I tried to get makeup work. Most of the teachers were fine but my English teacher hassled me."

Jeffery had to get an official form to leave, and has spent her days running around campus getting things in order.

"Today the dean graciously helped me out and he was very interested and asked me to e-mail him about how I did so he could put it on the NAU website," she said. "But because the sport is so separate from the school it can be hard to find a balance."

For the week before her departure, Jeffery had been living in the gym. "The last week is a recovering week," she said, "so I'll relax and do some cardio and climbing, but you need to rest the week before. Since I'm in high elevation it will be good to do some running."

Her flight to Scotland was out of Phoenix, so she stopped by a gym in the city to use the same whirlpools that are going to be at the World Championships. 

Before she left for college, Jeffery had begun coaching the younger climbers, mostly ages 11 and 12, at the Stone Monkey Club. She will travel back to Phoenix later this year to watch these girls compete. It's likely she wants to show the young climbers the same support her coaches have offered her throughout her years of training.

When asked what she wanted people to know about the sport, she simply said, "That my coaches are great coaches."

When the World Championships are over, there will be no rest for the weary. "I don't see a break in my future," Jeffery acknowledged. She is looking forward to learning the ropes of college life, unpacking her suitcases and going to the nearest crag to the NAU campus, Priest Draw, where she will harness up and start climbing. 

"I'll never stop missing the beach," she said, "but where I am is not a city town. It's a forest town with a campus plopped in the middle. Right now I'm sitting at my desk, looking out the window on the fourth floor, staring at the branches."

After climbing to the top, it appears Jeffery will be able to sit back and settle into college life just fine.