Hallo peeps of this beautiful community, I am Kyran. I have grown up spending most of my time outdoors using my body, doing all sorts. From fishing, surfing, skating, riding bikes, hiking, and playing in the wild. The outdoors have always held a deep and big space in my heart. I could never find myself enjoying playing games on a console or watching TV, I would always get bored and go outside instead.
I spent some time on the North coast of KZN. In the time I had there I learnt how to surf. This became my release through movement, allowing me to find a flow, focus and presence in what I was doing. If I didn’t focus on the movement I would drown. The ocean taught me a lot about myself and plays a huge role in the person I am today and try to be, for everyone around me.
Change came, as it does and I had to leave the coast to come back to Johannesburg. I spent a year or two in Johannesburg feeling rather lost and I was searching for something that gave me the same release through movement as surfing once did. My younger brother had started climbing trees and I began to join him. One day he mentioned that he wanted to go to a climbing gym and I was in. We went to a nearby climbing gym for that first time and I instantly fell in love with the movement. Specifically bouldering, to me it was surfing on rock.
Eight or so months had passed since my first time in a rock climbing gym, and I was there as much as my skin and body would allow me. By this time we had come to learn about FA through social media and people mentioning it in the gym. My brother and I got curious about the place and decided to go pay it a visit during their setters comp – Bolts and Holds. From that point on we made the decision that this was our new home, and it has been ever since, without ever looking back.
Four or so months had passed since becoming a member at FA. I was there almost every day of the week, I stayed so late I often even helping close the gym with Trystan. My love and gratitude for the community and space grew deep in this time. At that point I was doing my apprenticeship for a trade, my heart was not happy with where I was doing my apprenticeship and the people whom I worked with. It was not the kind of energy I wanted in my life. It was slowly eating away at me and I decided enough was enough. I deserved better than what I was being put through at the gain of others and so I left.
Around the same time there was rumor floating around the gym that we were getting a bigger space and I was psyched. A few weeks passed and Wes posted on the community group that there were positions available for the new gym. Many of my close friends that I had now made at the gym told me to apply as I would fit the gym and the vibe well, and so I did, and here we are today! I couldn’t be more grateful for everyone who works at FA and all those who are a part of our family!
I wish to bring even more love and psych into the space for the sport, the community, my colleagues and for the amazing new space we have been blessed with. It is a beautiful and powerful space that does a lot for the community who attends and without them the space would not be.
