Cardiff Devils learn the ropes of effective team building

Players from the Cardiff Devils ice hockey team were taken out of their comfort zones recently when they were shown the ropes at Wales' largest indoor climbing centre.

Use to being on solid ground, the Devils players reached new heights at Cardiff-based Boulders as they helped launch a series of corporate packages that Boulders has designed for training providers looking for alternative team building and personal development facilities.

Several players from the team, including Captain Brad Voth, took part in two team building challenges that saw them tackling 40 foot walls and swinging from high ropes in order to develop their communication and problem solving skills.

For some, clearly more used to keeping their skates on the ice, it was a new experience, but others clearly enjoyed the day. Voth said afterwards: "It was great fun. We had several of the team take part and it was definitely worthwhile as a team building exercise as we got taken out of our comfort zones and really challenged how we work together as a team.”

Based on the founders’ - Rob Lawrence and Ollie Noakes - knowledge of elite army officer training, programmes are designed to generate evidence of key skill and Institute of Leadership and Management skill set attainment, and consist of exercises such as ‘cliff hanger’ and ‘mountain rescue’ that are designed to exercise the minds and power of a team rather than fitness and physical strength.

Rob Lawrence, director at Boulders, says: “It was great having the Devils try out our new corporate packages. Our training packages will add a great deal of value to any training provider’s syllabus whilst making it easier for them to evidence the attainment of specific skill sets. Climbing is a natural team building activity as it is goal-oriented and requires cooperation, trust, and good communication skills.

“The team were able to discover each other's strengths and weaknesses in a fun way that took them out of their comfort zone of being on the ice. Used to testing their physical strength and fitness, these challenges exercised the mind and power of the team and I’m confident they got a lot out of the experience.”

The first of several previews sessions planned by Boulders over the next couple of months, the next will take part on February 11th at 4pm. If organisations are interested in the training facilities on offer at Boulders, they should contact Rebecca Morgans on becci@boulders-climbing.com for an invite.

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