Our Team
Bios about the faces that make up Onsight Rock Gym
BUILT FOR CLIMBERS, BY CLIMBERS
OUR MISSION
To foster a welcoming and friendly community of individuals who support each other through our shared passion for rock climbing.
OUR PROMISE
We commit ourselves to providing the highest quality climbing experience possible for every guest by creating a supportive, engaging, and community driven space that welcomes inspiration, diversity, self discovery, and personal achievements.
Onsight Rock Gym was conceived and created with the help of our friends and family with various personal and professional backgrounds, many of whom are avid rock climbers with a lifelong passion and love for the sport. Together, we are committed and passionate in making Onsight Rock Gym a state of the art facility. By working alongside Walltopia, one of the leaders in the climbing wall industry, we have meticulously designed and created a facility we are honored to bring to Knoxville, TN. We have hand-picked our management and development team, who want to share their passion with you. Our love for rock climbing and our dedication to providing you with the best experience possible will resonate throughout the facility - from the warm welcome you receive upon entering the gym to your experience with our friendly, professional staff who aim to motivate and support you through your progress.
We are bringing you a facility that all of us would be proud to climb at and be a part of. Having been in the sport for almost two decades, we stand behind our expertise and experiences to bring you the best climbing wall design, expert route setting, innovative program development, and above all, an unforgettable experience. We are community focused and driven by our passion for rock climbing to build a gym that will not only be a climbing facility, but a social hub for the ever-growing rock climbing community in Knoxville. We want our gym to be a place you come to build lifelong friendships, set goals, reach new heights, and inspire others. Whether you are an experienced climber or just trying out the sport for the first time, we want you to be part of our community. We are a team of forward thinkers, innovators, and creators, committed to keeping the community motivated, involved, and psyched about rock climbing. We are so excited to share our vision with you and welcome each and every one of you to the Onsight family.
- Founders of Onsight Rock Gym
Christian Robinson Founder
Christian was born and raised in Hawaii where he spent most of his younger years surfing, hiking, and camping on the islands of Oahu and Kauai. Growing up in Hawaii was always an adventure and these experiences cemented his love for the outdoors. In 2004, Christian moved to Southern California and immediately stumbled across a local climbing gym, just a few blocks from his home. He was instantly drawn to the sport and started climbing regularly at the gym during the week and outside at various crags throughout Southern California on the weekends. It wasn't long before he was traveling across the country to climb at many of the best climbing areas that the United States has to offer. In 2007, he met Yoli, the love of his life, and together they traveled the world, climbing at some of the best climbing destinations on the planet. Christian is happy to call Knoxville home, where he lives with his wife, son, and daughter. He loves the awesome climbing and great people who frequent the Obed, less than an hour away from Knoxville. He enjoys sharing his love for climbing with his family and is excited to be teaching his children about the sport that has given back so much. When he's not climbing, Christian enjoys paddle boarding, surfing, hiking, camping, and traveling.
Climbing Superpower: Making Everything Look Difficult
Favorite Crag Snack: AB&J (almond butter and jelly) Sandwich
Favorite Crags: Kalymnos, Squamish, Joe's Valley
Yolanda "Yoli" Chen Co-Founder
Yoli first discovered climbing while attending college in Kansas City, MO. After learning the ropes at a local climbing gym, life and school took over and she put climbing aside for six years. After moving to California in 2005, she reignited her passion for rock climbing and explored the multitude of crags in the Southern California region. It was there that she found yet another love, her husband Christian, and together they started traveling all over the world to climb. Now, after a decade, two moves across the country, and the addition of two mini-crushers to their family, they have started their next adventure here in Knoxville, TN. Aside from climbing and being a part of this amazing project, Yoli works at East Tennessee Children's Hospital, loves photography, culinary arts (mostly the eating part), snowboarding, exploring the outdoors, and traveling.
Climbing Superpower: Finding Awkward Rests
Favorite Crag Snack: Chocolate
Favorite Crags: Jackson Falls, New River Gorge, Waterval Boven, Limekiln, Red River Gorge
Woodrow Miiller Co-Owner | Construction coordinator
Woody was raised in Charlestown, West Virginia, and grew up skiing and hiking in the Appalachian Mountains. Woody developed a taste for adventure early in life and found an outlet for it in the outdoors. During college, he took a semester off and kayaked 3,500 miles across the U.S., raising money for children's charities. He was also an environmental educator and worked with wolves in Minnesota. After living on a tall ship and operating along the Eastern seaboard, he moved to Montana, took up white water kayaking, and worked as a raft guide. Finally, Woody moved to St. Louis and became a construction foreman and continues in the field of construction with the start of his own company. Woody has always loved construction because it has been in his family for generations. Since St. Louis doesn't have an ocean, white water rivers, or mountains close by, Woody decided to take up rock climbing by going to a local gym. It was perfect and exactly what he was looking for: a fun and challenging sport with an amazing community that can be enjoyed for a lifetime. He couldn't be more excited to be a part of this project to help build that community in Knoxville.
Climbing Superpower: Alternate beta finder, usually in avoidance of small holds
Favorite Crag Snack: Smoked salmon and goat cheese in a pita
Favorite Crag: Seems to change year to year, but right now, it's the OBED!
Calvin Hwang CO-OWNER
Calvin's passion for rock climbing dates back to the 1990s when he first started climbing during his college years. It was during this time that he quickly developed a deep love for the sport and became captivated by the mental challenges and problem-solving aspects that it presented. In the early 2000s, Calvin made a life-changing decision to move to St. Louis, where he met and married the love of his life, and began building a fulfilling life and family. Despite living in the flatlands of Missouri, Calvin's passion for rock climbing has never wavered. He eagerly seizes any opportunity that brings him closer to his beloved sport. Whether it's ascending multipitch routes in the renowned Red Rocks, conquering the technical sandstone routes of Jackson Falls, or tackling challenging boulder problems in the legendary Hueco Tanks, Calvin finds joy in every facet of rock climbing. He embraces the physical and mental challenges that the sport presents with enthusiasm and determination, always striving to push himself to new heights.
Climbing Superpower: Pretending like he doesn’t know how to rock climb
Favorite Crag Snack: BiBimbap
Favorite Crags: Red Rocks, Red River Gorge, Jackson Falls
Cope head Routesetter
Raised in the stoneless swamplands of Louisiana, Cope unexpectedly found climbing at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette where he studied computer science. In search of real rock after completing his degree in 2018, Cope moved to heavily pebbled Alabama where he fell in love with slopers and steep southern sandstone. While there, he worked briefly as a desk jockey software engineer and graduate student of mathematics but sidelined both efforts in 2019 to pursue his dream of becoming a full-time routesetter. These days, Cope enjoys his job as the head routesetter here at Onsight and spending time with his cat Panini who he adores.
Climbing Superpowers: Dynos, Coordination
Favorite Crag Snack: Cheese Omelette
Favorite Crags: Little River Canyon, Hospital Boulders, New River Gorge, Holy Boulders
Gigi walker Programs Manager | Routesetter | Youth coach
Gigi was born and raised in Johnson City, Tennessee. She was always interested in climbing, but there wasn’t a gym near her, so she was only able to climb on infrequent bouldering trips. When she moved to Maryville, Tennessee for her freshman year of college and had access to a gym, she became addicted right away. Soon after, she was sent home because her school went remote during Covid. When school started again, she started climbing at Onsight and fell in love with the sport even more and with the community of climbers there. When she is not climbing, Gigi enjoys painting and drawing, especially drawing comic books.
Climbing Superpower: Dynoing to Every Hold
Favorite Crag Snack: Clif Bars
Favorite Crags: The Red River Gorge, Grayson Highlands
Matthew White GENERAL manager | Youth Coach
Matthew, originally from southern California, moved to Knoxville in 2020. After a year of living in Knoxville he took a trip back to California to visit his old friends and family. While there, his uncle decided to take him to a rock climbing gym. After that first time climbing, Matthew fell in love with the sport. When Matthew isn’t climbing he enjoys going to concerts and walking his goldfish.
Climbing Superpower: Climbing in Terrible Conditions
Favorite Crag Snack: Cragwich
Favorite Crag: Been to Obed a Couple Times
Jacob Wille head Youth coach | routesetter
Jacob was raised in central North Carolina and although he was an active child, spending most of his time outdoors in the woods or mountains, his love for climbing wasn’t born until 2016 after discovering his university's rock wall. Shortly after finding the wall, he found the climbing team. During his three years with the ECU rock climbing team, he found his passion for both climbing and teaching and loves to combine the two. After graduation he moved around for a bit, eventually landing in Knoxville where he enjoys exploring the many awesome crags that are so close by. When not climbing Jacob enjoys playing any sport that someone will play with him, drawing, and playing his banjo.
Climbing Superpower: Climbing in Jeans
Favorite Crag Snack: He doesn’t really eat at the crag, but he always eat enough Cookout afterward to make up for it.
Favorite Crags: The Red, Rumbling Bald, The Obed
michael ebling INstructor | Routesetter | youth coach
Michael started climbing in 2005, and he fell in love with the sport right away. For the next decade or so he climbed on and off as much as he could, but it wasn’t until he moved to Knoxville in 2017 that he was able to make climbing a really big part of his life. He wishes he had done it sooner! Climbing is more than just a hobby; it’s a way of life. He quickly found the joy of training and challenging himself on difficult climbs. He enjoys all forms of climbing, but especially sport climbing and trad. He started setting routes here at Onsight in 2019. When he isn’t climbing, he studies philosophy at the University of Tennessee.
Climbing Superpower: Perpetual Psyche
Favorite Crag Snack: Lembas Bread
Favorite Crags: Red River Gorge, Obed
Willie Middlebrooks front desk staff | Routesetter | youth coach
Willie was raised in Flint, Michigan and spent most of his time climbing trees, playing music and doodling. It wasn’t until 2020 that he moved to Knoxville to attend the University of Tennessee’s jazz studies program. In May of 2021, Willie stumbled across Ijam’s crag while out on a hike. Being from Flint, he had never encountered a crag before and was desperate to find a group of people who could teach him the ropes (pun fully intended). This led him to the Vol Wall at UT, and eventually Onsight Rock Gym where he held a membership for nearly a year before joining the staff. For Willie, climbing is a way of expressing himself and pushing his mental and physical limits. When not climbing, you can find him hiking, playing piano, watching Netflix, and hanging with friends and family.
Climbing Superpower: High Feet
Favorite Crag Snack: Trail Mix
Favorite Crag: Obed
Gideon Torode Front Desk Staff | Youth Coach
Gideon was taken to a climbing gym by one of his best friends in the summer of 2021 and now can’t imagine a future without it. He enjoys meeting new people even though it scares him a little at first. If you engage with him in a conversation on the bouldering mats he might say to you: “what are you projecting over here?” or “what music do you listen to?” or “am I skipping intro to research methods to be here right now? Yup.”
Climbing Superpower: Always chill
Favorite Crag Snack: A block of spicy cheese
Favorite Crag: The Obed
David Wolff Front Desk Staff
Originally from California, David came to Knoxville to study painting at UTK and has remained in Tennessee ever since. Encouraged repeatedly to visit Onsight by a fellow painter and employee of the gym, David, finally broke down and visited the gym in the spring 2021. Ever since then he has come to know the special effects climbing can have on body and soul, and the supportive community that comes along with climbing. This year he decided to become a member of the Onsight team.
Climbing Superpower: Determination
Favorite Crag Snack: Hamburger
Favorite Crag: The Red River Gorge
Andrew Miller youth Coach
Although Andrew was born and raised in the climbing mecca of Boone, North Carolina, he found climbing while attending East Tennessee State University in 2015. He learned to climb on the sport routes of Hidden Valley and the traditional climbs in the Linville Gorge. After graduating, he and his wife, Adison, moved to Knoxville. Since then, they have sport climbed around the country and have occasionally spent a season bouldering. They are usually at the Obed on the weekends with their two dogs, Penny and Marvin. During the summers, they migrate west to Wyoming, usually settling down in Lander. When Andrew isn't climbing, he is an English & Language Arts teacher at West High School here in Knoxville.
Climbing Superpower: Stubborn; won't walk away until it's done
Favorite Crag Snack: Peanut Butter Cliff Bar
Favorite Crags: Wild Iris, Obed, Hawksbill
jack rogers front desk staff
As a Knoxville native, Jack grew up with a love for the outdoors from a young age. It wasn’t until the summer of 2022, though, that he ventured to Onsight to explore the world of climbing. Jack quickly fell in love with the sport and has since been obsessed with it. In his free time (when he’s not climbing) he enjoys walking his dog Pepper, watching football with friends, and caving (yes, you heard that right…caving!).
Climbing Superpower: Getting Chalk in His Eyes
Favorite Crag Snack: Beef Jerky and Buc-ee’s Fudge
Favorite Crags: Holy Water (Buena Vista, CO), Obed, and the rest are to be explored
Kensie rogowski front desk staff | youth coach
Kensie grew up in Alpharetta, GA, and was introduced to climbing by her older brother in 2016 at the University of Alabama during her freshman year of college. Kensie then moved to Murfreesboro, TN, and started working at a rock climbing gym. Then she started climbing more consistently, traveling to Chattanooga every weekend. Kensie enjoys being outside (especially in cold weather), climbing slab, petting dogs, and taking pictures (mostly of climbers). Check out her climbing photography Instagram, @_get.psyched_
Climbing Superpower: Photography Skillzzzzzz
Favorite Crag Snack: Freeze-Dried Mangos, Tuna, Meat Sticks
Favorite Crags: Rocktown, Zahnd, Grayson Highlands
maggie garrett front desk staff | youth coach
Maggie started climbing as a kid at Planet Granite in Sunnyvale, California. She prefers bouldering and climbs at an intermediate level. She moved to Knoxville in 2022 and started at Onsight in July of ‘23. She likes encouraging the kids she coaches and being silly. Outside of the gym, Maggie has been playing roller derby with Hard Knox for one year. She can be found at The Bark dog park with her puppy Garbanzo. Long weekends she spends at her parents’ house on Douglas Lake.
Climbing Superpower: My potential
Favorite Crag Snack: String cheese
Favorite crags: TBD
Ellie Wood youth coach
Ellie first discovered climbing in elementary school through a spring break camp at Onsight. She began climbing once a week, and made the decision in sixth grade to give up musical theater to pursue competitive climbing through Team Onsight. She has been competing for five years now and each year she’s fallen more and more in love with the sport. She loves the variety of mental and physical challenges that come with climbing, getting to travel to new places, connecting with nature, and most importantly the beautiful community she found through the sport. Outside of climbing, she loves to play music (guitar/piano) and sing, she is involved in her youth group and rejoice choir, she enjoy playing board games and spending time outdoors with her family, and she can often be found nerding out about math or physics.
Climbing Superpower: Three Finger Drag
Favorite Crag Snack: Luna bars and any kind of sweets
Favorite crags: The Red
NATE FRADY FRONT DESK STAFF
Nate was born in Greenville, South Carolina on June 27, 2008. He had always been into climbing but not necessarily on rock. He only started climbing rocks in 2021 after going to a trampoline park with a couple of small climbing walls, and he quickly developed a love for the sport.
Climbing Superpower: Obscene Reaching Capability
Favorite Crag Snack: Tuna
Favorite crags: Laurel Snow State Park