By DENNIS WASZAK Jr. | Associated Press
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — The brief but terrifying feeling of helplessness still gets Wes Schweitzer every time.
The New York Jets offensive lineman is scaling a rock — hand over hand, foot over foot — when he suddenly loses his grip, slips off the wall and plummets a few feet before landing.
“The rope can hold 20,000 pounds, so you’re totally safe, totally fine,” a smiling Schweitzer told The Associated Press after a recent training camp practice. “But every time I fall on the rope, I scream. I’m like, ‘Ahhh!’ You feel like you’re going to die for a second, you know?
“And people look at you funny, but then you realize other people are screaming, too, because it’s just a natural thing. You’re living in the moment and you’re trying not to fall and then you fall, so it’s surprising. So, yes, I still get scared.”
And Schweitzer, a 2016 sixth-round pick out of San Jose State, loves every sometimes-harrowing moment.
Rock climbing has become a passion over the last several years for the 6-foot-4, 325-pounder — an anomaly in a sport in which the participants are predominantly much smaller.
“I’m kind of in uncharted territory,” Schweitzer acknowledged. “I get messages every day about how much I’m inspiring people. And I’m not trying to do this to be like that for others. But it’s really cool that people are looking to me for that because climbing is, well, really hard.”
Schweitzer has taken on indoor rock walls at gyms. He also enjoys bouldering, a form of climbing on small rock formations or artificial rock walls without the use of ropes or harnesses and with pads placed on the ground. The big Arizonan who started three seasons at San Jose State has also ventured to some of the most popular outdoor climbs, such as Castle Rock in the Santa Cruz Mountains, Rocktown in Georgia and the Shawangunk Mountains — aka The Gunks — in New York.
He uses climbing to stay in shape in the offseason for football and regularly posts videos and pictures of his rock-scaling adventures on social media.
“I love it,” Jets offensive line coach Keith Carter said. “I don’t have social media, but I hear about them all the time. Just picturing him climbing up a rock wall is impressive.”
Schweitzer has made the team aware of his passion for climbing — “No one’s told me to stop quite yet” — and he stresses safety.
“I think the biggest part of it is they can see my performance on the field,” he said. “And they were like, ‘Oh, if it’s working for him, then keep doing what you’re doing, as long as you don’t get hurt, obviously.’ It’s not any more dangerous than anything else, as long as you’re doing it the right way.”
Schweitzer, who turns 31 next week, hyperextended an elbow early in his NFL career after being drafted by Atlanta. After traditional rehabilitation for a year
Source:: The Mercury News – Entertainment
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