Why We Climb: Sophie Alexander on Identity and Belonging

In this conversation, I speak with Sophie Alexander, a Master’s student in Kinesiology at the University of Victoria, whose research explores the relationship between climbing, physical activity, identity development and belonging. CiTR 101.9 FM / The Blue Hour Recorded live on August 11, 2026 You can listen to the episode on CiTR. It is also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. The Blue Hour, hosted by Farha Guerrero, airs live every Tuesday at 2 p.m. on CiTR 101.9 FM at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada and at citr.ca. Sophie Alexander is a Master’s student in Kinesiology at the University of Victoria, where her research examines how climbing, social experience and a sense of belonging can influence physical activity and identity development. Her interest in the subject grew out of her own experience with climbing. Initially afraid of heights, Sophie began working at the Calgary Climbing Centre as a teenager and discovered the sport as a pathway…