Director of Climbing Programs & Routesetting

What do I do at High Exposure? Director of Climbing Programs and a Routesetter.

I found Rock Climbing here at High Exposure back in 2016 and been hooked ever since. I quickly started coaching some of the youth programs. Fast forward years later to now being in charge of all it. My favorite part about coaching would have to be helping someone finish what seems like an impossible climb.

Why do you like Climbing? I absolutely love climbing because it pushes my physical, mental and technical skills. Every climb is different and there is no one way. Putting the puzzle together is too much fun.

Years climbing: 8 years
Years Setting: 5+ years

Why Setting? My favorite part of setting has to be watching people learn and grow through my creations.

Dream Boulder and Route? Multiverse V15 and Excalibur 9b+

What inspires me? Knowing that there is so much climbing out there i haven't done pushes me to train harder and climb more.

Head Coach, Director of the Ninja Program

What do I do at High Exposure? I am the director of the ninja program and head coach at High Exposure. I will be coaching our competitive ninja team along with my other head coaches Andrew Mottolese and Katrel Ortiz.

I have a bachelor's degree in Exercise Science from SUNY Cortland and also a certified personal trainer. My goal as a coach is to make your athlete the best version of themselves on and off the course. Using my training and experience in Ninja, Spartan Races and as a personal trainer, I use multiple techniques to elevate your athlete's abilities. Aside from the physical development of the athlete, we also focus on the mental aspect to help athletes overcome challenges in both the sport and everyday life.

Years with High Exposure? I have been a part of the High Exposure team since 2016 and coaching since 2017.

Hi! My name is Andrew Mottolese, and I am one of the head coaches for the Ninja Program at High Exposure. I have been at High Exposure for over 5 years and been coaching ninja for 4. Prior to coaching Ninja, I played baseball and soccer in school and later coached both at a youth level. I have a Bachelor's degree with a concentration in Education (Pre-k through Grade 6).

I started my ninja career in 2018 and have been coaching / competing since. I have qualified for the Regional Championships three times in 2019, 2022, and 2023. I also qualified for the World Championship in 2022 which was very exciting. One of the main reasons I chose the education path was because of my experiences at High Exposure. Nothing is more rewarding than seeing your child grow and improve in multiple ways. My goal as a coach / educator is to provide a safe and fun environment for children to grow and learn. Having a positive mindset with positive affirmations as well as having great, strong relationships between the parents as well as the ninjas is very important to me.

I can’t wait to meet you and your ninja and see what we can accomplish together!

Assistant Coach

What do I do at High Exposure? I am an assistant coach.

Ranking: I am Currently ranked 1st in the US and 3rd in the world under the top 100 and top 50 boulders disciple on the 8a.nu website.

I have been climbing and competing for around eight or nine years, I couldn’t imagine my life without it. While I would more so call myself an outdoor climber, I do have my fair share of competition experience. I’ve competed in countless youth national championships and won multiple regional and divisional championships. Now, as an adult, I compete in the Open (Adult) National Championships and constantly make semi-finals.

Years climbing: 9 years

Setting: I take my setting very seriously as well. I have guest sets at many gyms in and outside of the area. Most notable are gyms like Method Climbing in Newark and BC’s Climbing in New Paltz.

Dream Boulder and Route? I most recently visited Rocklands in South Africa to try one dream climb! That dream climb being “Monkey Wedding” v15, I was ecstatic to send this climb and achieve a long time dream of climbing a v15.

Assistant Coach Ninja

What I do at High Exposure: I am one of the Head Ninja Coaches.

I have been a coach for many years coaching in Baskeball and Soccer on high school level and club teams. I began working here at High Exposure in 2021 after I booked a birthday party for my son. Being the athlete that I am since a very young age, I was immediately intrigued by facility and the sport. I was curious on how I can become part of this gym and becoming a coach was the opportunity and the rest is history. I have taught from little ninjas, to obstacles and team. I have also competed qualifying for regionals. Ninja is an amazing sport. It teaches you balance, acrobatics, upper body strength, lower body strength and core. Those gross motor skills needed to succeed. I would recommend ninja for all ages.