OHIO JUMPS INTO AN EXTREME SPORT

11-09-2007

Mason, Ohio – November 8, 2007 – The Comet Skippers of Mason, Ohio are becoming world ambassadors of the fast growing extreme sport of competitive jump roping.

 

Spectators experience jaw-dropping expressions trying to comprehend how it’s physically possible to jump rope the way Comet Skippers’ boys and girls do, especially considering they only arrived on the scene three years ago!

 

Now they are preparing to host the January 25-27, 2008 U.S. Trials in Mason, Ohio to determine who goes to Cape Town, South Africa to compete in the World Championships – which are only held every other year. In the meantime, workshops are planned where national champions from around the nation will descend on Mason, Ohio to teach jump rope tricks, creativity and fundamentals to anyone interested in learning, whether they are beginners or advanced. The workshops also provide training for judges by the best judges in the nation. Forums for coaches and instructors are assembled to teach how to support teams and grow the sport.

 

The sport has come a long way since Carmen and Mike Simpson moved to Ohio and decided to see if there would be any interest in starting a jump rope team in 2004. They didn’t know if anyone would even show up for that first meeting.

 

“Carmen and I walked into the gym with our three kids and a bag of ropes not knowing what to expect,” said Mike, now co-head coach of the Comet Skippers with his wife Carmen. “As soon as we set foot in the gym and saw over 100 kids, Carmen looked at me and said Wow! we’re going to need more ropes!”

 

Since that humble beginning, the Comet Skippers have amassed medals from the USA Jump Rope Nationals, advanced members to the U.S. National Team to compete in the World Championships, and have had team members appear in an X-Box commercial and Disney’s film – JUMP IN. 

 

Disney’s JUMP IN increased interest in the sport much like the workouts of legendary boxer Sugar Ray Leonard drew crowds to watch his fancy footwork at jump roping years earlier. Today, trainers in other sports recruit Jump Rope athletes because of their endurance, quickness and conditioning which can enhance play in soccer, basketball, football, hockey, track and field.

 

But extreme jump roping can also be dangerous. Several of the events for competitive jump rope are speed events where the advanced jumpers use razor thin wire ropes turning at incredible speeds. It’s not uncommon to have cuts result with the slightest misstep. Some speed records may be broken by several competitors at the U.S. Trials in Mason, Ohio. 

 

The Comet Skippers draw crowds with their demonstrations of speed jumping, three person Double Dutch, and freestyle at malls, festivals and special events. They have even performed around the world and will soon be returning to Cyprus after their first trip spawned international interest in the sport, which is hopeful to be an addition to the Olympics before long.

 

Their first invitation to Cyprus was due to a connection between a former team member and the Cyprus Minister of Sports. He wanted to learn about the sport to create a national team. While there, the Comet Skippers showcased their talent at the International Fair. Plans for their second trip to Cyprus added a stop in Germany to reduce jet-lag. When a German team heard about their travel plans, they invited the Comet Skippers to perform with them at an event. The German team also offered to take the Comet Skippers sightseeing. The camaraderie displayed between the two countries’ teams is a breakthrough of sorts at the international level as the competition among European nations is fierce.

 

It’s amazing how a little-known team assembled in a Mason, Ohio intermediate school gym just three years earlier had achieved so much so soon.

 

“Our goal is to spread awareness about this sport we love and share it with as many people as we can,” said Carmen Simpson. “This is why we plan so many workshops throughout the year. We want to help people get new teams started in Ohio and the surrounding states as well as continuing to make new friends overseas.”

 

The Comet Skippers are a co-ed team with 65 kids ages 7 – 18 and eight adults. The team is a competition/demonstration jump rope team affiliated with USA Jump Rope (www.usajumprope.org), the sport’s governing body. The team is also a member of the Amateur Athletic Union (www.aausports.org).

 

The team’s head coaches, Carmen and Mike Simpson, were introduced to the sport when they lived in Texas and saw their son Stephen participate in Jump Rope for Heart at his school in first grade. Carmen, a former U.S. Navy veteran is a stay-at-home mother to four children. Mike is a former U.S. Navy pilot and currently an MD-88 Captain for Delta Air Lines.

 

“Carmen and I are not pros at this, just volunteers that try really hard,” said Mike. He is currently serving on the Board of Directors of USA Jump Rope and the National Competition Committee. 

 

Information about Comet Skippers workshops and events are at www.cometskippers.org.

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