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Juan Dale Brown/The TribuneAmy Kossin, left, Shannon Budd, Keri Keiter and Tina Fruscella practice for state competition this weekend.Double Dutch teams jumping for state titleBy Samantha GriffinTribune WriterPORT ST. LUCIE — The heat is on as Double Dutch jump rope teams around St. Lucie County prepare for the state competition Saturday in West Palm Beach.Students such as seventh graders Shannon Budd, Allison Forgus, Tina Fruscella, Keri Keiter and Amy Kossin are spending hours each day honing their twirling and jumping skills in preparation for the grueling competition, which is expectedto draw more than 200 Double Dutch jump ropers.Double Dutch jump roping was brought to America more than 300 years ago by Dutch settlers in New York. Its popularity dwindled, but in 1973 was rejuvenated by two New York policemen looking for a fun and active sport for children.Double Dutch jump roping was reborn.Doris Fruscella, Tina’s mother, explains the concept.“It’s two girls turning two ropes simultaneously,’’ she says. “One rope’s going oneway. One’s going the other way with either one or two jumpers jumping in the ropes.’’The jumpers have speed competitions, where they see who can jump the most in two minutes by counting the jumper’s right foot.Other competitions include the freestyle competition, one of 13-year-old Keri Keiter’s favorites.“I think freestyle is the funnest because we get to do tricks,” the three-year jump-roping veteran says.Keiter can hold her leg upwhile jumping and even do pushups in the ropes.“Timing is hard,” she says, “because if the turners are too fast, then you mess up and all. They have to go really slow. ’ ’ The sport isn’t only for children. Even if parents can’t do the jumping, Fruscellas says, they can at least appreciate what it does for the children.“They are involved in something that is clean fun,” she says. “And it’s good exercise, and it’s competitive. TheySee TEAMS, page B6Up in the air
Newspaper Details
Fort Pierce Tribune
Fort Pierce, Florida, US
Wed, Apr 26, 1989
Page 13
Full Page
Clipped by
Alice L.
FL, USA 30 Jan 2021
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