INDIANAPOLIS (WTHR) — Jump roping is an activity that came from humble beginnings. Back in the day, kids would jump rope on playgrounds and driveway, but not anymore. Jump roping has grown around the world. Now, the best jump ropers gather for the World Jump Rope Federation championship in Florida.
"There were over 500,000 viewers for the live stream. There were 1,000 competitors at the competition and over 30 countries represented," said IUPUI's Katie Tyson.
Tyson is a member of the Indy Air Bears an Indiana group that won four world titles in 2018.
"It's really crazy because it's something we've dreamed about and talked about for so long," said Alison Taylor, who now attends the University of Indianapolis.
Taylor remembers being in the second grade and seeing the Air Bears perform at her school. Taylor says the competition is stressful.
"It's stressful because we know what our routines should be like. And, we just want to hit them. But when it happens like it did at worlds, it's so exciting," she said.
Ball State University's Elise McQueen started jumping rope in the fifth grade after watching the Air Bears perform at church. Now, she is coming off the world championships where she won gold medals in single rope pairs, double dutch pairs and double dutch triad.
"It's pretty surreal actually. I still don't believe it," said McQueen.
The Indy Air Bears have been competing a long time, achieving some success on the global stage. But, they have never dominated like 2018.
"You always think about it. And you're like, that's going to be me one day up there at that podium with the American flag and the anthem playing in the background. But when it actually happens, its crazy," said Tyson.
Many of the young women on the Indy Air Bears have been jump roping for a decade. Each member is skilled in turning and timing those jumps.
"I've been told I'm a good turner," Tyson said. "We compete in a lot of double dutch events which requires two turners. So, I'm one person on the end controlling the ropes, making the harder tricks possible."
"These girls practice all the time," said coach Nicki Glover. "These girls go home and practice after practice. They practice weekends."
The competitors create routines that are increasingly difficult.
"I took nine years to master all these tricks," said Grace LeVere. "I started out with simple tricks. It took a lot of work but I like it, because plain jumping is boring. The more you add the more exciting it gets, the more people like it."
"You can really do anything you can think of in the ropes," said McQueen.
These Hoosiers say the "double dutch pairs" is their most difficult routine.
"There's a lot of power jumping, a lot of stuff on your hands that require strength," said LeVere. "There's two people jumping on the ropes, which means you have to do everything at the exact same time or the rope won't go under you."
They nailed the routine at the world championships.
"I've always dreamed of being a world champion. But this year, to go and compete four routines at the world scale and then win in all of them was a miracle," said LeVere.
Several of the Indy Air Bears say people have questioned jump roping as a legitimate sport.
"They think it's something you do on the playground or something that boxers do to exercise. They don't think of it as an athletic sport that can be very competitive and has a lot of gymnastics and a lot of power. And a lot of technical tricks that you have to do," said LeVere.
"It's a lot of pulling out videos and showing people what it is because they think it's something we do on the playground. But, it's much more than that," said Taylor.
Even though they're now in college, the pursuit isn't over. The Air Bears are still in the gym. They want more. After all, when you've jumped to the top of the mountain, you want to stay there.
"Jump roping is our life," said Tyson "It's like gymnastics for an Olympic gymnast or ice skating or anything else. That's what jump rope is to us."
To learn how to do some of the jump rope moves, watch the videos below:
Tutorial Double-Under:
Tutorial Krueger:
Tutorial Criss-cross: