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GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — Five-time world champion jump-roper Molly Metz performs and teaches skipping rope all over the world.
Metz, 33, became fascinated with jump-roping after viewing a performance at her Boulder school when she was 7. She quickly joined the open-entry team and by the time she was 8 was traveling to Panama.
Metz won her last world championship three years ago in Toronto, competing against jumpers from 19 other countries.
In the past year she’s been to Hungary, South Africa and Canada either performing, teaching or judging.
In Littleton, Metz coaches a team of about 100 kids, ages 9 to 19, some of whom have been jumping together for 10 years. She’s bringing about a quarter of the team to Fruita Friday to perform for free at the Fruita Civic Center pavilion.
“I may jump in there with them as well,” Metz said. “They recently won first place for the USA Jump Rope Regional Qualifiers,”— a competition that involved jumpers from seven states.
Friday’s performance will be choreographed to music.
“It’s very much like dancing,” Metz said.
“These kids are not beginner jumpers,” Metz said. “They’re going to put on a good show.”
Some of Metz’s jumpers traveled to Vancouver, Canada two weekends ago where they performed in the Canadian National Rope Skipping competition.
She’s planning on bringing eight to 12 of her jumpers to the world championship competition next year in the United Kingdom, provided they pass the qualifications in January.
Metz works full-time in 20 different Colorado locations, partnering with city recreation departments teaching jumpers and instructors the fine art of skipping rope.
As the new executive director for the International Rope Skipping Federation, Metz met in Montreal last weekend with board members from five different continents where, among other things, they discussed the future of skipping rope. One of their goals is to make jump-roping an Olympic sport.
“We’re trying to build that (jump-roping) community throughout the world,” Metz said. “We need 48 countries to be recognized by the IOC (International Olympic Committee).
At 33, Metz avoids some of the tricks she used to do, but she’s still fast when it comes to alternating feet jumping, or jumping in the Double Dutch speed (two people twirling the rope while she jumps as fast as she can).
“I vow I will break my speed records this year,” Metz said. “I’m still very fast. People think I’m 17 when I do my speed jumping.”
Fruita Parks and Recreation will host a jump rope workshop with Metz at Fruita Monument High School, Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m. Cost is $25.
Reach Sharon Sullivan at ssullivan@gjfreepress.com.
Metz, 33, became fascinated with jump-roping after viewing a performance at her Boulder school when she was 7. She quickly joined the open-entry team and by the time she was 8 was traveling to Panama.
Metz won her last world championship three years ago in Toronto, competing against jumpers from 19 other countries.
In the past year she’s been to Hungary, South Africa and Canada either performing, teaching or judging.
In Littleton, Metz coaches a team of about 100 kids, ages 9 to 19, some of whom have been jumping together for 10 years. She’s bringing about a quarter of the team to Fruita Friday to perform for free at the Fruita Civic Center pavilion.
“I may jump in there with them as well,” Metz said. “They recently won first place for the USA Jump Rope Regional Qualifiers,”— a competition that involved jumpers from seven states.
Friday’s performance will be choreographed to music.
“It’s very much like dancing,” Metz said.
“These kids are not beginner jumpers,” Metz said. “They’re going to put on a good show.”
Some of Metz’s jumpers traveled to Vancouver, Canada two weekends ago where they performed in the Canadian National Rope Skipping competition.
She’s planning on bringing eight to 12 of her jumpers to the world championship competition next year in the United Kingdom, provided they pass the qualifications in January.
Metz works full-time in 20 different Colorado locations, partnering with city recreation departments teaching jumpers and instructors the fine art of skipping rope.
As the new executive director for the International Rope Skipping Federation, Metz met in Montreal last weekend with board members from five different continents where, among other things, they discussed the future of skipping rope. One of their goals is to make jump-roping an Olympic sport.
“We’re trying to build that (jump-roping) community throughout the world,” Metz said. “We need 48 countries to be recognized by the IOC (International Olympic Committee).
At 33, Metz avoids some of the tricks she used to do, but she’s still fast when it comes to alternating feet jumping, or jumping in the Double Dutch speed (two people twirling the rope while she jumps as fast as she can).
“I vow I will break my speed records this year,” Metz said. “I’m still very fast. People think I’m 17 when I do my speed jumping.”
Fruita Parks and Recreation will host a jump rope workshop with Metz at Fruita Monument High School, Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m. Cost is $25.
Reach Sharon Sullivan at ssullivan@gjfreepress.com.
