Students in the first, second, and third grades were able to show off their rope jumping skills, coordination, endurance and athleticism. Each year, Coach Mary Mackey teaches her physical education students to perform various tricks with short and long jump ropes. She developed a series of 15 skill levels, each level having harder and more involved tricks than the level before it, which allows every student to successfully work towards and reach his or her individual peak performance level. Students learn solo tricks on the short jump rope, partner tricks, and tricks on the long jump rope.
In addition to teaching students the value of doing heart healthy exercises, the program raises several thousand dollars annually for the American Heart Association.
This year, as a special bonus, past members of the Radical Ropers also performed. The Radical Ropers, another product of Coach Mary Mackey, was a group of Woodland Heights students who were so advanced in their jump rope tricks, they traveled all over central Texas performing at different schools. The last year they had a traveling team at Woodland Heights was during the 2002-2003 school year. These jumpers are now seniors at Brownwood High Sschool and many of them are still active jump ropers. Members that came back for Friday’s performance were seniors Colt Waddle, Chris Bryant, Sheldon Stone, and sixth grader Rylan Reagan. Reagan was invited to join the senior members because he had “topped out levels (in the 3rd grade) and had the background to do it” according to Coach Mackey.
Mackey explained that these returning Radical Ropers had committed to practicing daily for an hour after school for a month to prepare for their part of the exhibition.
“I sent out a memo (to previous members of the Radical Ropers) which got a huge reception from many; however some could not participate because they were either working or involved in college courses and just didn’t have the time,” said Coach Mackey. “I wanted to do this because the seniors would be out of the system after this year and this was our last chance to have them involved.”
Other Radical Roper teams continued the tradition for a few years; however they did not participate in exhibition travel, but gave performances each year at Woodland Heights during the Jump Rope for Heart event.
Please see video and photos of the event below. Pictured are third graders participating in the event.
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