Newswise — Liz Butterfield, a senior clinical exercise science major at Ithaca College, is the best female single-rope freestyle jump roper in America. Check it out! http://is.gd/1Cdlj
In a far cry from skipping rope on the playground, Butterfield competed before judges and a national audience last June in Galveston, impressing them with 75 seconds worth of dance steps and gymnastic moves synchronized to the rhythm of her spinning rope.
At the 2009 U. S. National Jump Roping Championship, 995 jumpers from across the country competed in 12 events that included Pairs Single Rope Freestyle (two people, each with their own ropes), an event Butterfield and her sister, Emily, won at the 2007 national championship.
"There are tons of different styles of freestyle jumping," Butterfield said. "Some jumpers jump fast and incorporate a lot of rope manipulation. Others focus on the creativity and choreography aspects, while others tend to integrate more strength and gymnastic elements such as handstands and somersaults that will wow the crowd. The best thing about freestyle is that each jumper has his or her own style and brings new things to the competition."
Butterfield began competitive jump roping 17 years ago with the Kangaroo Kids, a precision jump rope team from her native Howard County, Maryland. She has performed nationally and internationally as well as coached, judged competitions, and staffed workshops and camps.
Jump rope is a year-round sport. Serious competitors practice three to four days a week during the school year and five to six days a week in the summer. Practices last from two to five hours. Since the formation of USA Jump Rope in 1995, the sport has been on the rise, both as a competitive activity and a way to increase strength, balance and cardio-respiratory endurance.
"Our sport is still very young," Butterfield said. "Our goal right now is to expand it and raise awareness. The hope is that someday jumping rope will be an Olympic sport."
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