While many are in pursuit of getting a jump on their studies in the classroom, two SMUS students have also been putting in the work on the gym floor. More specifically in jump rope skipping. Grade 8 student Addy Newman-Ting and Grade 10’s Anysia Tam recently competed at the 2024 Rope Skipping Canada National Championships, hosted May 17-20 in Waterloo, Ont.
Qualifying for nationals is no small feat as competitors had to go through regional competition and then provincial championships that were held in April in Oliver, B.C. Addy qualified in nine out of 12 of her competing events and Anysia qualified for all individual events including Individual Rope Freestyle, 30 second sprint, 3-minute endurance and Consecutive Triple Under. There were also team events like the 2x30 Single Rope Double Under and 1x60 Double Dutch Speed Sprint.
“I love how rope skipping has given me the ability to introduce and demonstrate this sport among my peers,” highlighted Anysia. “I also had the opportunity to show them some skills in rope skipping. I am very grateful for having the opportunity to show my friends this sport and how much I have accomplished training for many years.”
The same is true for Addy, who will in June at the Middle School Talent Show.
“What I love about skipping is the community behind the sport and learning tricks from people and I just really love improving,” highlighted Addy. “I think that it makes me a better student at SMUS since it helps me connect with people of different ages and from different places which helps with school connecting with other grades and not just my grade.”
For Addy it’s been a long journey as she started jump rope in Grade 2 after Jump Rope for Heart, a beloved Canadian fundraising organization that has been doing demonstrations at schools for over 40 years, visited the school. From there, her parents supported her quest to find a club and now she is in her sixth year jumping and third year competing.
Meanwhile, for Anysia jump rope started back in Grade 1 when she was in Hong Kong. When she joined SMUS in Grade 9, she reached out to join a team and has been training since the start of Grade 10.
At Nationals, the pair finished first in the team event 4x30 Single Rope Speed Sprint Relay and Addy picked up first place in the Double Dutch 4x30 and third in both the Double Dutch team and Double Dutch pairs.
