Jump Rope Federation host three-day workshop

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By Carlena Knight

The Antigua and Barbuda Jump Rope Federation is currently holding a three-day workshop at the Sir Vivian Richards stadium.

The event, which began on January 8th, will conclude today.

 Vice President and Coach of the Guyana Jump Rope Federation, Shavin Greene is the main facilitator of the training exercise.

Greene revealed that despite the sport not fully taking off regionally, it is a big hit on the international stage.

“By 2025, the world governing bodies are pushing for jump rope to become an Olympic sport and this year will be the first IJRU [International Jump Rope Union] competition. Jump rope is very huge in the more developed countries like America, Canada, Africa and China. Some of the best jumpers in the world are from China.”

The VP diminished claims that jump rope was only for young females but that it is an inclusive sport which in fact is linked in all sports.

“In 2018, at the World Jump Rope level, we had one of the oldest persons jumping and he was 66. You have older persons that jump in China. It’s for all ages; my principle is once you can hold a rope then you can jump.

“Jump rope is universal for all sports. To me, there isn’t a sport that you do that doesn’t involve some sort of jumping rope. It’s used in boxing for training, in football for cardio, we include jump rope in all of it.”

According to President of the local body, Althea McCoy, the workshop is the first step in the plan to institute the sport on a national scale.

The implementation of the sport in schools will be the next step. In fact, seven schools will pilot the programme with hopes that the Federation will one day host an Inter-School championship. Those seven schools were however not named at the time of this release.

From this event, a team will be chosen to represent Antigua and Barbuda at both regional and international competitions such as the IJRU Championships in Ottawa, Canada later this year.

“Basically, our aim right now is to get students to be a part of this Federation and to represent Antigua and Barbuda regionally and internationally. The way forward is positive … Jumping is a very inexpensive sport unlike football and basketball and there are students who don’t want to be a part of those sports, but if you give them a rope, they make it very fun and exciting,” said McCoy. She further thanked the Minister of Sports Daryll Matthew and Director of Sports Heather Samuel-Daley for their efforts in pushing the sport locally thus far.

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