Coronado Speed Spinners jump rope team once again brought home top medals from the American Jump Rope National Championships this summer at the University of Milwaukee Panther Arena. This quintet of jumpers competed for five days in single rope, double Dutch, and team events. Jumpers Maliya Montemayor (age 14), Maggie Kwee (age 16), Brooke Butler (age 15), Sophia Plingos (age 18), and Sissy Sparks (age 17) have cumulatively been jumping rope for more than 25 years at after-school recreation classes and on the team.
Started in Coronado in 1991 by CUSD teacher Amy Steward, jumping rope as a sport was brought on as a means to prevent childhood obesity in students. As a participant in the program starting at age 11, Melinda (McCoy) Everett grew to love jump rope so much that she started coaching the team soon after graduating from Coronado High School. Melinda’s passion has never wavered. Twenty-five years later, she is still getting children and teens excited about jumping rope!
Participating in jump rope competitions requires extensive athletic skills, boundless endurance, vast creativity, and original presentations. Over the years, Coronado Speed Spinners has produced many National Champions, including Melinda, a National and World Jump Rope Champion herself! The Speed Spinners, as a competitive and performance jump rope team, has been featured on many television shows, including: “Glee,” “The Doctors,” and “American Idol.” They have starred in McDonald’s, Hillshire Farms, Lance Crackers, Shoe Carnival, Ford Truck, Jersey Mike’s, and Sports Authority commercials. You can check out their amazing skills in these performances on YouTube.
Congratulations to Coach Melinda and the Coronado Speed Spinners for taking Second Place in the Female Division age 16 and older and Fifth Place overall in the Grand National Finals.
If your child or teen is interested in training to become a jump rope national champion, even if they have never jumped rope before, sign-up for a jump rope program today. Jump Rope is available at the Coronado Community Center starting in September with six-week Jump Rope Classes for first to eighth graders on Mondays from 5:45-6:45 pm and Tuesdays from 3:30-4:30 pm. Advanced jumpers (who can do at least ten double unders in a row) in first to twelfth grade can sign up for the Jump Rope Team on Tuesdays from 4:45-6:30 pm.
If you want to know what a double under is, call the community center at 619-522-7342 or go to www.coronado.ca.us/civicrec for more information or to register. Zoom jump rope classes are also available by contacting USA Jump Stars at [email protected].
