ONLINE EXCLUSIVE: The Jolt shows off world class talent in Logan
World-renowned jump ropers combined with Logan’s Just Jumpin’ jump rope team to wow a local audience at the annual Jolt jump rope exhibition in the Logan Recreation Center Saturday night.
Eight world-class, professional jump ropers visited from out of town to help draw a crowd to Jolt, an event that raises money for the Just Jumpin’ program. The team consists of children below age 18 from around Cache Valley.
“We do this event because we need the funds to get to the national competition,” said Patrice Winn, coach of Just Jumpin’ and president of Jumping Company, the team’s governing body. “It was awesome. The crowd was awesome, and the team was awesome.”
“These guys are on a whole different level,” said Kevin Winn, Patrice Winn’s husband. “We always bring in some of the best jumpers throughout the country. These guys are on a whole different level. They travel the U.S. and the world. They not only help provide a more spectacular jump, they also do a lot of teaching.”
Before the exhibition, there was an instructive jump rope workshop and silent auction that raised money for Just Jumpin’. About 85 people attended the workshop, where they were taught basic jump rope skills that were later displayed at the exhibition.
“There were some big routines and big talent,” said visiting jumper Mike Cook, world champion in double dutch and current member of Cirque Dreams.
“The audience was great, and the kids were amazing,” said LJ LaVecchia, visiting jumper and former member of the USA Jump Rope All-Star Team. “Just Jumpin’ is a great team. They put together the show in two days and did amazing.”
“It’s a wonderful program,” said Bryan Mickelson, father of three current members of Just Jumpin’ and national competition judge. “The endurance they have is wonderful, but their achievements, their confidence and the friends they’ve met all around the nation more than compensate for anything you saw on the floor tonight.”
Just Jumpin’ competes on a national level every year. They finished fourth overall in the national USA Jump Rope competition last year, including individual gold medalists in the pairs and double dutch categories.
“They work so well together and they’re great to be around,” LaVecchia said. “They’re great athletes and even better kids.”
“This program is fun and exciting,” Patrice Winn said. “If I had a second life, I would be a jump roper. It means a lot to me.”
Just Jumpin’ does around 40 performances a year, mostly at elementary schools along the Wasatch Front. They also do of university halftime shows and appeared in the TV movie “Dear Dumb Diary” last year.
They have their regional competition coming up in Boise on March 29, where jumpers have the opportunity to qualify for nationals.
Just Jumpin’ is sponsored by the Intermountain Healthcare Live Well campaign.