Jump Kids Jump Movement® and One World, One Rope Project use jump ropes to connect Africa to America
After recently completing our 50 stop Summer Road Tour to teach kids jump rope skills and promote our free, instructional jump rope curriculum, the Jump Kids Jump Movement® is now supporting an Ohio native's global, instructional jump rope program that will take our jump ropes to children in Tanzania and Kenya.
The program "One World, One Rope" is the brainchild of Niki Glover, coach of the Indy Air Bears jump rope team, and Mike Fry, a 23-year old native of Richfield, Ohio and 2009 graduate of Oberlin College. Fry reached out to the Jump Kids Jump Movement® for support and the Movement® responded by donating 1,000 jump ropes to this initiative. Fry has traveled across the U.S. and the world promoting jump rope as a sport that has had a profound impact on his life. Since 1996, he has taught and competed in South Korea, Belgium, Australia, Cyprus, South Africa, and the British Virgin Islands.
A few weeks ago on August 27th, Fry flew out to spend eleven months implementing the "One World, One Rope" jump rope program in East Africa—spending the last months of 2009 in Tanzania and completing the duration of his stay in Kenya. Fry will serve as the project leader creating jump rope teams in both countries. While there, he will also promote the formation of national governing organizations and organize the first national jump rope competitions in East Africa.
In addition to teaching, Fry's "One World, One Rope" program will focus on building a network of committed coaches, knowledgeable instructors, and skilled rope jumpers. The program will provide new opportunities for all participants to experience success, develop healthy lifestyles, increase social ties, and take on roles of leadership and responsibility within their communities.
Please visit www.oneworldonerope.org to follow along with Mike's adventures in Africa as well as to learn more about the project and how you and your school or youth group can help.