Learning the ropes: Precision jump rope team, Kangaroo Kids, has been competing and performing for 45 years

Howard County-based precision jump rope team Kangaroo Kids has been competing and performing for 45 years, from local elementary schools to University of Maryland halftime shows to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Established in 1978, it started as a small fitness club at Atholton Elementary School in Columbia. Today, it is a nonprofit organization consisting of more than 200 athletes from across Howard County, according to its website.

Athletes have competed statewide, nationally in the Amateur Athletic Union Junior Olympics, American Jump Rope Federation National Championship, International Jump Rope Union and USA Jump Rope tournaments and internationally at World Jump Rope tournaments.

Jasmine Wright, from left, Emily Anderson, Kaitlyn Wisniewski and Eliza Kim, all members of Kangaroo Kids precision jump rope team, practice the double dutch at the Meadowbrook Athletic Complex.Feb. 16, 2023. (Kenneth K. Lam/Baltimore Sun)

Nicole Meek, of Ellicott City, served in a number of roles in the program for 15 years and is now director of coaching and operations for Kangaroo Kids — and the mom of three of its members. She said it means a lot for the organization to be celebrating its 45th year.

"We are one of the largest teams in America and what [that] means for our organization is that the sport is growing," she said. "It's trying to become an Olympic sport, it's trying to help more people in schools, it's trying to not just be a jump rope to warm up before your sport, [but] we’re showing that jump rope itself is a sport that exists."

Three of Meek's four children — Parker, 26, Devin, 23, Jenna, 21 and Mason, 17, — are competitive jump ropers.

Devin got the family involved with the team 15 years ago after watching Kangaroo Kids perform at a cystic fibrosis walk.

Nicole Meek conducts practice with members of Kangaroo Kids precision jump rope team at the Meadowbrook Athletic Complex.Feb. 16, 2023. (Kenneth K. Lam/Baltimore Sun)

Joining the program's junior jumpers, a beginning class where participants gain basic rope skills, Devin began training when he was 6 years old. He advanced to intermediate classes, later landing spots on the competition, performing and travel teams for Kangaroo Kids, and competing in the AAU Junior Olympics, AMJRF National Championship, USA Nationals and World Championship tournaments.

Now he is a professional jump roper performing in shows at theme parks like Disney World, SeaWorld and Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida.

With his younger siblings following in his footsteps as members of the Kangaroo Kids, his mother coaching the team and his father, Brian, serving as president of the board of directors, Devin credits his family for helping him stay with the sport.

"It's been awesome to have that support and it's also something that's so fun and unique to share with each other," he said. "Not many people are involved in jump rope in such a way, so to have a passion that you share that is so unique with your family, it just brings you closer together."

On a rainy winter afternoon, young athletes dressed in matching red polo shirts and navy blue shorts, arrived for jump rope practice at the Meadowbrook Athletic Complex in Ellicott City.

Mason, along with his teammates, turned red, white and blue jump ropes as they performed synchronized dance moves and tricks to upbeat pop music, while Meek and daughter Jenna coached from the sidelines.

Eliza Kim, a member of Kangaroo Kids precision jump rope team, practices her individual skills at the Meadowbrook Athletic Complex.Feb. 16, 2023. (Kenneth K. Lam/Baltimore Sun)

Eliza Kim, 15, of Ellicott City, is a member of the competition and travel teams and has been involved in the program for seven years.

She said being a part of the team has allowed her to make friends across the county.

"Everyone's different ages and they all go to different schools, so it's just really cool to see that we can all come together and jump rope," she said.

Jasmine Wright, 15, of Ellicott City, is also on the competition and travel teams and has been involved in the program for about seven years.

She said being a part of the team has brought a sense of camaraderie.

"The big thing that stands out to me is the sense of community in the team and how everybody is super, super close," she said. "There's maybe like 40 kids on the team and we’re all super duper close."

Meek said when it came to encouraging her children to stay with the sport, it didn't take much.

"I didn't have to [encourage them]," she said. "It's their passion, they love it."

Meek's involvement in the organization began as a volunteer helping at performances. She later moved on to serving as secretary of the board of directors, then started coaching classes and performances as her children advanced through the program.

She said she wanted to be a part of the organization because she believes in the sport.

"This organization has meant a lot to all of us. ... My older son has gone on to become a professional jump roper," she said. "The jump rope community is the nicest people you’ll ever meet, so it was very important for me to keep Kangaroo Kids at the level where it needed to be."

Brian Meek said he wanted to be a part of the organization to help the program progress.

Isla Gleeson, from right, Maya Proper, Claire Scott and Priya Antes, all members of Kangaroo Kids precision jump rope team, practice the double dutch at the Meadowbrook Athletic Complex.Feb. 16, 2023. (Kenneth K. Lam/Baltimore Sun)

"[The previous head coach] who had been a coach for like 35 years, was getting ready to leave and he came to me and said, ‘Hey, we really need some help, we need somebody to be able to keep this program moving forward,’" he said. "I was elected onto the board as president and I’ve been serving there ever since."

He said he is proud his children have been able to go so far in the sport.

"It means a ton because not just how far they’ve gone, but how they’re able to continue to give back," he said. "It's really neat to see these kids that I had that knew nothing about jump rope go into this program and then come out on the other side as somebody that has learned how to coach and learn how to really master a skill."

Like her older brother, Jenna participated in the competition, performance and travel teams and now serves as a coach on the competition team.

"My favorite part about coaching is watching the kids develop and fall in love with the sport that I also love," she said. "I have gotten to watch kids grow since they started when they were 6 [years old] and see how far they’ve come."

Coached by his sister, Mason is on the competition and travel teams, a junior coach and team captain and serves as a AMJRF ambassador where he works to develop and grow the sport of jump rope.

He said the biggest challenge he faces is convincing the public that jump rope is not just for children and he hopes to use his position as an ambassador to help it become more mainstream in the future.

"[I hope] to spread the sport of jump rope and to raise awareness for it and show that it's more than just a playground activity that people think it is," he said.

To find out more about how to get involved in Kangaroo Kids, visit kangarookids.org.