Shape Utah

Cool mornings, a warm playground, and a couple hundred kids make for a great outdoor assembly!  Students at Open Classroom in Salt Lake City gathered on the blacktop as youth from “Just Jumpin” started to warm up.  It was a perfect beginning to the day as heart rates started soaring!   PE Instructor Penny Davis was set on having “Just Jumpin” come to her school after seeing them perform last spring at SHAPE Utah Conference. “I came home and went to my principal and said, “We need to bring these kids in!”  

Youth from across the Wasatch valley get together three days a week to jump for two hours and learn skills and routines.  Head coach Patrice Winn along with Ella Budge and Kathryn Ozmun (both previous members of the team), have the passion of expanding the sport throughout the state of Utah.  “We want kids to be more healthy and physically fit.”  Patrice has been teaching PE for 17 years.  

These kids range from elementary to college age.  Although none of the kids see a career down the road, it’s easy to see how much they love what they do.  Feelings such as, “I love the friends I’ve made,” to “I love traveling to competitions!” were just a few that the team shared. And of course, it is a great outlet for parents to get their kids active.   

The team does assemblies throughout Utah and have been asked to perform for Red Ribbon Week, Health and Wellness Weeks, and do assemblies at half time shows!  

Jumping rope isn’t just for kids either!  As the team finished their routines, they invited teachers to come down and jump as well.  Coach Penny showed everybody how to be fit as she jumped a singles rope INSIDE THE DOUBLE ROPE!  Can you say Rock Star?!