Three Okotoks junior high students pushed themselves to the end of their ropes last month at the national skipping competition held in Kingston, Ontario.
Teagan Slapman, 12, Rylan Slapman, 14, and McKenzie Reid, 12, said they were all exhausted after each of the four events at the championships May 19 to 22.
All three are members of the Okotoks Skipping Club that has a competitive club called Da Feet and a recreational group called Happy Feet. They train from May to October at Good Shepherd School with St. John Paul II Collegiate teacher Renee Adams.
This year four Da Feet members qualified at provincials for the national championships and three made the trip to Ontario.
The Rope Skipping Canada championships test the limits of contestants in 30 second speed and three minute endurance, routine, which includes tricks and choreography and double unders, or two revolutions of the skipping rope in one jump.
Reid has already done three triathlons, plays soccer and basketball, but said skipping is still extremely tough.
“I felt like I was going to die,” she said, sentiments echoed by the Slapman brothers.
Reid came out in the middle of the pack, in a tough division. Girls aged 11 and 12 have one of the highest number of competitors.
Reid placed 16th in 30-second speed at 438 skips, 24th in 3-minute endurance with 634 skips.
Both results were an improvement over her performance at provincials.
She was also mid-pack for routines, her favourite of the four competitions.
“The other events are more stressful,” she said. “In routine I can be myself.”
Next year she said she will expand her repertoire and attempt harder tricks in attempt to improve her score.
Reid said she was fighting illness and fatigue, but has no regrets.
“I had a head cold and was nauseous,” she said. “But it was totally worth the trip.”
Reid has family in Ontario who travelled to Kingston to watch her skip.
“Both my grandparents and my uncle came to watch,” she said, adding it didn’t give her nerves to have more eyes on her. “I felt more supported.”
Her parents also made the trip and were pleased with her performance.
“They were proud of me,” she said.
Reid’s goal is to improve her double unders to 330 and beat her own 30-second speed record and catch teammate Rylan’s three minute endurance record.
Rylan Slapman was on track for a strong finish in double unders, coming in second at provincials, but landed in third at nationals.
Adams said it hit him hard.
“The rope caught his foot,” she said. “He just put his head between his legs and didn’t talk.”
Slapman redeemed himself with 355 skips over three minutes without any mistakes for third place.
The category is dominated by Alberta boys, said Adams. The top competitor in three-minute endurance came in with 398 skips. Rylan has a plan to make up the difference.
“I’m going to practice harder,” he said.
Teagan Slapman was chasing his brother with 318 skips in three minutes.
Adams said the team represented Okotoks well.
“Overall we did well,” she said. “Teagan came in third overall in the country.”
The Grade 6 student placed second and third in all four categories, putting him in third place nationally.
