MISSOULA – The Montana Super Skippers have competed as a jump rope team for more than 35 years. Recently at nationals, the KPAX Athletes of the Week leaped to new heights.
“It’s just really cool to be in a sport that’s so different from all the other ones that everyone knows about, like football or soccer or basketball,” said super skipper Riley Williams.
Williams has been jump roping on the Super Skippers for 14 years now. Over her time she and the team have racked up some hardware, especially this year at nationals in June.
“That’s really cool because we sent 18 people to nationals this year,” said Williams. “And that’s the most we’ve taken and we got third overall in the nation for our team, so that was awesome.”
While the program is successful, that isn’t the main focus. The team ranges in age from 6 to athletes in their mid-20s. There is a sense of wanting the entire team to have fun while being successful, and that’s how Williams and her teammates make it such a great program.
“You’re always working to better yourself and working with teammates working on individual things, and I’ve learned a lot about myself and become more confident, made a lot of friends through the sport,” said Jordan McCloney.
The Super Skippers won three age-group national titles and had 10 place in the top three to start the competition. Then all the age groups combined into Grand Nationals, where the Super Skippers had one Grand National champion and four others place in the top three.
GRAND NATIONALS
Riley Williams – 1st in single rope freestyle
Sydney Schmidt, Thea Jonasson, Lillian Common, Gabbie Haaskamp – 2nd in double dutch pairs freestyle
Tavin Robinson, Kylee McCloney – 3rd in single rope pairs freestyle
2nd in double dutch pairs speed
Sydney Schmidt – 3rd in one-minute speed
NATIONALS (age-groups)
Sydney Schmidt – 1st in one-minute speed
Erin Williams – 1st in single rope freestyle
Sydney Schmidt, Thea Jonasson, Lillian Common, Gabbie Haaskamp – 1st in double dutch pairs freestyle
Sydney Schmidt – 2nd in 30-second speed
Riley Williams – 2nd in single rope freestyle
Tavin Robinson, Kylee McLoney – 2nd in single rope pairs freestyle
Clara Commons, Macy McQuilkin, Annie Sweatland – 2nd in double dutch single freestyle
Riley Williams, Jordan McCloney, Keeley McCloney, Tavin Robinson – 2nd in double dutch pairs freestyle
Cameron Schmidt – 3rd in one-minute speed
Sydney Schmidt – 3rd in single rope freestyle
