Local jump rope team will advance to nationals

By Yaffi Spodek

Issue of April 24, 2009 / 30 Nissan 5769

The Rock it Ropers of Woodmere, the only Shomer Shabbos jump rope team in the country, will advance to the national rounds of the USA Jump Rope (USAJR) tournament in Galveston, Texas in June.

The results of the regional qualifying tournament were revealed in early April and 14 of the Rock it Ropers' 32 jumpers are now moving to the next level of the competition.

"The scores from our sub-regional tournament were phenomenal," said Coach Lucie Buissereth, known as Lucie B. "We were certainly the envy of all the coaches ... I am so proud of each and every team member. All the hard work and grueling training sessions were worth it. Our girls and two ladies are in phenomenal shape and did so well."

The Rock it Ropers came home from the regional competition with 45 ribbon awards, the most out of any of the other nine teams in the region. Team members who qualified for the nationals include Gabriella Dubin, Monique Welsh, Carolyn Lieberman, Suri Fineberg, Tamara Weinberg, Ahuva Ross, Leora Jacobowitz, Julianna Gershbaum, Meron Ippolitto, Ariella Huberfeld, Julia Katz, Tamar Eisenberg and Yonina Weinberg. Lucie B. and her coaching partner, Dion Tulloch, also qualified to compete alongside the Rock it Ropers in June. Carolyn Lieberman, a mother of four in Woodmere, came in second overall in the entire region, right behind Lucie B., in the age 30-49 category.

"I am very excited about how I did," Lieberman, an accountant, told The Jewish Star.

"I just started training in November 2007, and now I am really in shape. This was a really exciting goal to reach, and I am really looking forward to competing in June."

The Rock it Ropers have come a long way since they began competing professionally two years ago. While other teams met on a Saturday to compete in the qualifying tournament, Lucie B. successfully petitioned USAJR officials to allow her team to compete on a Sunday to accommodate their religious observances. Last year, only four of the team members qualified for nationals, and Lucie B. is thrilled with this year's results.

"The nationals is considered the 'mother' of all jump rope tournaments in the U.S.," she explained. "This is the big leagues where the best of the best jumpers from every state and region battle it out for the title of champion."

The Rock it Ropers also won a gold first place award for team presentation, style and banner, earning them the honor of being the first team from their region to walk out at nationals.

"Usually there are more than 2,000 jumpers and a huge audience," said Lucie B. "USA Jump Rope does expect a huge turnout this year, as this is the first time nationals are being held in Texas.