Cita Wise (l) and Shannia Jackson (r) spin the ropes while Joy Hiller performs special stunts.

“I’ve never jumped rope in my life,” said Joy Holman, long–time Columbia double dutch coach. She was coaxed into coaching double dutch in 1985 when it first came to Columbia. At the time, she had experience in athletic coaching but knew almost nothing about double dutch. But that first year, her team of four placed fifth in the world championship. The next year, they won the world title.

This year Holman has 23 double dutch teams, collectively called the Double Dutch Forces. From June 17–18, 18 of the 23 teams competed in the world championship in Sumter, SC. Of the 18 teams, 15 placed in the top five in their age divisions with nine teams winning world titles.

From June 24–June 26, her teams will be competing in the national double dutch competition in Disney World. It is scheduled to air on ESPN in fall 2005.

The Double Dutch Forces have previously been featured on ESPN2 on June 9 in a documentary called Rhythm in the Ropes . The documentary spotlighted Holman, Cita Wise, and Joy Hiller, team members.

Holman’s teams practice for one half to two hours a day, four days a week. They are dedicated to their sport, but “sometimes it gets a little rough and hard to get everybody to practice,” Holman said. The practice pays off, though, as evidenced by 20 years of successful double dutch teams in Columbia. From 1985 to present, the Double Dutch Forces have won 80 world titles and 217 state titles.

The ages of the competing team members range from 10–adult, but children as young as three are allowed to start practicing with the team. Holman finds most of her team members in double dutch camps she holds each summer at Martin Luther King Jr. Park. The camp is open to children ages 3–17 and costs $45 a week. For information call Holman at the City of Columbia, (803) 733–8331, or call Jennifer Jones at MLK Park (803) 733–8452.