First Double Dutch League Begins Fall 2010

BOSTON –  October 25, 2010 — This fall over 200 Boston Public Middle School girls will start jumping for joy as part of the first ever BPS Double Dutch League.  The new nine team league begins this week with girls learning and preparing to compete in first Boston Middle School Double Dutch tournament on December 18th.

“Few people know that Boston is a hot bed of Double Dutch talent,” said Whitney Post, Director of the Women’s Sports Foundation’s GoGirlGo! Boston.  “Our organization has funded grants for Double Dutch programs since we launched in 2007.  The girls in the programs have had transformative experiences and performed at high levels throughout the city.  It is an incredible sport in terms of the physical and life skills it offers.”

The Red Auerbach Youth Foundation (RAYF) has been the biggest supporter of double dutch tournaments and coaches training in MA for over 15 years.  “Red himself was a huge fan.  He saw it on television in the early 90’s and decided  to fund its growth through his foundation,” said Stewart Grossman, President of the RAYF.  “Double dutch was Red’s second favorite sport. He would be very pleased to see this collaboration with the BPS and other youth organizations.”

The league is the result of a collaboration of the Boston Public Schools Athletic Department, Boston Youth Sports Initiative, GoGirlGo! Boston, Dream Big!, The Red Auerbach Youth Foundation, Play Ball! Foundation and Northeastern’s Sport in Society.  Each organization is committed to providing more sports opportunities for young people and brought different resources and  contributions to get the league started.

The nine schools fielding teams for the league include Boston Tech (lower), Dearborn Middle School, Higginson-Lewis K-8, Gavin Middle School,  Irving Middle School, Mildred Ave K-8, O’Bryant K-8,  Orchard Gardens K-8 and Young Achievers K-8.

“We hope this league is the start of something big,” said Darlene Knight, BPS.  “Double Dutch is a terrific activity for girls who have never tried a sport as well as great conditioning for those involved in sports already.  “Next year I hope we have 18 teams!  Expanding the number of athletic opportunities for middle school students is a goal of mine and BPS and I am very appreciative of the efforts of the entire Jump Boston! team.”

More about Double Dutch

Double Dutch is a sport involving at least 3 players at a time using two long jump ropes being turned in opposite directions.  It was brought to the US by the early Dutch settlers of New York City.  Today the sport is popular worldwide and two organizations exist in the US to govern the sport and run tournaments. In general, singles teams (three jumpers) and doubles teams (4 jumpers) compete in two categories: speed and compulsory.   For fitness, double dutch is impressive – just five minutes of 120 RPM jumping equals thirty minutes of jogging, two sets of singles tennis or 720 yards of swimming.   The American Heart Association states that jumping rope helps improve cardiovascular health, muscular endurance, coordination and brain function.  DD became a varsity sport in NYC public schools in Spring of 2009.

The Jump Boston! Team

In the Spring of 2010, a group representing several non-profit youth sports organizations and the Boston Public Schools (BPS) began meeting to discuss getting a double dutch program in motion for middle school girls.  Driven by the desire to provide more opportunities for middle school girls to participate in sports, each group pooled talent, expertise and resources. The result is the first BPS Middle School League.  The Jump Boston! team includes Darlene Knight of the Boston Public Schools, Chris Lynch of the Boston Youth Sports Initiative, Whitney Post of the Women’s Sports Foundation’s GoGirlGo Program, Judy Lockhart of the Red Auerbach Youth Foundation, Linda Driscoll of Dream Big!, Pat Arcand of the Play Ball! Foundation and Caitlin Geddes of Northeastern’s Sport in Society.

Expansion Teams McCormack and Orchard Gardens Join the Fray!

Boston, MA — October 14, 2010 — The boys have been practicing and the games have begun!  During the last three weeks football practice has put over 250 athletes at six Boston public middle schools in action. Tired and sore – but getting fitter each day, the Play Ball! teams are back at it on the field and in school.

This year the league welcomes the Orchard Gardens Pilot School (Roxbury) and the McCormack (N. Dorchester). Our returning schools include the Gavin (South Boston); Edwards (Charlestown); Irving (Roslindale), and the Rogers (Hyde Park).  The teams will play a ten week season ending with a Championship Game on November 10th.  The league will also attend the Boston College vs. Maryland (October 23^rd) football game as the guest of Boston College’s Athletic Director Gene DeFilippo.

“We are happy to welcome two more teams to our league this year, “said Michael Harney, founder and chairman of the Play Ball! Foundation.  “Through the generosity of our donors and our continued fundraising we are able to expand this league.  It’s exciting to have 60 more student athletes on the field this fall to participate and we are hopeful that is a trend we can continue in the years to come.”

“We had 50 students try out and 12 returning players,” said the Nathan Proulx, the returning coach at the Gavin.  ”Last year the majority of our players where playing organized football for the first time and gave it their all.  We were pleased with the effort our players showed on and off the field.  With our returning players and the enthusiasm of our new team members we are looking forward to a very exciting year.”

“I’ve coached a number of youth sports teams over the years and I am glad to have this opportunity to work with my students at the McCormack, said Bruce DaSilva, the head coach at the McCormack expansion team.  “While we have a solid basketball program, football gives us a chance to involve more students and also students that are new to organized sports.  Of our roster 20 students have never played organized football before.”

Play Ball Highlights

During the 2009/2010 school year, Play Ball! put 400 new athletes on the field with the first middle school football and baseball programs.  This school year Play Ball! is excited about growing that number of Boston Middle School students on the field through an expanded football program, support for the first double dutch league and plans to fund baseball again and softball for the first time.  As with the all PlayBall! leagues our collaboration with BPS principals, administration and the athletic department make it possible.

The boys have been practicing and the games are about to begin!  During the last three weeks football practice has begun in earnest at 6 Boston public middle schools.  Tired and sore – but getting fitter each day, our teams are back at it on the field and in school.  We had over 264 boys try out and 29 returning players (we had a 4 team league last year).  Our returning schools include: the Gavin (South Boston); Edwards (Charlestown); Irving (Roslindale), and the Rogers (Hyde Park).  Our two new teams (thanks to our funders!) include Orchard Gardens (Roxbury) and the McCormack (N. Dorchester).

To give you an idea of the resources at these schools here are the percentages of kids available for free school lunch (indication of poverty level):

Edwards 86%                    Gavin 78%                          Irving 77%

McCormack 78%              Orchard Gardens 89%        Rogers 67%

So beyond getting these kids outside having fun, making friends and learning all the lessons of sports, your donation is helping enrich the schools by providing the opportunity for athletics that is far beyond the reach of these students outside of school.

Please join us for a game!