Presentation Slide:
References:
Rhyne, A. (2022). Double dutch leap [Digital photograph]. Daily Tar Heel. Retrieved October 17, 2022 from https://www.dailytarheel.com/article/2022/02/university-carolina-jump-rope-feature
Community performance [Digital photograph of Carolina Jump Rope]. (n.d.). Retrieved October 17, 2022 from https://jumprope.web.unc.edu/photos/
Presentation Script:
Preface:
College is a daunting experience.
Students enter an unsure environment without the safety nets they once knew. Through activities, though, their campus can feel much smaller.
Upon learning that a friend of mine participates in Carolina Jump Rope (CJR), my mind ran wild with questions. First, what is it? Do they compete? Is there an audition? Do other schools jump rope? I had assumed most joined because of jump-roping experience, in search of others with similar backgrounds. My research likewise aimed to identify what motivates UNC students to join and become involved in CJR.
Background Information:
CJR is a registered club sport at UNC. A 2020 study of social networks in college club sports found that group identities form through strong social connections. Thus, many join such organizations to form deep bonds with new teammates.
CJR is also open to anyone. In a 2022 Daily Tar Heel article, former Vice President Erin Schlachter estimated that only four of the club’s twenty members had previously jumped rope. Furthermore, the club provides opportunities for community building through social events and volunteer opportunities.
Observational Data and Analysis:
Observation 1:
My first observation started when two members of CJR returned from a team dinner at Chipotle – all members attended. In practice, they rehearsed for an upcoming performance. Tricks generally required pairs of members or the whole team; they needed to be in sync for the entire performance – breaking focus for even a second would inevitably collapse the routine. During the final run-through, the president told those not performing that they could leave, but none elected to, instead choosing to stay an extra twenty minutes to support their peers.
Observation 2:
During my second observation, practice started late; there was no upcoming performance, so it felt informal. Everyone made pairs and created a thirty-second routine to show at the end. A member even asked me to participate; I declined, but I no longer felt like an outsider in the group.
After practice, I spoke with Vice President Luke Boyle about his experience with CJR. Boyle joined as a freshman to branch out at UNC and try something new to him. He stayed and decided to become involved because he can constantly challenge himself to improve and learn new tricks. He said their “performances… [attract] people to CJR and keep them jumping.”
Conclusion:
In brief, CJR members join to perform and find a sense of community. They desire new experiences at school most had barely jumped rope, contrary to my assumption. Going to practice hones their skills and builds a necessary team dynamic. This slide exhibits how practicing such moves (like the double Dutch) leads to syncopation in their performances.
Carolina Jump Rope is just one of many collegiate jumping groups. They currently hold three consecutive national championships, but the research did not require this information. Observing the broader college jump roping world could help determine how team dynamics play into competitions, as Carolina Jump Rope succeeds in both realms.
Explication of Research:
Preface:
College is a daunting experience. Students walk into an unsure environment without the friends they spent the previous eighteen-or-so years forming. In high school, they join clubs alongside many of their closest friends, but in college, they often join these groups alone. Upon learning that a friend of mine participates in Carolina Jump Rope (CJR), my mind ran wild with questions. First, what is it? Do they compete? Is there an audition? Do other schools jump rope? I assumed that most join CJR because of jump-roping experience, and my research likewise aims to find specifically what motivates UNC students to participate and become involved in Carolina Jump Rope.
Background Information:
As a college student, I can attest to the difficulty of adjusting to a new school, especially when the new school has thousands more than one’s high school. By participating in activities, students make a large campus feel much smaller. A longitudinal study conducted in 2013 documented two students who found that participating in activities allowed them to find lasting bonds outside of their dorms (Azmitia, Syed, Radmacher, 2013, p. 753.). Forming new connections in college (rather than those from the past) allows students to broaden their experiences and form an identity. An observational study of college freshmen found that spending time with people from high school had a negative correlation with the formation of identity in college (Lounsbury, Richardson, Saudargas, Levy, 2008, p. 48.). Activities provide an outlet for students to meet new people and branch out from their past.
CJR is a registered club sport at UNC. A study of the social network (web of relationships) formed through college club sports found that stronger social ties among teammates lead to stronger group identity (Graupensperger, Panza, Evans, 2020, p. 68.). This indicates that a team that spends time outside of practice with each other provides a greater community within the group.
CJR is open to anyone. In a 2022 Daily Tar Heel article, former Vice President Erin Schlachter estimated that of the twenty members of the team, only four had previously jumped rope (Funderburk, 2022, para. 6.). The club requires little experience and is open to anyone who wishes to be involved. Furthermore, they provide opportunities for community building at social events and volunteer opportunities for members (Carolina Jump Rope, 2022, para. 2.).
Observational Data and Analysis:
Observation 1:
I stood outside the doors of Fetzer Gym B, scared to enter the uncertain environment of a new club. After about ten minutes of waiting, two members of Carolina Jump Rope walked up to me and instantly apologized; there was a team dinner beforehand at Chipotle and they forgot to inform me beforehand. I felt like I was a burden to them – as if they did not want me to be there, but begrudgingly agreed when I asked if I could observe. However, a team dinner indicates a strong community outside of practice, especially as the entire group attended. Though they open themselves up within the club, it seems they close themselves off from outsiders.
During practice, they rehearsed for an upcoming performance. Other than one solo routine, the tricks required pairs or the whole group. They needed to be in sync with each other for the entire performance – breaking focus for even a second would inevitably result in failure. A group that needs its members to think as one team provides members with naturally forming bonds from successful performances.
At the end of the meeting, the performers ran through their routines a final time. The president told those who were not performing that they could leave, but none elected to, choosing to stay an extra twenty minutes to support their peers. CJR members feel a meaningful bond with their community; they enjoy watching each other succeed even when not in the spotlight themselves.
Observation 2:
I walked into the main entrance to Fetzer Hall alongside a member of Carolina Jump Rope. When I opened the doors to the gym, CJR members greeted me enthusiastically. I felt welcomed into the space, in contrast to my previous experience; the group takes time to acclimate itself to outsiders and eventually enjoys their experience and company.
The practice began fifteen minutes after the start time. Because they lacked the stressors brought on by an upcoming performance, it was a more informal practice than I expected. Everyone paired up with another member – forming completely different pairs than in my last observation – and worked on a thirty-second routine to show the group. The president walked around the group, observing and cheering on her club’s members. After a half-hour, a member asked me to participate; I declined, but it seemed like they wanted me to experience their club. About ten minutes before the end of practice, each group showed their routine. Through many failed and successful jumps, the group continued to cheer each other on.
When practice finished, I spoke with Vice President Luke Boyle about his experience in Carolina Jump Rope. Boyle joined as a freshman because he wanted to branch out at UNC and try something new for him. He stayed and decided to become involved because the club constantly challenge him to improve and learn new tricks.
Boyle is often recognized by strangers around campus when he wears his Carolina Jump Rope shirt – he thinks that members of the Carolina community value the performances that they hold for the public. He feels that their “performances, that’s what attracts people to CJR and keeps them jumping.”
Conclusion:
In brief, students join Carolina Jump Rope to perform and find a sense of community. CJR gives them an outlet to find new experiences at a new school, piquing their interest. After this community is strengthened through practice, performance, and social activities, members engage with the club to spend more time with their teammates.
Through my observations and encounters with members of Carolina Jump Rope, I found my initial assumptions to be false; the club is not dependent on its members’ experience with the sport. Going to practice allows members to hone new skills and create the team dynamic that is necessary for their tricks.
Carolina Jump Rope is just one of many collegiate jumping groups. They currently hold three consecutive national championships, but the research did not require this information – the performance aspect is the primary motivation for members. Seeing other colleges’ groups would provide insight into whether CJR is successful because it has a stronger team relationship than other schools – Carolina Jump Rope succeeds in both community and competition.
References:
Azmitia, M., Syed, M., & Radmacher, K. (2013), Finding your niche: Identity and emotional support in emerging adults’ adjustment to the transition to college. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 23(4), 744-761. https://doi.org/10.1111/jora.12037.
Carolina Jump Rope. (2022). https://jumprope.web.unc.edu/.
Graupensperger, S., Panza, M., & Evans M. (2020). Network centrality, group density, and strength of social identification in college club sport teams. Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice, 24(2), 59-73. https://doi.org/10.1037/gdn0000106.
Lounsbury, J. W., Richardson, J. D., Saudargas, R. A., & Levy, J. J. (2008). An investigation of extracurricular activities in relation to sense of identity of college freshmen. Journal of College Orientation, Transition, and Retention, 15(2), 47-55. https://doi.org/10.24926/jcotr.v15i2.2694.
Funderburk, C. (2022, February 22). Carolina Jump Rope Club offers competition and community. Daily Tar Heel. https://www.dailytarheel.com/article/2022/02/university-carolina-jump-rope-feature.
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