Dave Grainger Sr. - Founder and President
Dave got his start in the Sport of Jump Rope / Rope Skipping / Acro-Roping / Nawatobi, through the Ontario Heart Foundation’s “Jump Rope For Heart” program, as the first Demonstration Coach in Southwestern Ontario. His young team of Elementary School jumpers from Jack Miner Public School in Kingsville gained local recognition for the JRFH Program by performing at hundreds of schools, fairs, festivals and parades each year. As news quickly spread about this incredible Sport throughout Essex County and Windsor, it wasn’t long before three additional JRFH teams were established and school-based teams started popping up all over. Essex County quickly became the “hot-bed of jumping” in the entire province. Rising to the level of Western Ontario Regional Director for the Ontario Heart and Stroke Foundation’s Task Force, Dave could see the potential that came from this multi-facet Sport (not just performance teams but competitive teams as well) and convinced several of his peers that a formal organization was needed for the Sport to grow and be recognized formally by the Ontario Provincial Government. In the fall of 1988 he called together as many representatives of Ontario’s competitive teams as he could, and with their support successfully founded the Ontario Rope Skipping Organization (ORSO). That same year he was elected as the founding 1st President to that provincial body.
|
Competitions
Continuing in the competitive stream of the Sport in the early ‘90s, Dave coached two of Canada’s most successful teams – The Jumping Jacks Precision Skipping Team from Kingsville and the Leamington Acro-Ropers. In addition he served as Executive Director in both the Canadian Skipping Association and Acro-Roping Canada – the two national organizations for the Sport. In 1994, he traveled to Ashiya, Japan as Head Coach of Team Canada (Acro-Roping Canada) for the International Nawatobi Federation’s World Championships.
|
Despite strong opposition from more than 20 experienced Japanese teams, Team Canada was victorious, taking the coveted Ota Cup. In 1995, following another successful run for the top Canadian Team title at the National Championships held in Victoria, British Columbia, Dave took 15 members of the Jumping Jacks Precision Skipping Team to the International World Rope Skipping Championships, in Olympia, Washington. Despite the presence of 27 more experienced teams from eight countries from around the world, his team took the 1st Place Overall Team Title.
Following another successful appearance with his team at the 1st FISAC World Championships in Pecs, Hungary in 1996, Dave attended the Hungarian University of Physical Education in Budapest as a guest lecturer for several Jump Rope / Rope Skipping / Acro-Roping / Nawatobi Seminars. Accompanied by members of Team Canada and Team Hungary, he presented the Sport for the 6th International Course for Physical Education Teachers. Over 500 delegates from throughout Europe attended these seminars, and to his surprise, six delegates from the Faculty of Education – University of Toronto approached him with a request to come to Canada. That fall, he returned to Canada and began a six-year process of developing and testing across Canada; a Professional Development Program that would simplify and ensure that all participants could learn skills and at the same time experience “fun” in the process. He called the program "Jump Into Fun and Fitness" (JIFF) .
| |
|
Jump-Aerobics, Inc.
Dave formed Jump-Aerobics Inc. in May 1997, out of a desire to share his unique experiences in teaching (JK to OAC); coaching and team managing (experience in over 30 organized sports, including Provincial and National Stream coaching in OGF/CGF, and considered by many to be the most successful Canadian Coach in the Sport of Jump Rope / Rope Skipping / Acro-Roping / Nawatobi); and touring with International and Canadian teams for competitions and performances throughout the world.
In 1998, Dave was approached by Executive Members of the Canadian Skipping Association (CSA) to return to the Executive Board to use his skills as a successful administrator to overhaul the existing national organization. Instead he chose, with a small group of colleagues, to create a new national organization for the Sport and was pivotal in establishing the Canadian Rope Skipping Federation (CRSF) in just nine short months, serving as the Secretary General. In addition, Dave was instrumental in ensuring that Canadian interests were represented as the International Rope Skipping Federation (FISAC) evolved onto the world scene and continued to represent Canada, participating in several world organizational meetings. At the same time, Dave continued to fine-tune the “Jump Into Fun and Fitness” program as he traveled across Canada and into the United States, using opportunities that arose, to test the program in Elementary / Secondary schools and Faculties of Education at many Universities across Ontario.
The JIFF Program continues to be a “work in progress” with the latest addition to the Tool Kit being a new Skill Builder Series DVD. This visual aid will ensure even more success for people of all ages and abilities to have fun and success in the Sport. The program has been successfully presented across Ontario in elementary schools to assist teachers and students in meeting the latest directive of Daily Physical Education (DPA) mandated by the Ontario Ministry of Education.
|
|
