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Whiz Kids: The Alanizi Sisters Jump Their Way to Success
Aryn, Noor and Hanna Alanizi say that competitive jumping "really ropes you in."
Whiz Kids’ Names: Aryn, Noor and Hanna Alanizi
Whiz Kids’ Ages: 13, 12 and 11, respectively
Whiz Kids’ Schools: and
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Whiz Kids' Key to Awesomeness: The Alanizi sisters have won scores of medals in the field of competitive jump rope. As members of the local jump rope club, "The Palpitating Panthers," this trio performs regularly at community events, workshops and tournaments. They’ve done music videos, television commercials, and even participated in a recent “flash mob” jump in downtown Pasadena.
Whiz Kids' Accomplishments: Each girl has a particular rope jumping strength. The youngest, Hanna, is a whiz at speed jumping. She holds the record in California for 10-and-unders: a whopping 300 jumps in one minute. “I use a wire rope for speed,” says Hanna, “but sometimes I get whip marks on my legs.” The oldest, Aryn, has been perfecting her triple-under jumps. This is where the rope goes under one’s feet three times in a single jump. Aryn can currently do an impressive 30 in a row. Finally, Noor is a pro at what are called displacements. These are jumps that involve gymnastics-style moves, particularly ones where your hands touch the ground. “I prefer short handles for more rope manipulation control,” says Noor. The girls perform in both Double Dutch and in single rope competitions.
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Bonus Info: The girls give back to the community by teaching jump rope to kids at the Girls and Boys Club every Monday and Wednesday. It was at a public event like this that the girls discovered their love of jumping. “Five years ago at a Family Fun Day at the Y,” say the girls, “we saw The Palpitating Panthers perform and we all told our mom, ‘No more ballet! We want to jump rope!’” They hope to continue jumping competitively throughout high school and maybe into college. At least one of the girls would like to be a part of the USA Jump Rope All-Star team. Aryn feels compelled to point out, “Jump-roping is not a girls-only sport. In fact, most All-Stars are boys.”
The girls’ next big performance is at the Paramount Studios Fun Day in mid-August. They better jump to it!