TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — Everybody knows that jumping rope is a great way to stay fit. Students at Lost Creek Elementary got the opportunity to learn some new tricks from a professional.
Many know David Fisher as “The Rope Warrior”. The 61-year-old professional has been jumping rope full-time for more than 30 years. Fisher says part of his duties include showing people of all ages how fun jumping rope can be.
“The little ones who have no preconceived notion of what they are supposed to do are great double Dutch volunteers,” Fisher said. “The show has gotten more interactive and more fun, and I think that the show has gotten actually better. Even though I’m not physically what I was 30 years ago the show has improved, so I’m still having a lot of fun.”
Throughout the show, Fisher called upon several Lost Creek Lions to participate in his eye-catching tricks. Student Brette Spoonmore says she will have some new material next time she hits the playground.
“I learned how to do more tricks with the jump rope,” Spoonmore said. “Like how I said, I could only do normal jump rope stuff, but now I can do all of the swing stuff because I watched him.”
Not only does Fisher use jump ropes to entertain, he uses them to save lives. Earlier in the week, the Westfield resident was honored by the city for saving an 18-year-old man from drowning after the man fell through a frozen pond attempting to save his dog. On that December day, Fisher said his tool of choice was double Dutch ropes.
“I could hear the ice cracking underneath my feet as I went out, so I lowered my center of gravity in case I had to go on my stomach to distribute the weight,” Fisher said. “I knew, having turned double Dutch in the show so many times, I knew how much distance I had to close to get him that other end of the rope. When I finally got there, I flung him the rope and he grabbed one end and I pulled him out.”
The Rope Warrior’s story shows that you never know when a jump rope will come in handy. For more information about The Rope Warrior, visit his website.