For many children in the Uniondale Police Athletic League’s Double Dutch program, the ropes that once looked intimidating have become a source of confidence, competition and community pride.
What started in 2024 with just eight participants has steadily evolved into a growing Uniondale tradition. This year, Uniondale will compete alongside Westbury, Elmont and Roosevelt during Saturday’s PAL Double Dutch competition, with nearly 20 jumpers representing Uniondale.
“It’s really a great program that PAL brought on,” Dolores Fletcher, a Uniondale PAL Double Dutch coach and board member, said. “These kids never jumped Double Dutch before in their life.
“Now they’re doing tricks, routines and performances,” she added. “Their parents are proud of them, and they’re proud of themselves.”
The competition includes compulsory, doubles, speed and freestyle categories, with teams judged on timing, rhythm, synchronization and execution.
“We’ll start with the novice first, then we’ll do with the advanced,” Fletcher said. “Each town participate doing the same identical category.”
While trophies are awarded for first through fourth place, every child receives a participation medal.
Uniondale placed second during the first competition in 2024. Last year’s event served as a showcase rather than a formal competition, but returning jumpers are eager for another chance at the title.
“I told my kids we’re all first-place winners,” Fletcher said with a laugh. “But we still need that first-place trophy.”
The teams practice separately throughout the year and do not see one another until competition day. Rather than becoming nervous, the children feed off the atmosphere.
““They don’t know the other teams, this is the first time they see everybody is that day.” Fletcher said. “They’re all hype and they can’t wait — they’re not nervous, little kids of today is built different,”
The PAL program serves children between ages 7 and 14 and introduces many of them to Double Dutch for the first time. Fletcher begins with fundamentals — rhythm, timing and confidence — before advancing into more difficult routines and tricks.
“When they first see two ropes, some of them are scared,” Fletcher said. “We tell them, ‘Don’t pay attention to the rope. Just listen to the sound — one, two, one, two.’”
Once the children successfully jump into the ropes for the first time, Fletcher said their confidence changes immediately. Over time, the children progress into crisscrosses, jumping jacks, doubles routines and freestyle tricks. Some even invent tricks on their own.
“They get so excited,” Fletcher said. “Once they’re in that rope they’re trying to do tricks, some will do tricks that we don’t even tell them to do.
Practices begin around November and continue through May, often becoming more than training sessions. Fletcher checks in with students about school and daily life before transitioning into routines.
“We make it fun,” Fletcher said. “We talk first, then we jump.”
For Fletcher, who grew up Double Dutching in Brooklyn alongside her five sisters, the program represents more than competition. It is a revival of neighborhood culture and childhood connection.
“That’s what we did,” she said. “Double Dutch, hopscotch, street games — that was our fun.”
Now, she said, a new generation is discovering that same excitement one jump at a time. She also appreciated that PAL incorporates an old school sport into their program – exposing kids to a sport they know nothing about.
