Sam Houston State senior Shaun Hamilton is in a league of his own when it comes to the jump-roping world. Hamilton, a marketing major, competed in the United States Amateur Jump Roping Federation Grand National Championships in Orlando, Florida on June 20. Hamilton won top honors in the male single rope freestyle, and the competition will be aired on ESPN September 23 at 12:30 p.m. “I had a really good time and there was a lot of good competition there,” Hamilton said. “I competed with some of the best jumpers in the country, and I just happened to come out on top again.”Hamilton has been jumping for 14 years and after taking a year off, he decided to come back and reclaim his national title. Hamilton said that when he was little, he moved to a town where jump roping was a favorite pastime for local kids, so he decided to try his hand at it.”When I moved I really didn’t know anybody and the other kids were doing it so I started and over the years I stared getting better and better at it. People started to recognize me and I became part of the U.S. Jump Roping Federation and it took off from there.”Along with being a national champion, Hamilton also holds a couple of world records. “One of the records I hold is called the sextuplet, and it is where you jump in the air and the rope goes by six times before you hit the ground. The other one is a vertical jump, I can’t remember how high it is, but they measured it and said it was a record.”Along with the competitive side of jump roping, Hamilton is also the staff director at the Sam Houston State jump roping camp that was held on campus over the summer. Over 300 kids from all around participated in the camp and Hamilton was in charge of getting the staff ready to accommodate them.”We have staff come in that are mostly teenagers that have competed in the sport, and they work with the kids and teach them about jump roping. I’ve been doing it for the last 10 years, and I have looked out for the staff for the last three or four years. It’s really awesome, and you learn a lot.” Dr. Robert Case, who is the sponsor of the SHSU jump roping club, is impressed with Hamilton’s accomplishments and his willingness to help others in the sport.”It’s been my pleasure to see him entertain over 3,000 American Heart Association affiliates before and to see what he is able to do at the camp,” Dr. Case said. “He’s unbelievable and he’s a terrific entertainer.”The full U.S. Amateur Jump Roping Championships were originally to air tonight at 10 p.m., but according to their website it has been cancelled. The event has not been rescheduled, but a half hour show will air on Sept. 23 and Oct. 23, both at 12:30 p.m.
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