New
Jersey Double Dutch League
History
Mission:
Our
mission is to empower young people to make healthy life style choices, build
self-esteem through leadership by promoting the sport of double ducth.
Double Dutch is a highly competitive international sport requiring
strength, creativity, agility and sportsmanship. Teamwork is mandatory and physical fitness is critical to
compete at an international level. Engrained in our program development is to
"play safe, play fair and demonstrate spirit."
Our organization firmly believes that double dutch sport is a part of the
urban lexicon and is deeply rooted in local communities.
Our programs serve as a vehicle to develop healthy children.
Our
organization provides three essential services to empower children to
participate in double dutch sport.
1.
Instructional Sport Clinics are provided to local communities and
recreational programs. The clinics
consists of two workshops that are facilitated by internationally certified
judges from the American Double Dutch League (ADDL): (1) Mastery of Three Skill
Components: speed, compulsory and freestyle (children and
young adults only) and (2) Coaching Techniques: motivation and physical
fitness (adult volunteers).
2.
Health Fairs are held to build social confidence and discipline, and
develop healthy children to compete in this international sport. Workshops
address leadership, teamwork, physical fitness, alcohol and substance abuse,
nutrition, personal hygiene, teenage pregnancy and gang violence.
These workshops address social issues that hinder children from
participating in sport activities. Moreover,
local volunteers and parents are encouraged to participate and assist in health
fairs.
3.
State Tournament: Each year
teams representing over 100 diverse communities and local organizations
participate in the New Jersey State Tournament.
This tournament qualifies teams to receive an invitation to compete at
the International ADDL Tournament. ADDL
judges test single and doubles teams to determine the two highest scored
participants representing each 3rd grade through
high school and open divisions.
Area
of Emphasis:
The
program's emphasis is focused on community involvement and physical fitness.
Communities
Served:
The
Double Dutch Fund of New Jersey is a not-for-profit corporation that provides
services to youth by training teams to participate in an international sport.
Participants are identified by community agencies, schools, churches and
recreational centers located within Essex, Middlesex, Union, Hudson, Camden,
Mercer, Somerset and Cumberland counties. Our
ability to serve such a diverse community of young children is based on the
grass root collaboration of volunteers and parents who support their local
children in this recreational program. Our programs are open to all 3rd grade through
high school and open and senior divisions participants
regardless of race, ethnicity, sex, disability or sexual orientation.
Target
Population:
Girls
and boys from third grade through high school (8 to 20 years old children).
Number
of People Served by our Program:
300
children participate in local and our state tournament each year.
Organization
Background:
In
1990, the Police Athletic League (PAL) of Newark lacked organized programs for
girls. With the assistance of
Loretta Jefferson and her collaboration with many local organizations such as
the Boys and Girls Club of Newark, they were able to establish the Northern New
Jersey Double Dutch League. Now known as the Double
Dutch Fund of New Jersey.
The corporation under the direction of Loretta Jefferson expanded to
communities in northern, central and southern New Jersey.
With our Board of Trustees and over 50 volunteers, we have successfully
provided a recreational sport, mentorship, health fairs and numerous workshops
to children, parents and volunteers since 1990.
Moreover,
partnerships with universities have encouraged many children participating in
double dutch to attend college. Many
fraternities and sororities have established mentoring relationships with our
children. The participation from
the children, college students, and adults is overwhelming.
Additionally PSEG, American Heart Association and UPN9 Sport News Team
have recognized our not-for-profit corporation for excellence in providing
healthy activities for children.
We
build awareness to increase participation in a healthy sport for all ages that
involves members of each community. Our
efforts are grass-root and engrained in the fabric of communities of New Jersey.
We strive to inspire children to be successful community citizens by
serving as role models for civic involvement in our youth.