No space; no facility? How about jump rope?

Probably the most frequent excuse (and that's what it is, I'm afraid) I hear why churches cannot possibly have physical activity for their young people is that they do not have any room. All their outside space is taken up by parking lots (if they have any space outside their four walls to begin with), and there's just no room inside to play basketball or something along those lines.

Well, my usual rejoinder to those complaints is "ping pong" -- but an article in today's New York Times suggested another one: JUMP ROPE!.

Okay, you'll probably never be able to develop jump rope in your parish to the level the kids in New York City have taken Double Dutch, but it's definitely a low-cost sport to start with.

Also, presumably you realize that boxers traditionally jump rope for conditioning and coordination purposes -- so it works for boys as well.

Give it a try! Let us know how it works out!