Michael Tannebaum/Journal Scene

Mike Vondruska, founder and president of the Illinois Juggling Institute, recently visited Beech Hill Elementary School to teach juggling to the school’s students during their physical education classes. Vondruska spent additional time offering advice to the juggling team, which includes fourth-graders Deonte Geddis and Kadie Mantooth.

Michael Tannebaum/Journal Scene

Beech Hill Elementary School’s juggling team often incorporates unicycle riding into their performances. Pictured is Jerimiah King, a fifth-grade student at Beech Hill, juggling while riding a unicycle.

Michael Tannebaum/Journal Scene

Justin Peterson, a member of the Beech Hill Elementary School Juggling Team, practices juggling pins. Beech Hill has boasted a juggling team for more than a dozen years.

As the bean bags effortlessly soar through the air, the students eye the bean bags from below, maintaining their composure and calculating the exact point at which each bag will reach its peak before plummeting downwards.

The dozens of bean bags being launched into the air are courtesy of the Beech Hill Elementary School Juggling Team – a group of third, fourth- and fifth-graders who, once a week, stay after school to hone their juggling skills.

Although heavier than tennis balls, the multi-colored juggling bags do not bounce upon hitting the ground, making them ideal for novice jugglers.

Beech Hill is the only school in South Carolina with a juggling team, according to Anne O’Sullivan, Beech Hill teacher and juggling team coach since the team was formed in the late 1990s.

“Juggling takes a lot perseverance and practice,” O’Sullivan said. “The students are committed, dedicated and work hard to learn new tricks.”

One of these tricks O’Sullivan is referring to is the ability of the students to juggle while riding a unicycle – an impressive feat that requires tremendous concentration, balance and poise.

Long thought to improve hand-eye coordination, juggling benefits the students in several ways, according to O’Sullivan.

“Juggling teaches the students to work toward a goal, to learn from their mistakes and to work with one another,” O’Sullivan said.

Members of Beech Hill’s current juggling team have performed at Charleston Southern University, The Citadel and Fort Dorchester High School. They put in countless hours of practice after school with the team and during their own free time.

“While you can be an athletic person and (juggle), it isn’t essential,” O’Sullivan said. “You don’t have to be considered a great athlete to be considered a great juggler.”

Nancy Dodson, a student on the juggling team, joined the team because the passion for juggling runs in her family.

“I took up juggling because my brother did it and he taught me how,” said Dodson, who, when practicing in her spare time, juggles with tennis balls. “Juggling is fun by itself but it’s even more fun while riding the unicycle.”

Fifth-grader Jerimiah King makes riding a unicycle while juggling look effortless. He says both juggling and unicycle riding are skills that improve with practice.

“Juggling was really hard when I first started but I’ve become a lot better and I really like doing tricks,” King said. “It’s a lot of fun and I’d recommend it to everyone.”

Contact Michael Tannebaum at 873-9424 ext. 215 or mtannebaum@journalscene.com

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