Student to jump rope in Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, fulfilling decade-long dream

Sophomore math and Bible double-major Jacob Weatherford’s jump-rope career has taken him all around the globe, leading to an opportunity to jump in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade this year.

Jacob started jumping in the second grade because his friend did not want to join the school jump-roping club alone.

“I was like, ‘Yeah, sure, I’ll do it. Why not?’ and then my friend ended up quitting the next year, and I stuck with it,” Jacob said. “Now I’ve been jumping for 14 years and competing for 11.”

Jacob is a part of a team in his hometown of Nashville, Tennessee.

“My team’s ultimate goal this past year was to make team USA for the World Championship coming up, and we did,” Jacob said. “Our next goal will probably be qualifying for it again next year.”

Jacob applied to jump in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 10 years ago but was not accepted. He said that although he was disappointed the first time, now it is just another thing he can cross off his bucket list.

“My mom loves going to New York City, but we didn’t go because we wanted the first time we went there to be when I was in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade,” Jacob said. “So for the past 10 years we’ve just been waiting, and then when this finally came up, it was like one thing I've been waiting for, that I've always wanted to do. It’s definitely been a long time coming.”

Jacob will fly to New York the week before the parade to practice in the days leading up to it. Make sure to tune in on Thursday, Nov. 25 to see if you can spot him!