It was the kind of early spring morning that promises beautiful weather later in the season. The kind of morning where moms push coats on children because even though the sun is bright, the temperatures are still in the 40s. And when kids stand still at the bus stop, it’s chilly.

But the Clipper Skippers aren’t standing still. Behind Olive Chapel Elementary School, jump ropes spin in the sunshine, and short sleeves make sense. About 100 third-, fourth- and fifth-graders meet before school each Monday morning at 8 a.m. to learn basic jump-roping moves.

“This is a great way to start the day,” said staff co-sponsor Delphie Broughton, who wove in and out of the moving jump ropes to offer encouragement. “They exercise for 45 minutes before they start school.”

Rachel Harrison, 11, was practicing with her friend, Ashley Sears, 11.

“When I was in kindergarten, we used to have jump-rope competitions, and I used to win,” Rachel said with a grin.

Many of the students play other sports outside school and say jumping rope is a fun extra.

“I swim year-round, but I always liked jump roping,” said Brandon Medins, 10. “My dad said when he was boxing, they would warm up by jump roping.”

The Clipper Skippers, a new club as of January, has inspired many students to practice in their time away from the club. Teachers have told Broughton that many children jump rope during recess to perfect their footwork. Some have even developed such an interest in jumping rope that they have enrolled in classes at fitness clubs in the area.

Broughton’s son, Lyle, 9, is a Clipper Skipper and a member of Cary’s Impact Athletics Tri-Force (Jump Rope) Team. He recently won a silver medal in the Amateur Athletic Union’s regional qualifying event and qualified to compete in the AAU’s Junior Olympics for jump roping near Detroit in July.

The Clipper Skippers have received positive feedback from parents and teachers alike, and students are getting each other excited about the group. “We had a great turnout, more than we even expected,” Broughton said.

More than 110 students are registered to participate.

Broughton said she hopes to introduce basic freestyle tricks, some speed training and eventually double-Dutch training, which involves two jump ropes spinning in opposite directions. She said maybe next school year, the Clipper Skippers could start performing at local events.