“Mentally and physically it’s really tough to be prepared for such an extended period of time. We got less than 60 seconds on the stage to do a safety check, not enough time to even run the routine, but enough time for Heidi Klum and Scary Spice to look at us and tell us not to screw it up. I’ve been competing for 15 years now. I’ve competed at 4 different World Championships. It’s not even our first time competing on a talent-based reality television show. Honestly, I still get nervous every time. But the nerves are good, they keep me focused and the adrenaline rush definitely gives me the extra energy I need to give everything out on the stage,” professional jump roper Lisa Brown said.

Lisa Brown, a 2007 Revere graduate and Ohio State alumna recently auditioned for the upcoming season of America’s Got Talent; however, this is just the latest in a long series of high profile jump rope experiences. Brown competed wtih the Heartbeats jump rope team, and she competed in four world championships: the 2004 championships in Australia, the 2006 championships in Canada, the 2008 championships in South Africa, the 2012 championships in the United States. She has jumped on The Ellen DeGeneres show, as well as many other television programs.

Brown has been involved with jump rope for 16 years. The best experiences she has had through jump-roping were gold medals and perfect routines, starting at the state level, then progressing to regional, national, and world championships. In 2005, a National All Star Team was formed of the 20 best jumpers in the US. When she made that team, doors started opening to travel for more than just competitions and local performances. Brown has also jumped on 6 continents and in 49 states.

Brown has also performed on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Disney’s Shake It Up, Le Plus Grand Cabaret du Monde (in Paris), and MTV’s America’s Best Dance Crew (5th place on Season 5), and she is proud to have gone on tour with Cirque Dreams and perform on the same stages as some of the most talented people in the world. Physically, she is proud that last year in Hong Kong her crew Saltare survived 6 weeks of 3 performances a day and zero days off.

“Overall I’m most proud that at 25 years old I feel like I’m living the dream. I get paid to stay in shape, perform, and travel the world with my best friends. I’ve worked really hard to get where I am and now I am happily reaping the benefits. You’d be hard pressed to find someone that loves life as much as I do right now,” Brown said.

Pam Evans, the coach of the Heartbeats, talked about Brown’s work ethic, and how she is a great mentor to her peers.

“Brown is always willing to try new things and is very creative.  As much as Lisa wants to do her very best, she is also very passionate about the sport of jump rope.  She is always willing to help teach others the skills that she has learned.  She is a wonderful teacher to younger jumpers,” Evans said.

Brown’s mother, Debbie Brown, remarked on how Brown’s jumping led her and her husband to become involved in the jump roping community.

“We helped to run tournaments; I became a judge and judged at all levels. I also helped train judges. My husband’s expertise is computers and he frequently helped with scoring and data input. Everyone in the family, except my husband, has flown to other locations to help other teams. I’m currently serving on a committee to give out scholarships for jump ropers,” Debbie said.

Brown was approached for an audition on America’s Got Talent in NYC after competing on America’s Best Dance Crew. Not all of Saltare was available, so they joined forces with some of the other best jumpers in the nation to compete under the name of the company Flight Crew Jump Rope.

Brown and her group were made up of jumpers from all over the US. Before this audition, seven of them had never worked together as a group. They flew in Friday afternoon and on Saturday morning they sought an open city basketball court to work out the 90 seconds they were going to perform that afternoon. Then they got into costume, hair, and makeup and walked over to Madison Square Garden. Brown mentioned that the “experience was a rollercoaster,” and the day way full of “interviews, candid filming, and a lot of waiting.”

Brown said that her parents have also provided her with enormous support for her throughout her jumping career.

“My parents have been incredibly supportive since the beginning. Growing up, they encouraged my brother and I to try everything. We did everything from music lessons to karate to dance to scuba to horseback riding . . . They traveled with my brother and I to every jump rope competition, no matter where or when it was, took us to practice several days a week, covered all expenses and always believed in us. My mom judged at competitions, then became a judges trainer, and eventually started teaching classes at Pinnacle Sports, where the team has practiced for over 10 years. My dad helped run the computers and tabulations at tournaments. Without them, I would never be at the level I am today and these opportunities would be nonexistent,” Brown said.

Brown has been jump roping since she was a child. From world championships to television performances, Brown has loved every second of the challenge. Brown and her group, Flight Crew Jump Rope, will appear May 27 on the next season of America’s Got Talent.