"It's not about winning trophies," Fredrick says. "We are going to connect kids from all around the world, to bring about change, to make the world better."

The Bulldogs -- comprising 110 boys and girls from 33 schools, from 19 countries, ranging in age from 5 to 26 years old -- made plenty of connections last week in Washington.

Competing at the World Jump Rope Championships, Bouncing Bulldogs took gold in the Team Show Small Group Junior Division and won silver in the Senior Division. In the Jump Rope Showcase Championship, the Bulldogs Junior 14 and Younger team of Rebeccah Musson, Isabel Osborne, Reagan Roeber, Mia Stopa and Adam Weston came away with gold.

In all, Bouncing Bulldogs came away from D.C., with 449 medals, 228 of them gold. And this is not a sport where everyone gets a medal just for competiting.

With judges looking on, team members performed hundreds of synchronized tricks, maneuvers and dances with a combination of single and double dutch ropes.

In addition to the Bulldogs, the WJRC in Washington drew 325 jumpers from eight other countries: the United Kingdom, Denmark, France, Canada, Hungary, Belgium, India, and Tanzania. Pasangi Perera, 17, who will attend American University in D.C. this fall, was one of nine Bulldogs who won 10 or more gold medals at in the World Championships.

"Jump rope is my life. This is what I do," she said. "Everything I do, everything I think, I ask: What would Coach think? What would the team think?"

Bouncing Bulldog senior jumpers (18 years old and up) Erica Zenn and Mary Hunter Benton had the biggest medal count in Washington, with 16 apiece. Each of them won 10 gold, four silver and two bronze.

Anna Reeb, jumping in the Junior (11-12 year olds) bracket, collected the most top medals, with 12 golds.

Juniors Rachel Hart (12 and younger) and Ragan Copeland (10 and under) each won 10 gold, two silver and one bronze; Novice jumper Avery Myers won 11 gold and two silver. Kenzie Ruston (14 and younger) got 10 gold and a silver; Bella Davis (11-12s) won 10 goal, one silver and one bronze.