Elmont PAL athletes joined teams from across Nassau County Saturday as the Uniondale Police Athletic League Double Dutch team captured its first PAL Double Dutch Competition championship, finishing ahead of Roosevelt, Elmont and Westbury.
More than 100 spectators, athletes and supporters attended the competition at the David Mack Center for Training and Intelligence gym. Uniondale's team entered carrying a banner as Wiz Khalifa's "Black and Yellow" played over the speakers, representing the Uniondale Knights’ colors. Teams from Roosevelt, Elmont and Westbury also made choreographed entrances before the competition began using the songs “Hello” by Cardi B and “More” by Usher.
The victory marked the latest step in the program's rapid development. During the inaugural event in 2024, Uniondale participated as Nassau County PAL tested whether Double Dutch could become a viable countywide competition. The following year, Uniondale earned a second-place finish.
Uniondale finished first with 98.1 points, followed by Roosevelt in second with 93.5, Elmont in third with 91.1 and Westbury in fourth with 72.1.
"The amount of turnout, the Double Dutch, it's crazy," Ann-Marie Harrilal, Uniondale PAL vice president and board member, said.
The competition brought together teams from across Nassau County to compete in compulsory, doubles, speed and freestyle events. Participants were judged on timing, rhythm, synchronization and execution.
The event also featured a halftime performance by the Jump4Jerry Double Dutch team, a Jersey City-based youth mentoring organization founded by coach Kimberly Prince in memory of her late son, Jeremiah "Jerry" Grant. The group uses Double Dutch to promote teamwork, fitness and youth development.
For Uniondale's jumpers, the championship reflected months of preparation. According to PAL officials, athletes practiced twice a week for two to three hours throughout the year.
Many of the participants had never jumped Double Dutch before joining the program. Harrilal said the team started with six participants and has grown to nearly 20.
Harrilal said the event is about more than determining a winner. The program provides children with structured after-school activities while fostering relationships among communities throughout the county.
"(Double Dutch) Is new – we’re trying to give back to the community as much as possible," Harrilal said. "The kids thinking on getting involved after school."
The Nassau County PAL, a nonprofit organization, relies heavily on volunteers to operate its programs, including Double Dutch. Currently the Uniondale PAL are aiming to bring in tennis into the program; as of now, they offer swimming, basketball, cheerleading, track, football and more.
"The majority of the people here are volunteers that are helping these kids," Harrilal said. "When a community comes out, volunteers – this is important to us."
The Double Dutch program is one of several youth activities offered through PAL, alongside track and field, soccer, karate and other recreational opportunities.
For Uniondale, Saturday's first-place finish served as evidence of how far the program has come since its early days, when a small group of children first stepped into the ropes to see what the sport was all about.
For more information on how to get involved, visit nassaucountypal.org.
