Track and jumping haven’t been mutually exclusive for Reed, as many of the skills she gained from jumping have been instrumental to her success on the field.

“I’m her training partner, and I really think that jumping rope has spring-boarded her into a really hard worker,” observed Reed’s roommate and teammate, sophomore Nicole Silva. “She consistently pushes herself to do better, train harder. Jumping is definitely a key source of her motivation.”

Nine years of competitive jumping also crafted Reed into a fine leader, one who has learned first-hand the values of communication and cooperation.

“Chemistry with my fellow jumpers was really key, as far as collaborating routines went,” Reed notes. “That’s certainly carried over for me on the track and even beyond.”

Reed may enjoy jumping, but if there’s one thing that excites her more than strategically twirling a rope, it’s teaching her friends how to do it.

Indeed, when the Crimson’s track and field squad held its annual talent show at Texas Southern Relays over spring break, Reed and a few of her teammates lit up the stage with a jumping routine. Despite going up against formidable competition—a poetry session and a rendition of “Super Trooper” by the freshmen throwers—Reed and company came away with the top prize.

One might think that it would be intimidating to perform a jumping routine alongside a world-caliber competitor.

“Not at all,” Silva promptly dismisses. “There was this simple routine that our whole group did together, and then Christine and I transferred off into our wheel routine. She’s a phenomenal teacher. She made it really fun in an acrobatic sort of way.”

Although Reed won’t be making appearances on the competitive jumping circuit, she looks forward to staying involved with the sport in a new capacity. In addition to currently teaching a class at her home gym, she hopes to form a jumping team after college, coach, or serve as a competition judge. Given Reed’s work ethic and the respect she commands from friends and teammates alike, this goal is well within reach.

“Christine has always been extremely disciplined,” Joy emphasizes. “She’s never been one to cheat anybody out of giving them her full effort. That’s what made letting her go so hard for me.”