When Mitchell Watkins talks about juggling, he means the sport.
Watkins, a studio art senior, can frequently be found practicing his skills near the big screen television in the Student Union. Watkins can juggle five balls, but he is learning how to do seven.
“A lot of people say I should throw my hat down, but I’m just practicing,” Watkins said.
Though he has been asked to perform at parties, Watkins said he doesn’t necessarily juggle for attention. He considers himself a sport juggler, and he focuses on improving his technical ability rather than flashy performances or risky routines.
“I don’t do fire — not only do I not want to burn myself, it doesn’t take any more skill than three clubs,” Watkins said.
Not all jugglers share Watkins’ opinion of juggling, which is aligned with that of the World Juggling Federation.
“In my opinion, the WJF tends to take the entertainment element out of juggling,” said Jared Davis, a kinesiology senior at the University of Arkansas. “The WJF is about doing the most technically difficult juggling. … It’s all about more objects and more difficulty. To me, the WJF competitions tend to strip juggling of its captivating quality.”
Watkins began practicing in the Student Union after he was kicked out of the Colvin Center this summer. He was kicked out because he didn’t have a class.
Watkins met Austin Nutter, a mechanical engineering freshman, through a friend of a friend. Nutter began juggling in high school and now juggles with Watkins in the Student Union.
“Juggling makes a great hobby because it requires concentration and it is challenging,” Nutter said. “Juggling becomes really interesting when you start juggling chainsaws — just kidding.
“Really, it is watching people perform tricks you can’t do, being amazed and trying to learn new tricks. Juggling is more complicated than most people think.”
Nutter doesn’t plan to compete. He said he just juggles for fun.
“My goal would be to juggle five clubs,” Nutter said. “Right now, I can juggle three and pass up to seven clubs with another person.”
Watkins said the people in the juggling community are focused on helping one another improve their skills.
“It is a lot easier to learn juggling with other people because learning it by yourself or online is really kind of difficult and you don’t progress nearly as fast as when you have people showing you what you’re doing wrong,” Watkins said.
“There just aren’t many jugglers in Oklahoma, so it’s really hard to find them.”
There are only four jugglers in Stillwater whom Watkins knows but he would like to meet more, he said.
Watkins is usually in the Student Union after 5 p.m. on Thursdays. Although he doesn’t have a formal organization set up, he would like find others who share his interest.
Watkins said not only is he looking to meet other jugglers, but he is also willing to teach people how to juggle.
Loading ...
All Articles