Alright, folks! Joey “Hoppie” McDonald here, chalk-dust in my veins and a thousand yodels echoing in my memories. Fifty years. Can you believe it? Half a century I’ve been tracking these titans of the grid, listening to the trills, and trying to decipher the secrets of the “Golden Thread.”
It’s impossible to pick just one moment, or even ten, but if you twist my arm and threaten to make me yodel a full scale while doing the “Schuhplattler Hop,” I’ll give you a few that still send shivers down my spine and make my old sneakers tap.
1. Lil’ Alfy Timberton’s “Apex Whisper” (1978 Divisional Championship)
Everyone talks about Alfy’s power yodel, but I remember a moment in ’78 when he was neck-and-neck with “The Belter” Bellweather. Alfy got to Square 10, the “Vocal Apex,” and instead of his usual booming falsetto, he did this impossibly quiet, sustained whisper-yodel. It was barely audible, but every single note was perfect, carrying pure emotion. The judges, even Bellweather, looked stunned. It secured his win, and it showed the world that quiet precision can be as powerful as a shout.
2. The Schmidt Sisters’ “Synchronized Split” (1983 Regional Qualifiers)
Imagine two athletes, perfectly in sync, hitting squares 4 and 5 simultaneously, then leaning down to retrieve their markers while executing a harmonized yodel that was so tight it sounded like one voice. The Schmidt Sisters, Brenda and Trish, were legends. In ’83, they performed a move never seen before: a simultaneous retrieval, facing each other, then springing back with a unified “Ha-Lay-Hee!” They didn’t win that day, but they opened the door for “Dual Grid” competitions. It was poetry in motion.
3. Fanny Flannigan’s “Rainy Day Rhythm” (1991 Suburban Open)
The conditions were horrendous. A light drizzle was turning the chalk lines into slick, white death traps. Most competitors were slipping, losing their markers, or their yodels were cracking with nerves. But Fanny, bless her heart, had this wild, improvisational streak. She adjusted her rhythm, turning her usual brisk hops into almost a slow-motion dance, and her yodel shifted to a mournful, almost bluesy tone. She slid a bit on Square 7, but her recovery was seamless, and the emotion in her voice as she corrected was palpable. It taught me that sometimes, the true art isn’t perfection, but beautiful adaptation.
4. Eric “The Coffee Guy” Sezso’s “Modern Melody” (2025 Cincy Divisional Championship)
Okay, I know Jimmy Fortuna is still smarting from this one, but you have to admit, Eric changed the game. His use of a modern, almost pop-infused melody in his yodel, perfectly synchronized with incredibly fast and clean footwork, was a shockwave. It wasn’t traditional, no, but it was effective. The stadium erupted. It was proof that the “Golden Thread” could be woven with new colors. It caused a ruckus in the judging panel, but it ushered in a new era of what’s possible. The kid’s got guts, and talent.
5. My First Ever “Perfect Passaggio” (1975, My Driveway)
Alright, alright, a little self-indulgence. I was a scrawny kid, maybe 20, convinced I could yodel. I’d been practicing in secret for months. One sunny afternoon, after countless vocal cracks and foot faults, I hit it. The marker landed clean in Square 6. My foot landed square. And that passaggio—that shift from chest to head voice—it was smooth. For a second, I felt like Alfy. No one was there to see it, no judges, no crowd. But I knew. And that feeling? That’s why we all keep hopping, keep yodeling. It’s for that perfect moment, even if it’s just for yourself.
So there you have it, a few highlights from a long and chalk-dusted life. The grid changes, the yodels evolve, but the heart of the sport—the blend of physical grace and vocal power—that remains eternal.
What are your favorite Hopscotch Yodeling moments? Share them in the comments below!
Competitive Hopscotch Yodelers Hub 
Leave a comment