Trampoline in the US

It was very exciting here as the time came for the trampoline preliminaries to air. I have to admit that I had already checked out the results, and knew that Erin Blanchard and Chris Estrada had not qualified for the finals. But you know what - I didn't care. Seeing two Americans competing at the Olympics in our sport of choice was too good to miss.

Trampoline isn't what you would call "popular" here in the U.S. If you are not involved in the sport, chances are pretty good that you have never seen a trampoline competition. In fact, it is a safe bet that most Americans still don't realize that trampoline is an Olympic event.

Just check out this segment on Obscure Olympic Sports from the NBC affiliate station, KSHB, in Kansas City. (Yep, the location of the Trampoline Selection Event at which Blanchard and Estrada earned their place on the US team in the Olympics.) Luckily the athletes from Xtreme Trampoline were able to help get across the message that Olympic (and Junior Olympic) trampoline is more than just bouncing in the back yard (and a bit more meaningful than beer-pong).

Even though the Americans did not qualify to go forward, just the fact that they were in the Olympics and that audiences in the US had a chance to see them compete will do good for the sport. As Xtreme trampolinist Melissa Ruggiero told Chris Hernandez from KSHB, the Olympics help raise awareness, "getting the sport out there and introducing it to people, because they don't normally think of it."

The Olympics are a good start, but we need to make sure we keep the momentum going. Stop by the Tramp and Tumble Social Network and share your thoughts on how we can raise awareness of Trampoline and Tumbling.