A Canadian trampolining club is hoping to attract former members back to the bounce for the first time in decades when it celebrates its 35th anniversary this month.
The Shasta Trampoline Club, based in New Westminster, British Columbia, has scooped a fair few trampolining titles since its foundation in 1975, including 13 medals in national championships – two golds included – and hundreds of provincial titles.
The club, which is named after Mt. Shasta in California, has also produced some 47 Canadian national trampolining champions, said club secretary Tim Cleave.
“Within two years of forming, the British Columbian team looked like the Shasta trampoline team,” Mr Cleave told the New Westminster News.
“Three years after the club started Canada won its first-ever world championship medal, and it was a Shasta athlete. That success has just continued.”
To mark the club’s 35th anniversary many of these former champs have made the journey back to where it all began, and Mr Cleave was hopeful that the party will go with a bounce.
“We’re going to have the trampolines set up so people can play around. Some of them are going to be doing their very first flip in 30 years,” he said, adding that many are also eager to shake the hand of trampolining coach and club founder Val Johnson.
“Val has the ability to inspire people like nobody I’ve ever met,” said Mr Cleave, who is one of the original 13 athletes who joined the club in 1975.
“Shasta created champions but it also created really good people. When people left Shasta they didn’t just leave with their medals, they left with a whole outlook on life.”
