Monday afternoon I came across a local listing for a pre-owned trampoline on Facebook Marketplace and was hit with a wave of nostalgia.
I started reminiscing about all of my trampoline experiences over the years and found myself also doing a quick Google search into the history of trampolines.
While there were a variety of conflicting sources for trampoline history online, the first modern version was credited to George Nissen and Larry Griswold in 1936.
And even then, those two based it on something they had seen trapeze artists using!
I also learned that trampolining was used to help train early astronauts and has been an actual Olympic sport since 2000.
Now, I’m pretty sure that’s
where my fascination came from as a kid – watching trapeze and acrobatic athletes using them to show off a variety of twists, flips, and turns in sparkly costumes.
There’s just seems to be some awe-inspiring carry-over from those gravity-defying displays that still captures my attention today.
I’ve always wondered what it would be like to jump around on a professional trampoline versus the suburban recreational version, but I’m pretty sure I’ve aged out of that childhood wish.
And after breaking my leg, I’m more than content with watching the professionals anyway!
However, it’s worth noting that I didn’t grow up with one – but a few of my friends did.
Instead, we had a backyard swing set that my parents built us somewhere around the time my sister turned four years old or so.
But, we also almost always had a kiddie pool for staving off the hottest summer days.
In fact, we sometimes had one at my grandparent’s house and at home!
The kiddie pool fascination faded once I entered junior high and we were dropped off at the 16th St. Pool nearly every day in the summer.
While we didn’t have a trampoline growing up, my little brother David got one sometime in junior high.
It languished at my grandmother’s house until we moved it to our current Reddell homestead just in time for my sister Ashlee’s graduation party.
After that, it saw minimal interaction thanks to becoming young adults and having free time absorbed by work, college classes, and other boring things.
I don’t remember exactly when the trampoline finally met its end, but I do remember how much mom celebrated its demise.
The trampoline had been an eye sore for her and constantly in the way whenever yard work was needed.
Not to mention it took at least two people to move in its fully assembled state and was a hazard any time we were in the path of a hurricane or tornado.
However, when I came across that Facebook listing, I suddenly wanted to message my siblings and see if we could pull our funds together to buy it for Easter.
At first glance, it seemed like a good deal and something we could easily afford, share, and enjoy.
The motivation dipped when I was forming my sales pitch and realized I’d be stuck assembling and moving it on my own once they went back to their respective cities.
So, instead, I’ve given you a slight trip down the rabbit hole for information and my own experiences!