Trampolining has always been a hobby of mine ever since I was six years old. Try as they may, my parents couldn’t stop me from jumping on the furniture. In a bid to safeguard their furniture, my parents enrolled me in all forms of sports and recreational activities such as soccer, hockey, art and music. I soon fell in love with gymnastics, and from the first moment I took a bounce on a trampoline, my heart was sold! There was just something that felt so good about it. It felt right. It was a great way to work out, and I enjoyed every minute of it. I went in for gymnastics, and I followed it for the long haul, going from recreational to national trialist in years.

I have to admit that learning was not easy, but the lessons I learned stuck with me until today. I’ve been doing this my whole life. It is my true passion, and anyone who knows me knows that I feel more comfortable airborne than on the ground. I think it has to do with the freedom in the air or because it is such a fantastic way to stay in great shape and remain utterly oblivious to the efforts one is exerting. I love the feeling of total freedom, knowing that your body and gravity are the only two forces. Quite honestly, it is the closest you would probably ever get to flying. While I don’t get to do professional gymnastics any more, the highlight of my week is always visiting a trampoline park in the United Kingdom with my children — who, I might add, love trampolines almost as much as I do.

I had always dreamed of teaching Physical Education. I wanted to teach and inspire people to love sports as much as I do. Unfortunately, I was unable to do that, so I came up with the next best thing — I decided to start a blog about trampolines and trampolining! As it is with everything that I do, I pour my heart into these blog posts because writing, for me, is not just a hobby but a way to communicate the depth of my passion for sports, gymnastics and, of course, trampolines. I believe that if I can inspire just one fellow trampoline lover with this blog, then dipping my toe in the water at writing will have been entirely worth it.

Please email me: sophie.chapman@rectangletrampoline.co.uk