Olympic Trampoline Hopeful Moving Up Fast

Jennifer Parilla is a lot like other 17-year-olds. She’s got a boyfriend, and a job at the mall. She likes to snowboard, and she struggled through “The Great Gatsby” for English. She’s eager to graduate next year from Mira Monte High School.

She also is a top contender to join the American team at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. Her sport: trampoline.

This week, she has been at Woodward Camp in Pennsylvania, the country’s largest gymnasium, to train and hold a clinic to promote the newest Olympic sport.

Little known in the United States, the sport has grown in popularity as an international event for the last 30 years. In Germany live, televised competitions are viewed by almost 3 million people, and star trampolinists are household names.

Unlike the tamer backyard pastime, the sport requires larger trampolines that propel athletes up to 30 feet. The athletes must be as physically fit as other gymnasts.

Jennifer was 9 when she took first place at the World Age Group Games in Germany. Since then, she has captured firsts at international competitions in Canada, Portugal and Japan.

Placing fifth at the World Cup Final in Germany last year, Jennifer was the first American to crack the top five in a World Cup Final.

Her coach, Robert Null of Mission Viejo, has been involved in trampoline and tumbling for 25 years. “It’s hard to explain unless you see it,” Null said. “It takes a lot of courage and can be very scary to do some of the complex maneuvers.”

Jennifer’s boyfriend has a backyard trampoline and tried to show her up once. He ended up with his leg through the springs.

Though she has taken first in almost every event at every United States team trial this year, Jennifer must still outperform the other American trampolinists at the World Championships in October in Sydney. Another trampolinist could place in the top five with her and force another team trial, “but it ain’t gonna happen,” Null said.

Jennifer’s not worried. She’s enjoying Woodward Camp this week, where she gets to bungee jump, rock climb and hang out with the U.S. snowboarding team. Returning home, she gets a month of vacation and will spend most of her free time learning to surf before school starts in September.

But the trampoline is her first love. She dreams of starting a program at UCLA and is planning a career in physical therapy.

“I’ll probably be involved in it for the rest of my life,” she said.