RHS senior to compete on U.S. tumbling team in Bulgaria
By Karen Brainard
Next week Trevor Jackson, a Ramona High School senior, will be competing on the U.S. team in the 2013 World Trampoline and Tumbling Age Group Competition in Sofia, Bulgaria.
The 17-year-old was one of four gymnasts selected by USA Gymnastics to serve on the men’s U.S. team, ages 17 and 18. He will be competing in tumbling.
“I’m excited to go. I’ve never been to Europe at all,” he said.
The competition is Nov. 13-17, but Jackson is set to leave Nov. 9 to fly to the East Coast, and then fly with the U.S. group on Nov. 10 to Bulgaria.
Jackson is ranked second by USA Gymnastics in the 2013 World Age Team, ages 17 and 18. He practices at SoCal TTC in Poway five days a week, about 1-1/2 to 2 hours each time.
“Just train and try to get as ready as I can,” he said of his recent practices.
Skills that he incorporates into his tumbling routines include double back layouts, full-ins — double back flips with a full twist in the first flip, and double doubles — a double-twisting double back.
“You have to get speed going up to it so I’ll do whips,” he said of his tumbling passes.
Jackson attended a training camp in September in Texas, that is run by Bela Karolyi, who has coached several Olympic gymnasts.
“He was all about teamwork and practice,” Jackson said of Karolyi.
At the world competition in Bulgaria, Jackson will compete individually against 34 others for the top eight spots. If he scores high enough to be in the top eight, he will compete again that same day.
He will also get to do some sightseeing. Jackson said the USA Gymnastics program director will have tours set up so they get a cultural experience.
Jackson, the son of Bill and Lisa Jackson, started gymnastics at age 6 with Poway Gymnastics and then at age 13, changed to SoCal TTC to focus on tumbling and trampoline. His twin sister, Courtney Jackson used to do gymnastics but switched to pole vaulting and competes on Ramona High’s track and field team.
After high school, Jackson said he plans to go to college and would like to keep up with the tumbling, especially if World’s is held in the U.S. next year. While trampoline is an Olympic sport, tumbling as an individual sport is not. In the Olympics, tumbling falls under artistic gymnastics.