INDIANAPOLIS, May 5, 2017 – USA Gymnastics has chosen the last club for the 2017 USA Gymnastics Trampoline Development Center program. Additionally, a club has been selected to participate in the first 2017 USA Gymnastics Elite Trampoline Development Center Program.

The TDC program debuted in 2013 to help develop trampoline and tumbling in the United States by incorporating competitive trampoline into the curriculum in gyms across the nation, expanding its Olympic pipeline. Since the beginning of TDC, the Trampoline and Tumbling program has grown immensely and thus given USA Gymnastics the opportunity to expand on the program and add an Elite TDC track. The two clubs that have been selected for our 2017 TDC program are as followed:

2017 USA Gymnastics Trampoline Development Program: United Gymstars and Cheer in Montgomery, Ala.
2017 USA Gymnastics Elite Trampoline Development Program: DeVeau’s School of Gymnastics in Fishers, Ind.

USA Gymnastics will be selecting 2018 Trampoline Development Centers with a deadline for applying on December 1st, 2017. Member clubs of USA Gymnastics are eligible to apply for the Trampoline Development Center program, and to be eligible for the Elite TDC track, all clubs must have gone through the original TDC program and have athletes participating in level 8 and above. Additional information and the application are available online at usagym.org/tdc.

The 20 clubs that have been designated as TDCs are: AcroSports in League City, Texas; Branch Gymnastics Academy in Kalamazoo, Mich.; California Sports Center in San Jose, Calif.; DC Gymnastics and Tumbling in Wildomar, Calif.; DeVeau’s School of Gymnastics in Fishers, Ind.; Gymfinity in Fitchburg, Wis.; International Gymnastics Centre in West Sacramento, Calif.; Legacy Training Center in San Luis Obispo, Calif.; Massachusetts Elite Gymnastics Academy in Millis, Mass.; Mills Gymnastics USA in Southgate, Mich.; Mini Hops Gymnastics in Plymouth, Minn.; Montgomery County Sports Performance Center in Harleysville, Pa.; Oconee Gymnastics & Cheer in Watkinsville, Ga.; Orange County Sports Club in Florida, N.Y.; Roots in Westfield, Mass.; Suncoast Gymnastics Academy in Odessa, Fla.; Summit Sports Center in Nolensville, Tenn.; Wendy Hilliard Foundation in New York City; Williamsburg Indoor Sports Complex of Williamsburg, Va.; and World Champions Centre in Spring, Texas.

As part of the Trampoline Development Center (TDC) program, Joy Umenhofer, a member of the national trampoline coaching staff, makes three visits to each selected club to educate the gym, its coaches and athletes about trampoline. When Umenhofer visits the TDC clubs, she hosts clinics to educate club staff on scheduling, coaching and teaching trampoline, basic skills, conditioning and flexibility, and progressions; talent identification development programs; and interactive coach and athlete training sessions. Each club also receives marketing materials, operational guidelines and curriculum support. In addition, other clubs in the area are encouraged to attend the coach education sessions and learn about expanding their programming to include trampoline.

Once a club has gone through the initial TDC program, they are eligible for the Elite TDC program. The Elite TDC also consists of two three day visits, with one day designated to the free workshop. Classroom presentations include: training plan development, athlete leadership, coach leadership, club administrative guidance for a healthy successful team, skill/drill/sequence techniques, and routine construction. Hands on training sessions cover spotting, drills, sequence, routines, and more, with athlete’s who participate in level 8 and above.

Umenhofer is a member of the USA Gymnastics national coaching staff for trampoline and tumbling and junior men. She has coached several trampoline and tumbling national and World Age Group champions, as well as placing athletes on all trampoline and tumbling developmental teams.

Athletes of all ages and body types can enjoy and benefit from trampoline, which also enhances skill development across all gymnastics disciplines. Trampoline may also retain athletes who are looking for something different from gymnastics or need to adjust to accommodate outside scheduling challenges. Additionally, the artistic gymnastics and trampoline competitive seasons complement one another, which makes it is possible for an athlete to participate in both. Many gym clubs in the U.S. already have trampoline as part of their programming, which has proven to be very successful.