By Fay Sargent
Fifty years ago, my whole family attended the Dartford YMCA several times each week at the top of West Hill. While my Dad coached the boys club football team and Mum ran the tuck shop, my brothers were on the judo mat, and so I snuck into the trampoline hall to watch. It wasn’t long before the coach invited me up to bounce, and I got to nail some skills which I’ve used several times over the years – ok, rarely, and not recently, but they always seemed to impress!
Fifty years on, and both my brothers and my Dad all hold national and world titles in their sport, and they all continue to coach players of all levels from beginners to accomplished athletes. The dedication to become excellent and then freely share that excellence with others is what makes an extraordinary coach. I experienced exactly that level of coaching all those years ago when I first tried trampolining. The coach, Keith, then in his mid twenties, was accomplished at his sport, and was able to turn young enthusiasts into gymnasts on the trampoline while lines of eager students flanked the beds, listening and watching and improving their skills every week. I recall Keith had humour, patience and energy enough to see us all through perfecting new skill sets, even when we didn’t get it first try.
I recently swiped through Facebook and found a link to Dartford Trampoline Club and wondered… how different might the sport be now compared to how it was then? Has technology improved trampolining over the last five decades as it seemed to have changed everything else?
Wandering within the grounds of Dartford Grammar School for Girls one Wednesday evening recently, I found the gym in which stood two trampolines end to end. The lady coaching the gymnast on the nearest bed directed me across the hall to chat to the head coach of the club – Keith! Fifty years on and without ever having earned a penny from this passion, Keith still gives up half the evenings of his week to see others enjoy the benefits of the sport he has clearly loved for so long.
Dartford Trampoline Club gymnasts recently entered the last Regional Trampolining Qualifying event at the Rebound Centre in Gillingham. Seven of their Gymnasts qualified to represent the South East Region at the prestigious British Gymnastics Inter-Regional Challenge Cup Final to be held on 11th to 13th July in Birmingham. Well done to the qualifiers Ada, Eva, Leiarna, Ronnie, Olivia, Ikektra and Deborah. Champions in the making!
Speaking with Keith, I learned that the Club meets several times each week during term time, and they currently have spaces in their classes. Being the oldest doesn’t necessarily make you the best in the game, but being the best will usually mean you end up being the oldest. With Keith’s track record, you’d be learning from literally a lifetime of experience and I can attest to it having been top calibre all those years ago.
Dartford is blessed to be able to offer its residents a host of top quality sporting resources in many disciplines and amongst its concentration of high quality coaching teams it must also include Dartford Trampolining Club. To be able to access such facilities to develop sporting careers at the guidance of excellent coaches makes the young people of Dartford most fortunate, and those youngsters should be supported and encouraged while pursuing any sport to complement and eventually replace school curriculum activities. Never give up sport!
The club meets on Monday Tuesday and Wednesday with rec classes running 5.45pm to 6.45pm and squad 6.30pm to 8.30pm.
For information or to join, contact Dartford Trampoline Club on 01322 287614
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