Minitramp Moments

We’ve all had these moments in our lives; times when you’re required to perform under pressure.

It might be the time you were fouled in a basketball game and went up to shoot the winning free throws in the final seconds (like the character Ollie in the movie “Hoosiers”).

It could be when you were asked to make a speech or presentation (either at work or in class) that was a little out of your comfort level.

Maybe you’re thinking of a time when you worked up the nerve to ask that pretty girl on a date. Or in the modern era, when the girls are just as likely to ask the guys, maybe you worked up the nerve to ask out that cute guy in your history class?

Whatever the case, we have all faced these moments time and time again. How we perform in these pressure-packed situations defines us to some degree. I like to call them “Minitramp Moments.’

Before you get too creative with this terminology, I’d better explain. The term Minitramp dates to my years in middle school.

At Cedar Bluff, we also had a very comprehensive P.E. program and a hands-on teacher. Our program was more than just the ‘roll out the basketballs and let them play’ mentality. There were actual topics and units of study.

For example, during a bicycle safety unit, kids actually rode bikes during P.E. Can you imagine?

During the winter months – when you might expect to be playing basketball – our P.E. teacher routinely rolled out the tumbling mats and we began a unit on gymnastics.

I’m not sure where our school got all this equipment – maybe from a generous benefactor? (If so…”Gee thanks!”). There were myriad mats, a balance beam, a vaulting horse and a small trampoline (our teacher called it ‘The Minitramp’).

The unit would begin simply enough – with a basic forward roll. The problem was that it was not simple for me. Growing up, I would say I was an average to decent athlete (when it came to conventional sports like baseball, football and basketball). In fact, I had a lot of fun playing softball on the school playground.

But when it came to doing a ‘dive forward roll,’ I just couldn’t visualize it in my mind. I couldn’t figure out how to make my body contort in that fashion. Still can’t.

In a way, that’s why I’m so impressed at what these gymnasts can do when you see them competing in the Olympics. They are amazing athletes.

But in 7th and 8th grade gym class, I was stuck. I couldn’t do tumbling but it wasn’t going away. Going through the tumbling unit, things got progressively worse. Me on the balance beam, for example? Not a pretty sight.

After two weeks of tumbling, the ‘capstone’ exercise of the tumbling unit involved the minitramp and the vaulting horse. All the students lined up and raced down a course to a point where the minitramp was positioned.

The drill was to jump on the minitramp and vault up to the top of the vaulting horse where you’d land (shins down) between your knees and and ankles. Then, after a pause, you were to jump off the vault and stick a nice landing.

When it became my turn…everyone in the class began murmuring. They knew the tumbling unit wasn’t my strong suit. They were rooting for me but feared the worst. And, naturally, I bungled the first attempt. I slammed into the vaulting horse. Didn’t even get to the landing.

So, attempt #2 comes and I think I actually snagged my sneakers in the springs of the trampoline. Again, I didn’t make it and I kind of staggered into the floor.

Finally, as in all good stories, came my third attempt. I just closed my eyes and told myself not to think about it too much. Boom - Down the course. Breep - Up on the trampoline. Bing - Onto the vaulting horse. Bam - Stuck the landing!

All the students applauded.

Then, our teacher said, “Gary, I don’t believe what I just saw…why don’t you go back and do it again to convince me.” (I heard a collective groan from my sympathetic classmates).

But, as I did the time before, I didn’t think about it too much. I just did it! And, again, I got great applause from my peers.

Over time, the applause has faded. But every time I have had to do anything challenging – a big presentation, a difficult task, a job interview, I have thought back to my experience with the minitramp.

And I figure if I could pass the minitramp test, I can do most anything.

When you find yourself in difficult times, you can pass your own ‘Minitramp Moment.’ And if you ever need any inspiration, just remember an 8th grade boy and his triumph in the gym class on that January day long ago.

JG

Originally posted 1/7/2013