Northampton Trampoline Centre, Benham Sports Arena, Kings Park Road, Northampton, NN3 6LL
Tel: 01604 645120 Email: info@ntga.co.uk
Summer Newsletter 2013 www.NTGA.co.uk Facebook.com/NorthamptonTGA Twitter.com/NorthamptonTGA YouTube.com/NorthamptonTGA
BBC Mike bounces in to NTGA BBC Breakfast presenter tries his hand at some extreme trampoline with NTGA and the Air Gravity team BBC BREAKFAST presenter Mike Bushell joined NTGA and our Air Gravity display team recently to try his hand at the extreme side of trampolining. The sports guru, pictured below with James and Amanda from Air Gravity, is famed for having profiled over 350 different sports in his role as a sports presenter,
and he joined us to attempt to walk up walls and somersault like a pro. His five-minute piece showcased some awesome aerial skills from NTGA senior and junior members, and was a funny, appreciative look at extreme trampoline. Mike wasn’t exactly a natural but was a fearless participant and game for a laugh, taking a hand-held camera with him in the bungee. BBC Radio Northampton’s Adrianne Hill was also present, donning an Air Gravity cat-suit as she attempted the impressive wall walk. All in all it was a fantastic day that we all enjoyed!
Tracy steps in to Great Britain role NTGA head coach takes charge of GB women for 2016 Olympic cycle NTGA head coach, Tracy WhittakerSmith, has accepted an offer from British Gymnastics to lead the Great Britain Women’s team up to this year’s World Championships. Tracy is familiar with the role, having been selected as the GB Olympic Coach for London 2012,
but she will now operate as GB Head Coach on a more formal basis, leading monthly squad training camps and travelling with the team for all international competitions. Tracy said: “It’s obviously an honour to be asked to do the role and it is something I’m extremely
excited about doing. “We have an incredibly talented women’s team at the moment who are capable of achieving some fantastic results in the next few years, and I will be doing my best to support the gymnasts and personal coaches from a national perspective.”
Web design by TimKeay.com. Newsletter and media services by SteveWalshMedia.co.uk
Summer Newsletter 2013 Tracy & Harv have tea with the queen!
Eventful time for Air Gravity on ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent BGT turns in to a visit to A&E for Oly! NTGA Head Coaches, Tracy Whittaker-Smith and Harvey Smith, were honoured recently by an invite from the Queen to have tea at Buckingham Palace.
AIR GRAVITY had an eventful time on Britain’s Got Talent after the team were asked to take part in the show’s final audition in February.
Tracy was invited as recognition for the work she put into Team GB at the London 2012 Olympics, and naturally took husband Harvey with her. “What an honour and a privilege to get an invitation to Buckingham Palace,” said Tracy. “And it was fantastic to be able to take Harvey due to his years of support to me to get to the point of GB coach at London and obviously as my husband. “We spruced up for the special occasion which in itself is a rare thing to do as so often we are in tracksuits! “On our arrival we just happened to be in the right place at the right time and ended up at the front of the Queen’s Parade to guests. It was an amazing thing, rocking up to Buckingham Palace to have tea with the Queen! And the experience will last with us forever.”
With just three training sessions to put a routine together, jumpers Oly Boag, Amanda Harris, James Higgins and Steve Walsh did a fantastic job of showcasing their skills. But any honed rehearsal practise went out of the window on the day as Oly innocuously dislocated his shoulder half way through the act - meaning the team had to improvise. “Everything felt great in rehearsal on the day,” said Oly. “We went on and had a chat with the judges and then we started, and everything was going well. “There’s a section where I come off the wall and have to go and stand next to it, on the side frame, and I just happened to hit my arm in a weird angle - it wasn’t a dramatic fall like it was made out to be! “I’d dislocated my shoulder and I tried to pop it back in, but it
wouldn’t go in, so I had to run off! “I was followed by a couple of camera crews, and then my shoulder popped back in just before the ambulance came. The camera crew followed me to hospital as well - it was all a bit surreal!” Nevertheless, Oly says it was an incredible experience for the team. “We did loads of interviews with Ant and Dec, and they were really nice,” he added. “They kept talking to us when the cameras weren’t on and they were really nice guys. “When we found out if we were going through to the live shows, we stood in front of the judges and we were so nervous. “They said they had some bad news but I kept thinking they were going to be joking, so I was waiting for them to say a ‘but’. But they didn’t my face just Click here dropped. to view the “We felt rehearsal of awful for a while Air Gravity’s but it was Britain’s Got another Talent routine! great experience.”
Facebook.com/NorthamptonTGA Twitter.com/NorthamptonTGA YouTube.com/NorthamptonTGA
Book your place for holiday fun! OUR awesome holiday fun sessions are being booked up on a rapid basis, so book now to avoid disappointment!!
Picture: www.alisdairtait.com
Best of luck, Oly! A BIG NTGA good luck to Oly Boag, who left us recently after three years with the club while studying at university. Oly certainly made a big impression on us all, with his bubbly personality a hit with coaches, members and parents alike. “I never thought I would grow so attached to the club,” said Oly. “But over the last few years I definitely have and it has become
part of me. Everyone was so lovely and I felt I was really welcomed in to the family completely. “Sometimes I just felt like I’d been at the club all my life and it was such a natural fit for me, and it is going to be really weird not going in everyday. “Obviously I was jumping and then coaching and did all the Air Gravity stuff - it felt like home!! We’ll miss having Oly around but wish him all the best in his future endeavours! Good luck, Ollie!
Bye to Jaime & Lisa, Hi to Steve! WE said a fond farewell to longtime members and coaches Jaime Moore and Lisa Payne in the early part of 2013. Jaime, who was Great Britain’s first female trampoline Olympian during her competitive years, decided to step down from coaching after three and a half years to spend more time with her family, after the birth of daughter Florence last year. Lisa, who has been coaching at
the club for 19 years, also decided the time was right for her to enjoy a well-earned rest. We’d like to place on record our thanks to both Jaime and Lisa, who will always be welcome at NTGA! In the meantime, Steve Walsh has come on board as Strength & Conditioning coach following his retirement from competitive action. Steve will be assisting team members in getting stronger and we are already seeing some very encouraging results.
Sessions run for the first five weeks of the school summer holidays, 10am-12pm and 1-3pm each day at a cost of £6 per session per person. To book just click HERE to drop us an email stating when you’d like to come!
Trio invited to GB camps ACADEMY trio James Higgins, Amanda Harris and Corin Clark, all pictured above at Lilleshall National Sports Centre recently, continue to be part of the Great Britain set-up. James recently accompanied the senior squad on an international training camp to Portugal, training at their national centre, in the middle of the National velodrome. “It was a really good camp,” said James. ‘The spirit in the GB camp is really good at the moment and it gave me a good opportunity to train with one of my international rivals.”
Summer Newsletter 2013 Elsbeth heads for adventure NTGA member and coach Elsbeth Priestly will be leaving us soon to take the trip of a lifetime as she heads to Africa to work for six months. Both Elsbeth and sister Francesca are moving to somerset before Elsbeth travels to work with school children for 6 months. She has been a reliable, hard working coach who works well with members of all ages. Francesca has been a joy to coach in her time at the club and both will be dearly missed!
23 Qualify for Nationals! TWENTY-THREE NTGA members will descend on Birmingham next month to compete in the National Trampoline Championships.
Fig A: James Higgins, Amanda Harris. Fig B: Glyn Dickinson, Lawrence Breslin, Kayleigh Haskins, Chloe Grieves, Tamara Ragiste, Gillian Nine of our members Coleman, Kathleen will compete at National Championships 2013 Taylor, Corin Clark, National C, while 12 Brett Coleman, will be in action in FIG B. Joshua Jones, Ross Tait, Charlie Great Britain squad members Masters. James Higgins and Amanda Harris National C: Nicola Andrews, will lead the club in the FIG A Abigail Barford, Annie Sparkes, seniors, hoping to become overall Emma Price, Tahlia Feasey, Charlie National Champions! Miller, Abigail Brown, Brodie Qualifiers as follows: Hove-Coleman, Andrew Stamp.
Host of NTGA members qualify as new coaches! A MASSIVE seventeen NTGA members have recently qualified as new coaches with Academy director Mandy Daybles. We’re delighted to welcome them to the coaching fold as part of our commitment to retaining people in sport. Hannah Blatchly and Elsbeth Priestley have qualified as Level Two coaches, while newly accredited to Level One are Nicola Andrews, Chloe Grieves, Ellie Dudley Smith and Alina Smith. New in at Level 0 are Corey York, Paige Beasley, Lucy Briggs, Katie Joseph, Bethany Darroch, Jordan Wellicome, Emma Price, Lauren Oates, Annie Sparkes, Orla Dickinson and Emily Hawkley. Well done, guys!
Schools are loving NTGA! A NUMBER of schools have tested out the trampoline centre recently as part of term bookings and rewards for pupils. Our coaches do a fantastic job and children always leave inspired, exhausted and gain a real sense of achievement from working on the proficiency award scheme. Teachers and staff have commented on how pleased they are with our friendly and professional coaching style, with
the pupils having great fun whilst learning at the same time in the structured sessions. We also recently visited Brixworth Primary as part of their School Sports Fair, where Ross (pictured above) took a display board and showcased some videos of our members in action. He talked to some very interested pupils, teachers and parents and we have had some great feedback with people booking taster sessions and parties as a result.
Web design by TimKeay.com. Newsletter and media services by SteveWalshMedia.co.uk