Flying toward the Olympics

Steve Virgen

The trampoline shoots her up, 30 feet in the air. She is practically

flying. While levitating, she flips and twists, curls and tucks

before landing on a 3- by 5-foot painted area within the trampoline.

And, then flies again and again.

Welcome to Jennifer Parilla’s world.

Parilla, a Newport Beach resident, won the gold medal in the

senior elite trampoline competition at the USA Gymnastics national

championships in Sacramento July 22. Now the 22-year-old is in

Pocatello, Idaho preparing for two world cup competitions that will

be in Belgium and the Czech Republic.

Her goal is to return to the Olympics, and she wants to place

higher than she did in 2000, when she finished ninth in the event

that made its Olympic debut in Australia.

The trampoline, just like other gymnastic events, is judged.

Competitors must continually land on the painted area within the

trampoline so not to lose points. To gain points, they must perform

various skills, 10 straight during two routines, a compulsory and an

optional.

For example, most of the time, Parilla will complete a triffis --

a triple somersault with a half twist on the third rotation -- to

begin her optional routine.

A typical routine lasts only 20 seconds, a remarkably short time

compared with the practice and tranining Parilla has put in

throughout the last 16 years.

“I know it sounds like it should be pretty easy, but it’s a tough

sport,” said Parilla, who has been part star, part pioneer of the

event that is gaining more interest within the gymnastic community.

“The No. 1 thing I like about trampoline is how different it is from

a backyard trampoline. You can jump 30 feet in the air. In one simple

word it is fun. You have the feeling that you are flying.”

Parilla, who went to El Toro High for two years and then took home

schooling because of her competition schedule, became familiar with

the trampoline when she received a free lesson for her sixth

birthday. Ever since, Parilla has been working her way toward stardom

in the event.

After her gold medal at the national championships, the 5-foot-1,

116-pound Parilla became a four-time winner of the senior elite

trampoline competition. She was the U.S. national trampoline champion

in 1999, 2000 and 2002.

She is also an 11-time senior elite national champion in the

trampoline, synchronized trampoline or double-mini trampoline events.

There are four disciplines as part of the trampoline, but the

individual trampoline event is the one for Olympic competition.

Before the 2000 Olympics, Parilla earned a bid for the U.S. to

send one woman for the trampoline event to Sydney. Then, she won the

Olympic trials to advance to the Olympics. Now she is hoping to

duplicate her efforts.

Parilla, who was named to the U.S. senior national trampoline team

for the 10th straight year, will compete in the trampoline world

championships, in Hanover, Germany, Oct. 17-19. The 2003 worlds is

the Olympic selection event for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens,

Greece.

Parilla will once again attempt to qualify the U.S. as one of the

countries to participate in the 2004 Olympics. Then she will compete

in the 2004 Olympic trials for gymnastics at the Arrowhead Pond, June

24-27.

Before each major competition, Parilla said she will train in

Idaho with coach Oleg Fedosov and U.S. men’s trampoline champion Ryan

Weston.

“I came here before the national championships and that worked

really well,” said Parilla, who has placed second, fourth, sixth and

seventh at prior world cup competitions and is a three-time medalist

at the trampoline world championships. “I figure if I’m going to the

Olympics, I might as well train with a very good coach.”

After the 2004 Olympics, Parilla is tentatively planning to go on

tour with USA Gymnastics. She is hoping to medal at the Olympics and

then ride out the celebration.

“Beyond that, my life is pretty much open,” said Parilla, who has

taken athletic training classes at Orange Coast College. “I don’t

know if I will stay with the sport. I know a big part of me is giving

my personal life a go. There have been some people who retire from

the sport in their mid-20s and then come back. It’s a sport that’s

not too hard on your bones.”