TV9 Rewind: First gymnastics tumbling pit opens in Iowa
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) - This week the University of Iowa unveiled its new, state-of-the-art gymnastics and spirit squad training center.
The $20-million, 21,000-square-foot facility features vault runways, uneven bars, competition-style beams and a floor-exercise space. The project has been in the works for years.
But 50 years ago, facilities like these were hard to come by. It wasn’t until 1979 that a gymnastics tumbling pit came to Iowa. They made learning new tricks easier and safer.
“Before we had to catch them or they’d land on what we call a landing mat, which is about four inches thick,” one coach told TV9’s John Campbell. “Here they have a mat that’s about 6 feet deep that they can do more difficult stunts in and land head first or on their back going, going hand first or any position and probably would not receive any type of injury.”
He says U.S. gymnasts needed the pits to help compete on an international basis.
“The Japanese and the Russian teams are the ones that basically started this. That’s how they got the jump on us on these very difficult moves like double backs, full twists. They’re nearly impossible to hand spot, so the pit is the answer.”
Today, Iowa is home to roughly two dozen facilities just like the one that opened in 1979 that are all registered with the United States Trampoline and Tumbling Association.
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