Category: pits

History of the Ball Pit

Gymnastics foam pits were first. Ball pits soon after.

The invention of the ball pit (or “ball crawl,” as it was first dubbed) is widely attributed to Eric McMillan.

… In 1971, he was appointed chief designer of Ontario Place, an ambitious project that included a park, theme park, and the world’s first IMAX theater on newly built artificial islands just off the Toronto waterfront. Ontario Place was a visionary project, but it was missing something.

Striving for a more kid-friendly environment, the designer created The Children’s Village, a massive playground unlike any other, where youngsters could climb huge rope nets and soft pyramids, crawl through hanging tunnels, and jump on an enormous air mattress. “The Children’s Village opened in July 1972 …

McMillan did not install a ball pit in Toronto, however.

According to McMillan, that honor belongs to the ball crawl he installed in 1976 at SeaWorld Captain Kids World in San Diego, another of a handful of theme parks McMillan designed …

A brief history of the ball pit

How the indoor playground became a staple in our safety-obsessed culture

Gymnastics foam pit rescue

Do your Emergency Services know how to deal with a gymnast injured in a foam pit?

Thanks Avril.

Whistler Bounce Tramp facility closing

Pay for Play trampoline parks are far too dangerous, in my opinion.

People should do trampoline under supervision of qualified coaches.

Changes in insurance policies in Canada are driving some out of business.

Unfortunately, Whistler Bounce is one of them. This is the best and safest of any I’ve visited. It was custom built so snow sport athletes could learn flipping and twisting more safely than out on the slopes.

Popular trampoline facility Whistler Bounce was forced to close last month because of a dramatic rise in insurance rates, explains owner John Dunbar.

Whistler Bounce is closing down after almost seven years in business. …

Dunbar said that up until this year, insurance costs stayed relatively stable through the years of operation, at around $16,000 a year. But this year, that figure grew astronomically—to around $100,000 a year.

The decision to close was a “no brainer,” he said. “The decision was made for me. There was no way I could survive.”

According to a recent article in Canadian Underwriter, insurance companies are “jumping out of the trampoline business.” …

Despite their popularity, trampoline parks are not regulated in any jurisdiction in Canada …

Over at the Whistler Gymnastics Centre, however, they are not seeing the same dramatic uptick in insurance, though there have been gradual increases over the last 25 years.

“What’s different is that we have policies and procedures that we must follow, which our insurance covers,” said club director Tami Mitchell. …

Whistler Bounce closes its doors

Thanks James.

Mike Outram – paralyzed Gymnastics coach

Tony Retrosi:

At the NO LIMITS Camp in Calgary Mike coached Beam. Immediately after that we headed down to Lethbridge Alberta to do a Boys Camp. Watching him break a skill down and explaining drills is a thing of beauty. He is a bit shaky when he walks but his confidence in the gym more than makes up for it. Give this man a cape and call him a superhero.

Mike Outram (second from the left) is a character. If you’ve met him once, you remember him.

I recall first hearing that Mike had been paralyzed from hitting concrete at the bottom of a foam pit coming off tramp. Hearing that he’d never walk again.

This tragedy was big news in Canada. Everyone checked their pits to see if any concrete could be somehow exposed.

Some months later Mike unexpectedly arrived at a Gymnastics event. He walked in through an open side door of the Gym.

… I thought you were paralyzed?

Mike: That’s what they tell me.

It’s an incredible story. The power of the mind over the body. Mike’s still improving. Click over to GymMomentum.

My Journey and What I Learned from Gymnastics. Mr. Michael Outram

Trampoline RULES

Bermuda Gymnastics just got a new Eurotramp Ultimate. I went looking for a set of rules for coaches / gymnasts.

• Trampolining should always be supervised by a qualified coach/teacher.

• Check that pupils wear suitable sports clothing; suitable non-slip footwear (trampoline shoes or non-slip socks) if possibility of toes going through the webbing.

• Check that jewellery (including that associated with body piercings), watches etc have been removed.

• Check that hair is tied back and nails are trimmed.

• Prevent fooling around and jumping from the trampoline

Those are a few mentioned in this PDF document from the official Eurotramp website.

Leave a comment if you know of a better set online.