ISLE PROFILE
Rare air for trampolinist

By Stanley Lee
Advertiser Staff Writer

"When you learn a skill, it's scary, but once you get used to it, it's easy," says 12-year-old Nani Vercruyssen, performing a move while Tae Satoya watches on the trampoline. Deborah Booker • The Honolulu Advertiser Nani Vercruyssen Born: Feb. 6, 1992 School: Will be a seventh grader at Kaimuki Middle School this fall. "I'm excited, but not scared," she said of going to her new school. "But I might get scared when it gets closer." Favorite movie: Any one that involves car racing. Favorite place she has been to: Europe because of the mountains. Hobbies: Relax and go to the mall. About the sport: Trampoline, which falls under gymnastics, became an Olympic sport in 2000. 2004 Results: Won gold in the trampoline and tumbling events at the USA Gymnastics Trampoline and Tumbling Region 1 & 2 Championships in Portland, Ore. Also earned a silver in the double mini-tramp there in May. At June's U.S. Gymnastics Championships at Nashville, Tenn., she earned a silver in the synchronized event and was fourth in the trampoline and fifth in the double mini. Upcoming schedule: IndoPacific Championships, July 13 to 18 at Kelowna, British Columbia. Pan American Games, July 19 to 22 at Tampa, Fla. Japanese Elite National Championships, Aug. 1 to 9 at Kanagawa, Japan. Role models: U.S. trampolinists Ryan Weston, Jamar Young and Jennifer Parilla, the first female U.S. trampoline Olympian.

The 12-year-old from Kaimuki is a trampolinist who recently made the United States Junior National team for trampoline and tumbling. When she isn't spending most of her time doing flips and stunts in the air, she's on an airplane traveling to competitions around the world.

"I realize that not any 12-year-old gets to travel all around the world," said Vercruyssen, an incoming seventh- grader at Kaimuki Middle School. "My friends say 'I wish I was you and I could go all over the world.' "

She has logged so many frequent-flier miles, 13 trips this year alone, her upcoming visits to Japan and Russia will be free.

Vercruyssen competes in trampoline, a sport that combines the moves of artistic gymnastics with a trampoline. All the stunts are done in the air.

"When you learn a skill, it's scary, but once you get used to it, it's easy," Vercruyssen said. "Now I don't really have to think about what I'm doing. I just have to think about the tricks."

But being in the air can be lonely at times for Vercruyssen, who has devoted most of her time to training. She has no training partner at her skill level, and her travel schedule can make it difficult to do "normal 12-year-old stuff."

"There are only 50 elite juniors and seniors in the whole country and she's the youngest," said her father and coach Dr. Max Vercruyssen. "Who does she play with? Who does she talk to?"

This year alone, she has been to Europe twice and several places on the Mainland. In the past month, she's competed in Portland, Ore., and Nashville, Tenn., where she landed a spot on the junior national team.

"I was really excited (to hear) I'm on the junior national team," she said.

Training on her own

At Nashville, she also earned a silver medal in the junior synchronized event. Her partner in the event, Ashley Grimes, lives in Florida and the two only communicate a few times each year.

"That's the hard part about being elite athletes," said her father. "There's so few around."

Nani's training partners at the Hawai'i Academy are at level nine or 10. In trampoline, there are 12 levels with 11 and 12 considered elite.

"It can be lonely because as an elite you have to train harder than the level 10s," Vercruyssen said. "Sometimes you have to push yourself harder and you think 'Why do I have to do that and they don't have to do that?' But you go back and think, 'I'm an elite, I have to push harder.' "

Training six days a week, four hours each day, Nani was pushing herself since the beginning of the year to make the junior national team. To qualify, she had to travel to different competitions and earn points.

"This whole year I've been training hard in making my goals comes true," she said.

The support from her friends and teachers at Hokulani Elementary School have helped her in achieving her goals and eased the loneliness of travel. At airports, she's called her friends on her cell phone and plans her schedule ahead of time so she will be ready once she returns to school. Last month, Hokulani even moved back its graduation two days to allow her to graduate with the rest of her sixth-grade class.

"Her principal has been wonderful," said her father. "All the teachers have been supportive. We have gotten enormous support from Hokulani.

Vercruyssen agreed.

"My friends have all supported me and my teachers have really encouraged me. At home, I can call my friends if I'm having trouble. On the Mainland, it just feels like I can talk to them and have a piece of Hawai'i with me."

Started in gymnastics

Vercruyssen switched to trampoline from artistic gymnastics when she was 8. With a gymnastics background, she was able to transfer many of the things she learned in gymnastics, such as flexibility, toe point and core strength.

"Nearly all (trampolinists) come from artistic gymnastics," her father said. "They bring great strength, more so than other trampoline athletes and are physically stronger."

It took Nani just over a year to advance from level 6 to level 11 in the trampoline. Her father said Nani's intensity and determination helped her improve during that time, along with practicing seven days a week.

The rise to the elite level has taught Nani how to be more independent and self-sufficient. Before she leaves for competitions, she starts adjusting to her destination's time zone by waking up and practicing as if she were at that time.

"She's an auto pilot," said her father. "She can go through an airport by herself and wake herself up in the morning to do her morning runs. When we're traveling, she plans her meals and schedule in advance."

Trips to asia, europe

With her main goal for the year accomplished, Nani is now focusing on each meet ahead of her and cleaning up her routine.

This month, she has competitions in Canada and Florida. Next month, she will be competing in Japan and later this fall, Belarus and Russia.

After the Japan trip, her training schedule tapers off and she will get to do "normal 12-year-old stuff" like going to the mall and hanging out with her friends. Her father said this balance will keep her from exhausting herself. Vercruyssen said the fact she has fun and has been successful on the trampoline has kept her going.

"The key is creating a balance where she gets to do what she wants to do outside of the gym," said her father. "It's like a career, and right now her career is trampoline."

Reach Stanley Lee at slee@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-8533.