Nani Vercruyssen, Program Head
Hawaii Academy started a trampoline gymnastics program in 2001 and participated in its first USA Gymnastics national champions that year. In 2002 the Elite Trampoline Program was started with the intent of striving for excellence until 2007 when it would halt operation following the 2007 Age Group World Championships. This effort resulted in numerous elite national champions, five players on US National Teams, and four players going all the way to Age Group World Championships and winning five medals for the US (four gold and one bronze). After this successful run, the elite program was dismantled with the players going on to become outstanding divers, cheer sport performers, and martial arts players (wrestling, judo, jujitsu) at the national level.
In 2008 Nani Vercruyssen watched the Olympic Games in Beijing and decided she wanted to continue participating at the elite level, at least for four more years. In 2010 elite training was resumed selecting three performers to train with Vercruyssen. This program was reactivated with the understanding that it would only be for 2011 and 2012, after which the coaches would return to medical research and clinical practice and the players would disperse as in 2007 or continue doing trampoline with other coaches.
