Trampoline videos catapult Wichita teen to social media fame, competition

Jake Breshears’ backyard is almost entirely filled with trampolines.

The 15-year-old performs acrobatic stunts that would both impress and terrify casual observers.

Many times, Breshears and his trampoline-enthusiast friends land on their backs or bellies – it’s all part of the stunt.

But these aren’t just a bunch of teens goofing off in the summertime.

These guys are some of the best in the world at garden (backyard) trampoline-flipping, a growing sport that combines the acrobatic skill of diving with the athleticism of gymnastics.

Breshears might just be flipping in his northwest Wichita backyard, but online he has an audience of almost 30,000 Instagram followers – and a recent video of his has 1.7 million views.

Later this month, Breshears will be one of 30 trampoline athletes competing at the first GT Games – a competition for garden trampoline flippers – in Escondido, Calif.

“I’m excited to see this become a legitimate sport, because I have heard my fair share of ‘backyard trash’ and ‘play a real sport’ insults,” he said. “Now I get to be a part of proving them wrong.”

What is it?

Garden trampoline flipping, simply put, is performing front flips and back flips with potential rotations on backyard trampolines. It’s not as structured as Olympic trampoline events or even high-school diving.

Breshears calls it a “really creative sport” in which athletes constantly experiment with new flip combinations.

“Usually gymnasts or people who tumble, even professional trampolinists, they see a backyard trampoline and the first thing they do is write it off as ‘They’re just reckless; they don’t know what they’re doing,’ ” Breshears said. “All we’re doing is progressing at our own rate. We’re not being held back by a coach, as you would in gymnastics. We’re pushing the limits of flips themselves, and they confuse that with not knowing what we’re doing.”

Like other extreme sports, injury is possible – at a recent trampoline gathering at the Breshears house, one of the flippers broke his tailbone after landing on the edge of the trampoline, said Kevin Breshears, Jake’s dad. Some trampolines have nets on the sides; many do not.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has advised against recreational trampoline use, citing potential injuries. Some homeowners insurance policies prohibit trampolines as well.

Trampoline enthusiasts say many flippers learn their craft from instructional videos online or by taking lessons with certified trainers at trampoline parks.

The risks involved with trampolines are no greater than those associated with football, Kevin Breshears said.

“It’s about the training – it’s no different than taking safety measures with any other sport,” he said. “That’s kind of the biggest concern with trampolines in general is that they’re considered unsupervised and dangerous – and they are dangerous, but they’re just as dangerous as ... playing soccer or football or ... falling off a stage.”

It certainly doesn’t stop Jake Breshears, who says he’s never been genuinely hurt in the years he’s been flipping.

“The kid’s as fit as any athlete I’ve ever seen,” Kevin Breshears said. “It’s just been great for his physical fitness and mentally to do a sport that he loves and has had a lot of success with.”

The GT Games

Jake Breshears, who is sponsored by trampoline manufacturer SkyBound, will soon make an expenses-paid trip to California to participate in the GT Games.

The games are presented by Greg Roe Trampoline; Roe is a former Canadian national trampolinist known for daring acrobatic stunts.

The competition will be livestreamed through Jukin Media, the company behind popular Facebook pages like “People Are Awesome,” “Fail Army” and “The Pet Collective.”

The competition will likely be watched by thousands of young people.

But Jake Breshears isn’t worried about competing – he said he sees it more as an opportunity to meet high-profile Instagram users he’s always wanted to meet in person.

“No one really dislikes each other – it’s like a big family,” he said.

Wichita a flipper’s destination

In recent years, Wichita has developed into a destination for trampoline flippers.

Perhaps it started with Tanner Braungardt, the local 16-year-old who got his start doing trampoline flips for YouTube videos but has since become an internet celebrity.

The trampoline community is connected almost entirely through Instagram – even some of Breshears’ closest friends in Wichita were Instagram connections first.

Last month, the family hosted a multiple-day event for trampoline flippers. “For six or seven days, we had 16 boys here just going nuts on the trampolines,” Kevin Breshears said.

The flippers came from across the United States and one from Norway – almost entirely Instagram connections.

Kevin Breshears remembers when his son was first getting into the trampoline community on Instagram.

“As a parent, I was like, ‘What? Who are you talking to?’ ” he said. “It turns out they’re some of the best people we’ve ever met. They have great families, and they’re so positive to each other.”

This story was originally published July 5, 2017 at 7:02 PM with the headline "Trampoline videos catapult Wichita teen to social media fame, competition."