Trampoline Basketball – Is It Safe?
You would think that once you purchase your children the trampoline they’ve been begging for, they’d be content for the rest of the summer. Well, kids get bored easily and pretty soon they’ll be asking for other games to use with their trampoline.
If you’re going to add a trampoline basketball hoop to your trampoline, make sure you do it right. Trampoline safety is imperative, and with trampoline basketball, there are some specific guidelines to keep your kids safe.
Trampoline Basketball Accessories
A trampoline safety enclosure is very important for jumping safety and it’s imperative for trampoline basketball. Approximately 85 percent of trampolines are sold with nets. Make sure yours is part of that 85 percent.
Regardless of the trampoline manufacturer, make sure the basketball hoop is compatible with your unit. It should mount securely and fit the trampoline poles or enclosure properly. Some manufacturers build the hoop unit right into the enclosure.
Slam-dunk maneuvers can put a lot of stress on the trampoline and there is an increased risk that the unit can move or be unstable. By using anchor stakes, you ensure your trampoline will not move even under the most aggressive jumping maneuvers.
Trampoline Basketball Safety
The Academy of Pediatrics states that 75 percent of all trampoline injuries occur when multiple jumpers are using the unit concurrently. Don’t let your child become one of those statistics.
As much as the kids may complain, allowing more than one child on the trampoline at a time is a really bad idea. Sure, it’s hard to play one-on-one basketball alone, but kids can come up with lots of ways to compete and have fun with individual turns of the trampoline.
Parents should monitor all children using the trampoline, but it’s especially important for young children. Little ones, impressed by older sibling’s skills, may try to do the same jumps and slam dunks they see the rest of the kids performing. Children under the age of four or five do not have the motor skills and coordination to perform many jump maneuvers. Thy need supervision so they don’t jump outside their skill level.
Jumping outside their skill level is another way to increase the odds that your child will be seriously injured in a trampoline accident. You would never allow a child who’s a beginning skier to ski down the expert slopes. You wouldn’t allow your child to try competition skateboarding when he’s still learning how to stay on the board without falling. It’s the same thing with trampoline basketball.
Everyone participating on the trampoline should learn the basic jumps and be able to do them without any problems. Since basketball jumps are often big, bold moves, your kids should be able to control their takeoffs and landings without any problems and not lose control while making their shots. Building up these skills just takes some practice and makes the sport much safer.
You should regularly inspect your trampoline to ensure that all the parts are in good shape, there is no wear or damage and that it is firmly positioned and anchored. Many injuries can be avoided by this simple precaution.
Since the kids may be making some wild jumps, it’s a good idea to double-check that they are appropriately dressed. Make sure they don’t have loops, drawstrings or jewelry, which could get caught on the netting or basketball hoop.
No one should jump when tired or fatigued. When you’re tired, you make mistakes. Since trampoline basketball is all about big jumps and big maneuvers, it’s important that your children don’t attempt these shots if they are fatigued.
The jump mat can be slippery when it’s wet. Don’t try doing intricate dunk maneuvers or big jumps when the trampoline is wet.
Trampoline basketball is can be a fun game, but it does require a little extra practice to become proficient. Young children should learn the basic body movements and be able to perform them effortlessly before learning to dunk baskets. Older children should play within their skill level and should always use the trampoline one at a time. If all trampoline safety rules are followed and all recommended accessories are properly installed, trampoline basketball can be as safe as any other trampoline routine.
