Flippin’ amazing

Jared Goad of Team Nova Scotia goes heels over head during the preliminary round of men’s trampoline competition at the College of New Caledonia on Tuesday afternoon. Goad qualified for the finals, which were held Tuesday evening. Allan WISHART/Free Press

Jared Goad has represented Nova Scotia at the last two Canada Games.

In Halifax in 2011, he stuck mostly to the ground, winning gold in the floor exercise for artistic gymnastics. In Prince George, he’s going more vertical, competing on the trampoline.

“I actually started in trampoline,” he said after Tuesday’s preliminary competition, where he qualified for the finals that evening. “Then I switched to artistic gymnastics for a few years.

“I switched back to trampoline and then, when I knew the Games were coming up, I made a push to qualify.”

There was some hardship involved when he started trampoline.

“The first club I was at, I was hitting my head on the ceiling when I bounced off the mat.

“I had to move to another club which was an hour’s drive away.”

Showing how the past and the present are linked, his coach at that first club was Krista Henderson, who is also in Prince George as a manager for Team Nova Scotia.

Goad, 21, says there are some differences between artistic gymnastics and trampoline, but there are also some similarities.

“Trampoline uses the legs a lot more, while artistic gymnastics uses the arms and the core muscles as well.

“With both of them, though, you have to have a sense of awareness of where you are in space. Especially in trampoline, you have to know where the trampoline is even when you’re upside down above it.”

He was happy with his performance Tuesday afternoon, but feels he could have done better.

“I think I’ve still got a bit of jet lag.”

He’s enjoyed his first few days in Prince George, and says one thing about the Games stands out.

“The volunteers here are amazing. You can’t do this without them, and every one of them I’ve met has been helpful and courteous.”