Have you ever been on a trampoline? You know; you find yourself in someone’s backyard, you see the trampoline and you give it a shot. In your mind, you are soaring through the air, flipping and twisting sky-high.

That is exactly what Paint Branch’s very own Noah Rhoads does, only his trampoline skills are part of his pursuit of Olympic gold. While gymnastics is one of the most popular Summer Olympic events, the vast majority of people do not even know that trampoline is part of Olympic gymnastics, but this is something Noah hopes to change. "When people think of gymnastics, they think of floor, beam, bars, or rings," says Noah. "But trampoline is so much different. For instance, there are different events: Individual Trampoline, Double-Mini Trampoline, Tumbling, and Synchronized Trampoline. It is totally different from artistic."

Noah started taking gymnastic classes when he was eight because he needed an outlet for all of his energy. A trampoline coach at his gym saw him in his classes and knew he had skill and potential. After talking to the coach, Noah’s parents decided to let him try out for the team. Ever since he made the team, he’s loved trampoline. "I chose trampoline because the thought of flying in the air seemed amazing to me. It looked really cool, and I wanted to be a part of that."

Noah trains sixteen hours a week and sometimes has to say no to hanging out with friends, but he never thinks of quitting because he believes he has this God-given talent and plans to push himself to the max. "I don’t think I’ve ever thought about quitting. Trampoline is very important to me, its my life. God has given me these skills for a reason. He wants me to succeed."

Knowing he has a talent and something to prove, he has set his sights on the Olympics. "The Olympics are a reasonable goal. There are people I know that believe I will go the Olympics, [my] coach included. I will be old enough to go to the 2016 Olympics in Rio [De Janeiro, Brazil], so I am hoping I make it– if God wants me to. I just need to work hard and keep doing my best. And pray of course."

Since Noah has set his sights so high, he thrives on the support of his family, a group who has supported him as best as they can for not being gymnasts themselves. "My family supports me as much as they can. They try to go to my competitions, as long as they aren’t too far. They encourage me to do my best. I am the only gymnast in my family."

While Noah doesn’t have any rivals yet, he and his teammates push each other and make each other better athletes. "We usually have little challenges, like ‘who can jump the highest?’

or ‘who can do this skill?’ or ‘who can do it better?’"

or ‘who can do it better?’"

As for the respect accorded his sport, Noah realizes that, when people think of "sports," they are not likely to think of gymnastics. However, he notes that "it is a sport, and it is just as demanding physically as any other sport." One troubling issue that many gymnasts face as they deal with the pressure of trying to be better than the next person is the body-image issues. However, according to Noah, this is not as big an issue for male gymnasts as it is for female athletes. "I think for boys it is easier to deal with our body image. Gymnastics tends to make boys skinny and muscular. Girls become strong too, but there may be some times when they aren’t satisfied with their bodies." Overall Noah has not experienced this much for either the male or female athletes he interacts with and states that "it isn’t a big deal."

So, in three years as you sit back to watch the Summer Olympics from Rio de Janiero, remember your fellow Panther, Noah Rhoads.