With February being LGBTQ+ history month and inclusivity being at the heart of Glasgow University Trampoline Club, GUTC are the sport of the month for February.
Tuck jump, straight jump, and pike jump: these are just three of the moves that you could learn with Glasgow University Trampoline Club (GUTC). If you’ve got the energy to bounce, flip, and twist, and are looking for a super-inclusive sports club, trampoline is the one for you. With February being LGBTQ+ history month, GUTC’s push for greater inclusivity in their club, and sport generally, make them The Glasgow Guardian’s Sport of the Month for February.
Sophie Thomas, trampoline’s club captain, describes the club as “inclusive, versatile, and friendly”. Inclusivity is at the heart of the club, and this is embodied in all of their training sessions. The club is suitable for everyone and is relaxed in its recreational structure, yet also nurtures talent and competitiveness. GUTC offers a gender-neutral clothing option to all of its members, as well as providing a super fun and chilled atmosphere.
Trampoline has an annual BUCS competition. Last year, it was hosted in Telford and 10 members from the club competed in trampoline and double mini-trampoline (DMT). The competitions were mixed gender and GUTC saw some great successes. Two gold medals were won: one for Sophie Thomas in DMT level 1 and the other for Andrew Milne in DMT level 2. Competitions are very important to the club, with GUTC also competing in Scottish Student Trampoline competitions and international student competitions in Scotland and Ireland.
Furthermore, GUTC has seen a number of individual successes by its members. Secretary Evan Edwards has been undergoing the selection process to represent his home country, Canada, and the club captain, Sophie, has been invited to major competitions in London.
GUTC do a variety of charitable work throughout the year: their joint January Ceilidh, held at Slay Glasgow in collaboration with Glasgow University Gymnastics Club was a fundraising event. They have hosted other fundraising events such as bake sales and bingo nights throughout the year. Weekly socials are common within the club, and feature themed club nights, pub crawls, and non-drinking socials, such as team meals and potlucks. If you’re looking for a fun, relaxed, but also highly competitive team with lots of opportunities to compete, GUTC is the one for you.
According to the captain, the three best things about GUTC are, “our gender inclusivity; we cater for all genders. Secondly, we are one of the few sports where all our members train together, regardless of if you’re a recreational or a competitive member. Finally, we make sure to host a non-drinking social every month to cater for all our members”.
For more information, you can find GUTC on social media:
Instagram: @gusatrampoline
Twitter: @gusatrampoline
Facebook: Glasgow University Trampoline Club
TikTok: uofgtrampoline
