Growing Up In Lubbock: The Allure Of Dangerous Trampolines

When I was growing up in Lubbock, there was always that one friend with a terrifying backyard trampoline. You know what I'm talking about? No safety net, exposed springs that pinched your butt, one leg sunk deep into the dirt, and a constant feeling that the whole thing was about to collapse at any moment.

The Trampoline House

The crazy trampoline house always had a certain kind of energy around it, too. Perhaps, a sketchy dog chained to a tree, random cinder blocks you didn't notice before you were face down in the dirt, and parents who thought yelling "y'all be careful now," every couple of hours out the back door would actually prevent real injuries.

The most memorable childhood fun in Lubbock seemed to come from the most dangerous experiences. Six kids testing out wrestling moves on a used trampoline someone's drunk uncle put together 11 years ago with duct tape and dreams.

Nothing could go wrong...

Photo by Kyrie Isaac on Unsplash

West Texas Wind + Trampolines = Chaos

The wind in Lubbock also took trampolines to the next level. Every neighborhood here has seen at least one trampoline take flight and land in someone else's backyard, and yet, we never thought to tie them down. Instead, we spent hours in the backyard pretending to be storm chasers, straight through tornado warnings, practically begging a twister to whisk us and our rickety trampoline away to Oz.

Unplugged and Bouncing Up A Storm

Truthfully, those dilapidated trampolines were friggin' magical. Entire summers happened right there on them. We even dragged tents and sleeping bags on top of them and spent the night. No phones, no tracking app, and almost zero parental interference beyond the occasional tray of cookies from mom.

If you survived your childhood in Lubbock on a rickety old trampoline, you gained elite reflexes and probably permanent knee damage. Worth it.

Keep scrolling for more Lubbock nostalgia in the galleries below!