Photo: Charlie Bowlen // Instagram

PARK CITY, UT — Charlie Bowlen, a freestyle trampoline athlete and lifelong Park City resident, has just secured a coveted Wildcard entry to the Freestyle Trampoline Association (FTA) World Championship in Barcelona, Spain, this September. This marks a significant milestone for Charlie, who is the first and only American competing in the junior men’s division, a new category introduced this year for athletes aged 13 to 15.

Freestyle trampoline, an emerging sport rooted in youth culture, began gaining traction as teenagers shared videos of their trampoline tricks on social media. Much like snowboarding and skateboarding before they became Olympic sports, freestyle trampoline has evolved into a counter-culture phenomenon. Its rise to prominence was highlighted in 2023 when ESPN featured the sport for the first time in a highlight reel.

“I love this sport because of the creativity that it allows me to have. I don’t have to move a certain way or follow an exact training path. All I have to do is just have fun and create my own combinations,” Bowlen shared.

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The FTA hosts qualifying events across Europe, New Zealand, Australia, and the United States. Last year, the World Championship took place in London, but this year, it will coincide with Extreme Barcelona, an event that showcases a variety of urban sports, including skateboarding, BMX, and breakdancing. The competition is scheduled for September 13-15 at Parc Del Fòrum, near Barcelona’s waterfront.

In the senior men’s division, three Americans will compete, along with one American woman. Charlie, who lives in Silver Creek Estates and attends Park City High School, will represent the U.S. in the junior men’s division. “Qualifying for something as big as this is actually a surreal feeling. Out of all of these other people, I was chosen. Knowing that I’m the only one from the US in my division is just kind of amazing, Bowlen said.

He honed his skills at Woodward Park City and in the backyards of friends across northern Utah, where he learned to master flips and tricks. “I started four years ago when Woodward Park City opened. My friends and I started jumping on the trampolines. Overtime, I got pretty good then soon fell in love with the sport.”

Freestyle trampoline, with its roots on Instagram, lacks local youth clubs or teams for support, making Charlie’s journey even more remarkable.

As the competition approaches, efforts are underway to raise funds to help cover the costs of his travel to Barcelona.