As junior Sydney Hanshew separated the nets to enter the dodgeball court, she sank as her feet touched the trampoline covered ground. Children flooded the area around her in excitement for the competitive game that was about to begin. The joy of this athletic game was shown throughout the faces of the kids around. The obvious superiority of Hanshew due to the age difference became aware to her, and she was then more interested in defeating the competition.
“We were surrounded by dozens of pre-pubescent preteens, with the exception of a few kids from Springdale High,” said Hanshew.
High Rise Extreme Air Sports is a trampoline park located in Rogers, Arkansas. As one enters the large warehouse type building, they will most likely find themselves waiting in line for their wristband which has to be worn at all times. Once the customers time slot begins, they are allowed into the beloved group of the actual park. Kids, teenagers, and even adults are given the opportunity to play dodgeball, test their skills on the launch areas, and even try out their newest basketball skills with a little vertical help all while on trampolines.
Junior Alan Buttram posted a video of himself on Instagram using the trampoline to dunk a ball into the parks lower goal. He captioned it “high rise is my favorite place ever”.
This ultimate trampoline park offers more than just jumping, but it comes with a price. It costs thirteen dollars for an hour, and twenty for two hours. While this might seem to be very expensive, recent jumpers have stated that the time last longer than you think.
Junior Sydney Hanshew visited High Rise from 3:30-4:30 p.m. and suggests that it isn’t the best time to go.
One of their busiest times is on weekends from 9pm to midnight because the park is only open for ages 15 and up to start their “Club Rise”. This event is all black-lit and is described by their organization as a constant party.Due to the vast variety of entertainment at the park, it is very popular to not only kids, but families.
“I’ve been three or four times and every time I’ve gone there I always see someone I know,” said senior Caroline Webb. When Webb’s family came in town for the holidays, she took them there because she knew that they would enjoy it as she described it as “always really fun”.
One of High Rise’s rules states that no shoes may be worn while on any park equipment. You may go barefoot or buy socks while you purchase a ticket. Their six dollar socks are the only socks that may be worn on the trampolines because of their grippy bottom.
The dodgeball area is in the corner of the building and it consists of regular and slanted trampolines surrounded by nets. One of the workers stands in the middle, makes the line of balls, and then encourages everyone to get into the game and have fun.
“Nothing builds your self esteem like pegging 12 year old boys with foam balls,” said Hanshew.
After her time at the trampoline park, Hanshew posted a picture on Instagram with her friends, describing High RIse as “the holy mecca”.
Buttram has been to High Rise seven times since its opening and says that he loves it more than anything. He claims that the basketball goal is his favorite part.
“You get to dunk with your friends and get to see who can dunk the coolest,” said Buttram.
The company works with the organization Jump Jump to help the less fortunate. High Rise promises that for every customer that jumps at one of their trampoline parks on Jump4Jump Night, they give a jump rope to an underprivileged child in a developing country.
