HISTORY

Acrobatics goes back all the way to the time of the ancient Greeks. The word "acrobat" itself actually originated from the Greek language. The sport grew in popularity in the 18th century in Europe, especially with the popularity of the circus. Now there are many variations of acrobatics which can be seen in many sports, including: diving, trampoline, ski-acrobatics, ice skating, artistic roller skating, and vaulting on horseback.

Modern Sports Acrobatics began in Russia with the formation of the International Federation of Sports Acrobatics (IFSA). In the U.S the USSA was formed in 1975 (United States Sports Acrobatics Federation. The USSA is a member of IFSA, USA Gymnastics, and the US Olympic Committee.

The USSA serves the membership through sanctioning of competetive events, Publishing a a bimonthly national newsletter (Acrosport), and merchandising.