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ScottB

Calling someone a baby on first jump?

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In April 2002, I got an e-mail form a girl visiting my website thanking me for putting my first jump video viewable to the public. She then told me that she was thinking of doing her first jump and my video is great motivation.
Well, yesterday, I was cleaning out the ol' email inbox and I ran across this e-mail again, so I decided to drop her a line and asked if she every did her first jump. Here's her reply:

Hi Scott,
So about 3 weeks ago... I take my FJC... I was so nervous. I went up
with
the plane.. I came down with the plane. I just got so scared and then
my
jumpmaster told me I was being a baby and then I cried. I haven't
given up
and I am going back out in the next week or two to try again. I still
watch
your video for motivation. Thanks again for posting it. I"ll let you
know
when I make the leap!
take care,

Well, this sort of disturbed me. She was scared, so the jumpmaster called her a baby? Hrm. I just don't know what to think about this. If this is the way it really happened, then I must disagree with the JM technique. What do you think?
--ScottB

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This is simply bullshit......
Some jumpmasters just dont get it!!!
A baby...no she is not....she got in the plane, just couldnt get out.
If he really did call her a baby once down on the ground, its a pretty good indication that he did not support her in the plane (it was probably very visible that she was scared).
This jumpmaster should be fired!!!!
ME PISSED WHEN I HEAR OR SEE THIS >:(
Please give her some encouragment!!!
Blues,
Tami

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Totally unacceptable! I agree that if indeed this was how it all went down, the JM should get into another line of work. Unfortunately, this is only one side of the story.
This gal needs as much encouragement as you can muster..better yet, have her sign onto DZ.Com.
We are really good at being uplifting, inviting and inclusiveB|........besides that......we're a pretty cool bunch of folks;)








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We are really good at being uplifting, inviting and inclusive........besides that......we're a pretty cool bunch of folks



And damned humble. ;)

I wonder about the full conversation that went on in this case as well, but if the description is accurate, then the TM did her a great disservice. That would royally piss me off.

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Well perhaps jumpmaster training is getting a bit slopy these days. A jumpmaster is not only a person who is technically excellent at skydiving - he is a teacher, a confidence builder and a guide. The guy sounds like an immature ass. Completely unprofessional. I was lucky. Sally Hathaway did my AFF Lev 1 training - it was perfect. Her knee was hurt and she could not jump. Eric Hildebrand (8 years my junior) took me up as JM with Tony Hathaway supporting. I was scared shitless but the atmopsphere they created was great. I had no doubt I was going to jump. When Sally jumped with me to graduate me it was not a challenge, it was FUN. That is professionality, that is knowledge and maturity - shame on the guy who called his student a baby.
jraf

Me Jungleman! Me have large Babalui.
Muff #3275

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I have jumpmastered many o type of students....from very scared to not showing any fear at all. Not showing any fear at all was probably the scariest for me "whats wrong with this dude...this is scarey shit"!
As a jumpmaster you need to have the people skills to be successful at your job. Every student needs a certain type of training...mental training / trust / encouragment.
I have seen a few asshole jumpmasters....the kind that shouldnt be training. And most often they are the jumpmasters that are NOT asked for by students once they are activly in the program.
If you do not like your jumpmasters style or if you dont like the way you are being treated it WILL effect your training. DONT STOP TRAINING...go to the DZO and request a different JM.
<>

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Hey, this is entirely appropriate. Sometimes a little negative reinforcement is very necessary. The student is relying on JMs to get them their money's worth. If calling someone a "baby", "crybaby", or "p*ssy" will get them out of the plane, it is well worth it. If they still don't get out of the plane, then F' em! They are not hard enough for the sport. Yo this sh*t is life and death yo!
I remember once this girl balked in the door on a static line I was JM on. Would not climb out, and was starting to tear up[unsure]. I called her a "whiny b*tch" and made her climb out>:(. She had a great jump and thanked me later.
I also saw a jumpmaster smack a guy who was balking on an AFF in the nuts and ask, "You got anything in those or what?" He went. Didn't have the greatest jump, and has never come back, but that is probably for the best. He was like 45 and would have been a crappy skydiver anyway.
Harden up people! This is skydiving, not bowling.

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JM like that shouldn't be assigned to first jumpers, they scare them instead of helping. Best thing to do is to file a complaint to the DZO against the JM to see if the JM thinks about and changes his attitude or else get his butt kicked goodbye.

HISPA 21
www.panamafreefall.com

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Hello,
I am fairly new to writing in here, going to be VERY new to training on wednesday. I have "lurked" in here reading all of your inputs for the last several months. I admire and respect that the information you put out is usually pretty objective and no one's opinion is really bashed. This made my stomache somewhat knot up that someone would be so insensitive to another's fears. I am hoping that it's not typical...From your replies it seems that it's not.
All contact that I have made thus far has been wonderful! Please keep up your support. For those of us that do not talk/type that often, it's a nice way to gain information! I hope you hear back from that gal again and she succeeds~


Amy

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>:( I think it's BS. (my opinion)
When a student tells me they're scared, I tell em that just proves that they have brains.
Totally unprofessional and downright mean to call a Level 1 a 'baby' because they're nervous and back out.
I believe if it doesn't feel right, don't do it. I've had students back out and return next day, (or week), and kick butt.
Tell her to find another DZ or at least another JM.
'In an insane society a sane person seems insane.' Mr. Spock

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Dude, you are full of yourself. But as you mentioned this is life and death. So if someone who is not ready jumps under pressure and dies it REALLY SERIOUSLY SUCKS!. And correct me if I'm wrong but I thought that skydiving is about fun. Jumpmasters in the Army can do that but on AFF it is voluntary to jump. And if you think you are hard, come rock climbing with me. With your attitude you will be dead in 5 minutes....because the only really hard thing is the ground you hit;)
jraf

Me Jungleman! Me have large Babalui.
Muff #3275

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Hey, this is entirely appropriate. Sometimes a little negative reinforcement is very necessary. The student is relying on JMs to get them their money's worth. If calling someone a "baby", "crybaby", or "p*ssy" will get them out of the plane, it is well worth it. If they still don't get out of the plane, then F' em! They are not hard enough for the sport. Yo this sh*t is life and death yo!

I remember once this girl balked in the door on a static line I was JM on. Would not climb out, and was starting to tear up. I called her a "whiny b*tch" and made her climb out. She had a great jump and thanked me later.

I also saw a jumpmaster smack a guy who was balking on an AFF in the nuts and ask, "You got anything in those or what?" He went. Didn't have the greatest jump, and has never come back, but that is probably for the best. He was like 45 and would have been a crappy skydiver anyway.



<<<>>>
One thing to say to you.......
GET OUT OF THE JUMPMASTER BIZ.....YOUR DAYS AS A JUMPMASTER ARE - ARE - ARE NUMBERED.
YOUR TYPE IS "" HAS BEEN""
OH BY THE WAY.....YOU ARE SOO COOL --- NOT!!!

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We really don't know what happened by that e-mail. He may have said jokingly, "awe, quit being a baby." Although it proved to be inappropriate for her, it may have been said in complete innocence. That would be completely different than yelling at her, "QUIT BEING A BABY!!!"

She was already in a fragile state of mind...she may have taken the statement completely wrong.

-S
_____________
I'm not conceited...I'm just realistic about my awesomeness...

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Hey Tami, SkyDekker - do you think this Agitator guy is for real or is he just a Whooffo posing of as someone who jumps? He thinks he is hard? Am I dreaming? And SDekker you are right - anonymous postings are gutlessB|
jraf

Me Jungleman! Me have large Babalui.
Muff #3275

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