National Collegiate Skydiving Association

[thrillseek 0]

I contacted the USPA about the idea...
What do you guys think?
Maybe just an offshoot of the USPA?

[hohonukai 0]

Cool....Da Kine Rags is the official sponsor of MSU? That hits home.

I don't have an opinion on a national collegiate skydiving association nor do I know what the impact would be, pros/cons, but am I curious and you might know, an estimate as to how many colleges/universities have skydiving clubs?

[hohonukai 0]

Actually, nevermind....finding some sites from google that are listing them. I shoulda looked first.

[indyz 1]

Quote

but am I curious and you might know, an estimate as to how many colleges/universities have skydiving clubs?

The list on the Falling Illini site: http://www.uiuc.edu/ro/fallingillini/links.html#college

Some of the links are dead.

--
Brian

[pilotdave 0]

slightly more updated list at http://www.inform.umd.edu/studentorg/cpsc/OtherClubs.html.

Dave

[thrillseek 0]

I'm looking for input from any collegiates out there....hell, even non-collegiates. Do you all think this is a good idea, terrible idea, what??

[pilotdave 0]

Overall I think a collegiate skydiving association is a very good idea. I don't think associating it with the USPA is though. It's gonna take some very motivated collegiate and former collegiate skydivers to make something like that happen. I find running one little club to be more work than I have time for. Couldn't imagine trying to start an organization. I have no idea how much interest there'd be. The college skydiving listserve (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/college_skydiving/) was a start at getting collegiate skydivers together, but it barely gets used.

Dave

[PhreeZone 15]

Based on the turn out at Lake Wale you are really only looking at about 100 people that attended the Nationals. Most those were military and most of them were in the novice Categorys. The 4 way only had 6 teams I think and the freefly had 7 or close to that. To do any type of league is going to be hard at best. Most the teams at Lake Wales were throw together teams that met up there and had never practiced or anything.

One option if all you want to do is college level comps is to do a video meet, where you post the draw for the rounds on a web page and the college teams have to have a judgeable video post marked by the next Monday or any specified day. And if you have the requirements of the tape must be time stamped you eliminate/reduce the number of teams that could make 100 jumps and only add the best videoed rounds from the season to the tape. Something like the Ranch/Spaceland freefly meets. Gives the teams flexibility on when to jump since college kids are straped for time and money(At least I was...)


If all you are looking for is a national organization... what benifits would it provide? Lobbying? Insurance? Funds for teams? If it has no benifits other then another thing to join then there is no point in joining it. If you are looking to make collegents better by nationals, then you might want to talk to the NSL people to see about doing a modified A class for them and have their results totaled up seperatly from the rest of the leagues.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[thrillseek 0]

A lot of people were put off by the $100 entry fee @ nationals. They were there, just decided to use that money for 5 casa jumps they can't get at home--stuff like that.
Aside from that, there were LOTS of clubs that didn't even make an appearance down there. At lake wales we saw not even 10% of the college clubs represented.
If the "association" were a part of USPA, they can benefit from uspa's experience and reputation.

[buckleme 0]

how can i add my club to that list? The Miami University Parachute "Dropouts" is Oxford Ohio.
our school is messing with the server so our website is no longer in existence, but i can take emails. [email protected]

Mary
President
MU Dropouts

Blue Skies!
Mary B
Sandillas Rodriguez
Muff Brother #2959 TF #77

[PhreeZone 15]

You still have'nt layed out why people should join your club... what is the benifit to it?

Are their dues to the NCSA going to reduce their fee at nationals? Is the club going to work to get coaches to nationals? Do you want to creat a college league? Or are you just trying to get college jumpers a bigger voice in the USPA?


I was at Lake Wales and was one of those that did 5 fun jumps instead of the comp, you know why? I was'nt able to get a clear picture of what things were and how the comps were going to be ran until the first night and that was to late to join up. I wanted to know if I could fun jump on days my events were not going to be, I was told no and I would have to sit in FL for 4 days not jumping just to have 3 freefly jumps the last day... no thanks, later that night they changed that decision.
Part of the problem will always be the location and the limited travel time college students have. Lake Wales is good for people in the Midwest and South, but for people in CA and the west is is bad. Eloy helps the west, but adds over 10 hours to the Drive from the midwest. Also with the limited time between Christmas and the start of the school after new years, it makes it hard for some people to travel then spend 5 days jumping then go right back to school. Money is another big concern, lots of students work on that holiday break to get cash for school.

With any school program you will be rolling leadership over every 4 years max and probally every year with this sport....

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[thrillseek 0]

all of these are valid points except the reference that this is "my club". Yes, the collegiates need a bigger voice. Yes, we need to decide on locations for our own nationals. Yes, the fees should be reduced at nationals. A college league is the backbone of the idea, and that is what the USPA is considering. As far as the layout for the NCSA, that is still up for debate. This would have to be an organization FOR collegiates, but as you said, the rotation is only 4 years on average for a college student.