skydivers voluntarily quitting the sport?

[AndyMan 7]

Many. Those who stick around for years are the exception, not the rule.

Most skydivers I've known don't make it more than a few years.

_Am

__

You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.

[jarrodh 0]

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...and then there are the "I jumped once, it was incredible, I decided to do AFF, got my A, and then found it wasn't what I thought it was.

Thats me.

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Sad but true, people fade from the sport. There is always an excuse though. Very rarely do they say, "I just don't want to do this anymore".

I might be in the minority but those were almost my exact words. It was the day of the Falling Gators Palatka Boogie and I was confronted with a problem. I could have either gone to the boogie that day or stayed on campus and drank beers with my friends and watch football all day. I did not feel any real desire to go to the boogie and I had a blast on campus, so I looked at my rig and said "I just don't want to do this anymore" then i called my mom and told her, that way she could relax.

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Yes. It's a very easy sport to walk away from, but a very difficult sport to get over.

Definitely. I think about skydiving everyday even though I haven't jumped in like 3 months. I did break my addiction to skydiving pretty easily but Im having a much harder time breaking my addiction to this damned website.

2 BITS....4 BITS....6 BITS....A DOLLAR!....ALL FOR THE GATORS....STAND UP AND HOLLER!!!!

[chrismgtis 0]

I'm not quiting for a very long time until:

a.) I run out of money, in which case I will eventually get more money and jump (or if I lose a job - still temporary)
b.) I die
c. ) Become disabled to a point that I can't jump.

And only B and C will stop me from skydiving forever. :D

Of course I haven't been in this sport long (6-7 months), but skydiving is one of two things I've ever done that I absolutely love and just can't see ever stopping. The other would be playing instruments (I would really prefer a career in it, but it's a hell of a lot harder to make a career in music then it is to drive down to a DZ and make a jump on occasion).

Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033
Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan

[Fast 0]

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Definitely. I think about skydiving everyday even though I haven't jumped in like 3 months. I did break my addiction to skydiving pretty easily but Im having a much harder time breaking my addiction to this damned website.

That is a pretty common problem. Some times I think this place would be a lot more manageable for the poor moderators if people who didn't skydive anymore stopped posting.

~D
Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me.
Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

[jarrodh 0]

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Definitely. I think about skydiving everyday even though I haven't jumped in like 3 months. I did break my addiction to skydiving pretty easily but Im having a much harder time breaking my addiction to this damned website.

That is a pretty common problem. Some times I think this place would be a lot more manageable for the poor moderators if people who didn't skydive anymore stopped posting.

Ouch

2 BITS....4 BITS....6 BITS....A DOLLAR!....ALL FOR THE GATORS....STAND UP AND HOLLER!!!!

[nael 0]

Someone asked a group of us a few weeks ago if we think we'll ever stop skydiving, and even without thinking I said "yep".

I know I won't be skydiving forever (but I also know my boyfriend will be, which is fine) - right now, and for the past year and a bit, I don't have the money to compete in 4 way, which is all I really want to do. I've got my tutor rating now, but I'm just not getting the same feeling anymore. I know for sure that if I could do 4 way I'd stick with it (I like to be the best I can be at anything, and it's really frustrating knowing the only thing holding you back is money), but at the moment I just question whether the risk is worth it when I'm not absolutely loving what I'm doing.

So yeah, I won't be doing this forever - but I also feel like I'll go back to it one day (I'm only 26 now, so maybe in another 25 years I'll have more money to invest in the sport).

www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

[thedarkside 0]

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I know a lot of people who have quit because of yupee people getting in the way who are there more to say that they jump and that they are cool, rather than being in the sport because they love to jump. I did NOT start jumping to make friends and inflate my ego. I did it because i love to jump. I think and hope that more dz's adopt more of a hardcore, "shut up and jump" attitude. Screw getting down and bullshitting about the jump and then packing slowly and dilly dallying around. Jump and then go do it again and again and again all day, your chances of learning more will increase dramatically. If you don't like to do this thats fine too, just get the hell out of the way of people who really have passion for the sport.

I am a firm believer in jump quality over jump quantity. A skydiver will have a steeper learning curve in asking questions after a skydive or looking at a video then understanding how to fix something. Rather than the guy who thinks he's all that and doesn’t need help and wants to get on every load.

To get back on topic, I have seen many people leave the sport due to getting married or having kids. Of course this doesn't just apply to skydiving. That's why I'll be single forever

Keep going faster until the joy of speed overcomes the fear of death.

[billvon 2,772]

>I am a firm believer in jump quality over jump quantity.

Agreed. We backed off from 12 jumps a day to 8 during 4-way training because you don't get much out of a jump if your only goal is to jump as much as possible. Allowing time for video review, another creep, discussion of what went wrong/what went right results in a lot more learning, and a better skydiver overall.

[jakee 1,379]

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I am a firm believer in jump quality over jump quantity.

But a certain amount of quantity is neccesary to achieve quality.

I can absolutely understand why a lot of low frequency jumpers drop out of the sport around the 100/ 200 jump mark. The jump itself is not enough anymore at that stage. If someone only makes it to the Dz very occasionally, doesn't have a regular group of friends to make fun jump with, isn't progressing very far with coaching, is doing the same old same old each time....

Although I have by no means been cracking the jumps in over my time in the sport I started quickly with 50 jumps in my first month and a half, I've always had people to jump with, steady progression and development, long term goals (wingsuits, which I have now reached, BASE which is still in the future) ansd plenty of variety to keep me excited.

If many of those had been missing, who knows if I'd still be here?

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[diverdriver 5]

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Skydiving is addictive. Do you know any skydiver (not a student) who has quit skydiving because s/he just wanted to do so with no pressures from family, work, money, health, etc?

I quit. My wife quit. I had 10 years in the sport. Too many people dieing after running into each other under perfectly open and functioning canopies.

I had 2 friends die in 2001 in a collision. Neither was swooping/hooking. It was a 10-way team landing.

In 2003 I had a friend die after his canopy was collapsed in a collision. That pretty much took the wind out of my sail for this sport. I love to skydive. I'm not afraid to jump. But I don't trust anyone anymore to do the right thing and not run into me under canopy.

Chris Schindler
www.diverdriver.com
ATP/D-19012
FB #4125

[2shay 0]

I totally agree with quality iver quantity and failed to mention that. Just trying to get across the point that the more jumps you have the better chance of you being an all around better skydiver

don't try your bullshit with me!!!

[kallend 1,853]

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Skydiving is addictive. Do you know any skydiver (not a student) who has quit skydiving because s/he just wanted to do so with no pressures from family, work, money, health, etc?

I quit. My wife quit. I had 10 years in the sport. Too many people dieing after running into each other under perfectly open and functioning canopies.

I had 2 friends die in 2001 in a collision. Neither was swooping/hooking. It was a 10-way team landing.

In 2003 I had a friend die after his canopy was collapsed in a collision. That pretty much took the wind out of my sail for this sport. I love to skydive. I'm not afraid to jump. But I don't trust anyone anymore to do the right thing and not run into me under canopy.

And all these years I thought you quit because I kicked you in the head on that 10-way jump!

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[jsaxton 0]

Bill, you already have someone more interesting to do ;)

[ChileRelleno 0]

Seen many come-n-go for all sorts of reasons.

Been in/around skydiving for 12years...
Paid my dues in shattered bone...
I can't forsee quitting unless physically limited.
For me it's a passion, I really do love it.

Nice to know I'm not a tourist any longer

ChileRelleno-Rodriguez Bro#414
Hellfish#511,MuffBro#3532,AnvilBro#9, D24868

[fastphil 0]

Some of us find what we came looking for and then retire on to the next passion (oh yeah, somebody already said burnout)...

[Tonto 1]

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Some times I think this place would be a lot more manageable for the poor moderators if people who didn't skydive anymore stopped posting.

Tonto dons flame proof underwear.

One the one side - I have to agree with you there. I've been jumping for 22 years now, and the only 3 things that have not changed in that time are the order of events on the 1st jump course, how you hook up a Tandem and the ground.

Everything else changes. Those with a short time in the sport who no longer jump often recall only the way things were done when they jumped, and because they can't see the changes in technique (Equipment is "safe enough" now) or reasoning they often tend to resist change in their own efforts to remain connected to the sport they love. Have a look at one of Heath Richardsons World championship swoops and compare the technique to todays. Go back to 2004 tunnel footage and watch how things were done. Look at a 2003 Wingsuit and compare to today's suits. Do a search for HMA and see when the earliest post was. Look for Atmonuti in 2005 and see how much info you find. Look for info on skysurfing today. Where is it? Does anyone remember Chute Asis? (That spandex pants winged sitfly thing?) Every level is changing all the time.

I'm not saying they shouldn't post - but when they argue with a current instructor about the way things are done with dated references, it makes little sense. Worse, some uncurent jumpers are just nicer people, or better writers, and so sound more believeable than a current instructor.

On the flipside there are those who have given a lifetime to this sport.
A trip through the history forum will show you most of them. We owe where we are now to those people who were jumping 30, 40 and 50 years ago. They were the ones that convinced our teachers that this could even be done, and they were the ones that showed us the really big mistakes that wrote the BSR's in blood. I could listen to them all day, because the knowledge gained is not some trancient technique that will be outdated in a few years. It's a record of why many of us were atracted to this sport, long before video, the internet or cool marketing campaign's for safe gear. Pre AAD, pre Audiable, pre RSL, Pre skyhook. I have boundless respect for my teachers who kept me alive dispite my best efforts, and who continue to inspire me each day I continue this sport even though almost all of them are no longer active and my jump number and skills have exceeded their wildest imaginings. I would not have managed were it not for them.

Respect.

t

It's the year of the Pig.

[wmw999 2,334]

Flameproof underwear is becoming on you . That said, probably not needed.

Nothing wrong with quitting skydiving and using the forum as a social outlet, though. Or even with the occasional "that's now how we did it." But sometimes the old codger goes looking for the opinion that agrees, just as the young punk does who wants to downsize.

We all want to be reminded that we're just a little bit smarter and more insightful than all those other guys .

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[airtwardo 7]

On the flipside there are those who have given a lifetime to this sport.
A trip through the history forum will show you most of them. We owe where we are now to those people who were jumping 30, 40 and 50 years ago. They were the ones that convinced our teachers that this could even be done, and they were the ones that showed us the really big mistakes that wrote the BSR's in blood. I could listen to them all day, because the knowledge gained is not some trancient technique that will be outdated in a few years. It's a record of why many of us were atracted to this sport, long before video, the internet or cool marketing campaign's for safe gear. Pre AAD, pre Audiable, pre RSL, Pre skyhook. I have boundless respect for my teachers who kept me alive dispite my best efforts, and who continue to inspire me each day I continue this sport even though almost all of them are no longer active and my jump number and skills have exceeded their wildest imaginings. I would not have managed were it not for them.

Respect.

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Sorry Tonto...just wanted to see that AGAIN!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

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[Fast 0]

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On the flipside there are those who have given a lifetime to this sport.
A trip through the history forum will show you most of them. We owe where we are now to those people who were jumping 30, 40 and 50 years ago. They were the ones that convinced our teachers that this could even be done, and they were the ones that showed us the really big mistakes that wrote the BSR's in blood. I could listen to them all day, because the knowledge gained is not some trancient technique that will be outdated in a few years. It's a record of why many of us were atracted to this sport, long before video, the internet or cool marketing campaign's for safe gear. Pre AAD, pre Audiable, pre RSL, Pre skyhook. I have boundless respect for my teachers who kept me alive dispite my best efforts, and who continue to inspire me each day I continue this sport even though almost all of them are no longer active and my jump number and skills have exceeded their wildest imaginings. I would not have managed were it not for them.

Respect.

t

I completely agree with you and I wasn't talking about them guys at all.

~D
Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me.
Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

[jacketsdb23 49]

You're going to see a lot of people start quitting skydiving if people don't slow the fuck up when landing in traffic. Some people may quit when they realize the risk management is no longer at an acceptable level. There a couple reasons for this as some have already mentioned:

1. You get married and have kids - the risk is no longer acceptable as you are looking after others.

2. Other interests

3. You no longer *feel* safe, whether that risk is real or perceived.

I for one know that I for the most part have *felt* safe because I believe in my abilities to make the right decisions, inspect my gear, and deal with situations in a calm manner. I have only been actively jumping for the past year but grew up on the DZ. What I do know is that I have no way of stopping someone from running into me at 60mph during a 270, even if I've flown the pattern correctly, checked for traffic, and have the highest level of training. That bothers me.

I don't like that I can't control that. I am going to be much more selective where and when I jump, especially when I see landing patterns not enforced. I always know that canopy collisions can happen. But it is out of control and I can see why some may walk away. The people that are supposed to be teaching and leading the skydiving community are increasingly showing poor judgment. I see this being a serious risk to the overall health of the sport of skydiving. People are going to walk away when they no longer think they control there own fate in this sport. People used to just kill themselves. Now they are taking others with them.

These accidents shouldn't be happening and they certainly shouldn't be happening at the rate and with the experience involved. It should make everyone think twice. We aren't in this sport to die. We enjoy life to much for this shit to be happening.

Losers make excuses, Winners make it happen
God is Good
Beer is Great
Swoopers are crazy.

[fastphil 0]

I can't believe risk is much of a factor when it comes to leaving the sport, except in cases of wanting to swap to a new risk arena. Why would a person accept the risk when entering the sport and then later, as they got better thus reducing the risk level, decide it is too risky.

Most people are just not cut out to do the same old thing over and over forever, and will eventually move on to something that provokes their spirit again.

And for those with 12 hours or so of freefall time, I would have to say they never quit, although they may not be current...

[Fast 0]

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I can't believe risk is much of a factor when it comes to leaving the sport, except in cases of wanting to swap to a new risk arena. Why would a person accept the risk when entering the sport and then later, as they got better thus reducing the risk level, decide it is too risky.

Most people are just not cut out to do the same old thing over and over forever, and will eventually move on to something that provokes their spirit again.

And for those with 12 hours or so of freefall time, I would have to say they never quit, although they may not be current...

Why? Because life changes. People get married, have kids, get a big promotion that they can't risk being away from in an injury, etc.

People also fail to accuratly asses the level of risk involved in skydiving. When you see a bunch of friends die the risk level involved becomes crystal clear. Some people re-evaluate and keep jumping, some quit.

~D
Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me.
Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

[kelpdiver 2]

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Skydiving is addictive. Do you know any skydiver (not a student) who has quit skydiving because s/he just wanted to do so with no pressures from family, work, money, health, etc?

I may. I was out 8 months due to a broken shoulder (unrelated), and getting flightworthy was a motivating force in the unpleasant period of physical therapy (70 visits). And last month I got in the tunnel, flight tested my body, and then got current. Had a fine time, but didn't quite live up to the long buildup, and I'm still pretty weak, so 3 jumps is a lot. The notion of driving out 1.5 hours to skies that may or may not clear up....I went diving instead this weekend.

I'll give it the summer, but if I'm not jazzed up again, I'll likely find other recreational choices. There are far more things to do than time to do them.

[Orange1 0]

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I can't believe risk is much of a factor when it comes to leaving the sport, except in cases of wanting to swap to a new risk arena. Why would a person accept the risk when entering the sport and then later, as they got better thus reducing the risk level, decide it is too risky.

An example might be exactly along Diverdriver's line of argument: you may trust yourself more but start realising that you can't trust other people. The string of incidents on canopy collisions just reinforces that type of thinking. Put another way, you start to realise that there are risks in the sport that are different to the ones you accepted when you got into it.

Skydiving: wasting fossil fuels just for fun.

[jacketsdb23 49]

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An example might be exactly along Diverdriver's line of argument: you may trust yourself more but start realising that you can't trust other people. The string of incidents on canopy collisions just reinforces that type of thinking. Put another way, you start to realise that there are risks in the sport that are different to the ones you accepted when you got into it.

Yes, exactly what I was thinking when I posted above. Said much nicer here!

Losers make excuses, Winners make it happen
God is Good
Beer is Great
Swoopers are crazy.