Sky gods are their attitude good for sport?

[paco1975 0]

Well some folks at our DZ were out at our bonfire reliving our experiences and comparing small medium and mega dropzone. An interesting topic came about in the form of the attitudes of some 'professional' skydivers. Recently we took some of our new A licensee's to a mega dropzone for some fun. Our dz operates a static line progression course, tandem (on request), coaching, and has a master rigger/instructor on sight. We fly a Cessna 205 with an IO 550 3blade prop. In colorado we are already at 5600 ft. AGL we climb to 17-17.5 regularly taking about 20-25 minutes. Averaging 5-10 students a weekend in the winter and 20 in the summer. Point being this is a smaller dz where fun. safety and family enviroment is predominant. While at this mega dz the new jumpers were excited to watch some very highly skilled people. Far more experienced and advanced than anyone at our dz. What are your thoughts on the elite skydiviers and their attitude towards those who are new to the sport?

[NWFlyer 2]

I'm someone who started at a relatively small DZ, who is still relatively new to the sport, and who has had the opportunity to travel to a fairly large number of DZs (22 or 23 so far) in my short time in the sport. I've been fortunate to get to meet and/or at least observe some of the elite "names" in the sport, and I have found the overwhelming majority of them to be highly accessible, warm, gracious, and welcoming to people of all experience levels, and very few "sky gods". Of course, if they're busy training, I don't expect a lot of access, but that's understandable. It's still fun for someone with my (lack of) skill to witness their training and skill in action.

That doesn't mean that once I've met the "elite" I lose appreciation for the people who brought me up; quite the contrary. It's the people I jump with day in day out, who have mentored me and continue to mentor me, whether they were my original instructors that I still jump with, or people I've met along the way who may not be at the upper echelons of the sport but who still have a lot more skill and experience than I do but who are willing to share it with me. Those guys and gals are my true heroes because on an everyday basis they're making me a better skydiver.

Of course, at all levels, there's always gonna be a few people who think their shit don't stink. Not really worth my time.

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[paco1975 0]

very well put NWFlyer! I agree... I am intriducing this as you said for SKy Gods at all levels and want to see what others have to say about it. I appreciate your input. I maybe should have put is elitism good for the sport?

[BillyVance 34]

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very well put NWFlyer! I agree... I am intriducing this as you said for SKy Gods at all levels and want to see what others have to say about it. I appreciate your input. I maybe should have put is elitism good for the sport?

There are some good skygods and there are some bad skygods. It's all in how they carry themselves. The good ones don't see themselves as skygods. Elitism in my mind is the act of believing one is better than the rest of us, so no, I don't think elitism is a good thing for the sport.

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[billvon 2,416]

>we climb to 17-17.5 regularly taking about 20-25 minutes.

How do you handle oxygen?

>What are your thoughts on the elite skydiviers and their attitude
>towards those who are new to the sport?

Depends on the person. I have the good fortune to know some of the 'gods' of the sport and industry:

Dan BC
Mark Kirkby
Eliana Rodriguez
Jim Wallace
Gary Beyer
Andy Delk
Sandy Reid
Kate Cooper

All of them go out of their way to help newer jumpers who are choosing gear, learning to skydive, starting to do RW and team training. They (and people like them) are one of the primary reasons I stay in the sport.

[NWFlyer 2]

What would you propose to take away "elitism," then, to take away competition? To take away measurement? To take away awards? There are always going to be skydivers who are better at what they do than others. Are you proposing Animal Farm?

For some people, just having fun and being safe is what's going to motivate them in the sport. For others, being competitive is going to motivate them - and seeing the best of the best and striving to be at that level will be motivating. Nothing wrong with that, either (so long as a newbie takes the appropriate intermediate steps to get there, of course - watching the PD Factory team swoop then jumping on a canopy like theirs the minute you get your A license isn't going to end well for anyone, of course). But if watching Airspeed train inspires a new skydiver to form a rookie 4-way team, or if chatting with Norman Kent inspires a new videographer, this is all cool stuff, I think. Of course, it's just as likely that seeing a team from your local DZ go to nationals in the intermediate class could be an inspiration, and helping edit tandem videos might also inspire you to be a videographer.

There will always be an elite class of skydiver. But the good thing is we don't have to worship the few of them that are assholes about it.

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[BillyVance 34]

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There will always be an elite class of skydiver. But the good thing is we don't have to worship the few of them that are assholes about it.

Well said!

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[paco1975 0]

we have O2 on board as required however for those of us who have lived here for some time the thin O2 is something that we are used to and we arent exposed for very long. Pilot always has O2 as well. It is the upjumpers that climb that high. THe rest drop at lower altitudes. Keep in mind we are already 5600 agl

[LongWayToFall 0]

agl=above ground level. you mean 5600msl, or mean sea level. and on the skygods, they suck nuts. experienced jumpers however, are the shiznittle.

[Remster 24]

I think you need to use the same definition as most of us do for Skygods. A skygod is a jumper who thinks he is better then others, and belittles others. Its not an elite skydiver.

I would say that most of the elite skydivers I know dont fall in the skygod category. Some are friendly, some are less: just like the rest of us .

Also, just because you are at a small DZ doesnt mean there are no skygods. I know a few from small 182 operations.

Finally: read up on hypoxia is and what its effects are... It may save your life one day.

Remster

[paco1975 0]

THere really isn't a proposal to remove elitism. Back in the early 90's there was an issue debate regarding comments that charles barkley made regarding his not being a role model or someone to look up to. I haven't experienced many if any 'skygods' at the dropzones i have gone to. Elsinore, Oahu, Denver, AZ, Utah, NM. If their were something that I would suggest is that in this small community of a fun sport that we all have a responsiblity to hold each other accountable in htis fashion, as well as safety (ie. as you said about the dreopping canopy sizes and trying things outside our abilities after seeing great swoops), awareness, and fun. I think that sometimes people with years of experience are the ones that younger jumpers who have attitudes will listen to. 'THose we respect ultimately respect someone else."

On local teams... I AGREE COMPLETELY!

It is nice to have a place to throw a thought out there and have people think and discuss. I guess ultimately this is where awareness begins. Withthose who are avid almost rabid about the sport, and not forgetting what it was like the first time.

[paco1975 0]

thanks remster I do understand Hypoxia and that is why we carry O2 on board. Getting light headed and silly is for on the ground with a little hops. :) and yes i did switch msl and agl. oops

Also the air we breath at 0 agl is the same if you were in new orleans jumping from 5600 msl or roughly. that is why when folks first more out here they get alt. sickness. Personally I live at 9400 msl, there is a difference in performance athletically with this . When at sea level seems like i can run forever! But we still all have O2

And yes I agree with what you are saying. It seems to happen more at the bigger dz's which draws that type their more often as well as those who are professional

[paco1975 0]

A skygod is a jumper who thinks he is better then others, and belittles others. Its not an elite skydiver-

And yes that is my definition. Very well put. I guess the definitive part is the 'belittles others'. This can be done w/ and w/o worsd.

[champu 1]

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A skygod is a jumper who thinks he is better then others, and belittles others. Its not an elite skydiver-

And yes that is my definition. Very well put. I guess the definitive part is the 'belittles others'. This can be done w/ and w/o worsd.

A truly elite skydiver is too busy getting better at something to spend time thinking he or she is a badass or belittling others.

It's okay to think you suck from time to time. In fact, it's probably good for you.

[Baksteen 84]

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A truly elite skydiver is too busy getting better at something to spend time thinking he or she is a badass or belittling others.

..and too busy helping/training/coaching other jumpers in whatever spare time they got. At least, that's my experience so far in what little time I have in the sport.
It doesn't matter how few jumps you have, even the best skydivers are always ready to help you out with advice or coaching.
That's what I love about this sport - we're really all in this together.
NB:a "skygod" isn't a skydiver in my book - merely a jumper. There's more to the sport than just jumping.

"That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport."
~mom

[RaXz 0]

If there would be anything such as the idea of 'skygods', I rather see people that made the sky their area as 'skygods', there are too many 'landgods' anyway.

[Baksteen 84]

Er.. we're supposed to write with the same accent Mark - so why don't I understand you?

"That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport."
~mom

[phoenixlpr 0]

Is that almost like a 100 jump wonder?

[packerboy 3]

I consider someone a skygod when they won't "waste their money" jumping with someone who can't turn 15 points on a 4 way or dock in a head down.

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In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

[BMFin 0]

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I consider someone a skygod when they won't "waste their money" jumping with someone who can't turn 15 points on a 4 way or dock in a head down.

I think this is one major reason why some people are considered as skygods.

Its a shame that there are people who get offended when someone politly tries to hint them that they are actually "a little busy" at the moment.

Most people unfortunately have limited funds and spending 20+ dollars on someone else just to make the other one happy will eventually end up being a lot of money if you have to do this regularly..

If skydiving was free it would be a totally different story..

[Baksteen 84]

I guess the difference is attitude
Someone telling me they won't waste their money doing FS-2 with a lowly student like me is quite different from someone saying they're a bit busy/stretched for cash/uncurrent/hungover at the moment.

Besides, if I'm asking them for an actual coaching jump I'm expecting to pay for it.

"That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport."
~mom