What it's all about

[stratostar 5]

I was just out west for a business trip and was hanging out at Perris Valley over the last weekend. While I was there just chillin looking for a formation to try and get on, I was eye balling one of John DeSantist's big ways and thinking about asking to get a video slot. I was checking out the dirt dive and thinking it over cuz none of those dude know me, when TC Weatherford swooped the slot. So there I was back to SQ 1.

When I noticed another LO putting together a dive, he looked over at me standing there with my camera gear and shot a smile my way, so I went over and asked if I could have a video/still slot. I was asked if I had done any of that (video) before, it's all good these dudes don't know me. So I'm on the load and there is a hand full of guys who were all on the world team on this load and were there for the 100 ways. (were fun jumping now after a day of 100 way attempts) Also on the load I find out after the jump was a kid who was making his 40th jump and it was only his second RW jump ever. Well they took him out on the dive in an easy slot and turned 2pts almost the 3rd too.

What is the point to my story you ask? The point is this, this is what it is all about my friends, some of the best skydivers in the world asking a kid with 40 jumps to "come on and jump with us kid", and you too some camera man we don't know. Much fun was had by all and I heard thru a friend the kid was down at Jim Wallaces school after wards asking "what is the world team"

There are many of you out there (you know who you are) that have your nose stuck to far up in the air or some DZO's ass and walk around acting like your shhhhit don't stink and your the greatest thing to happen to skydiving after the invent of the square canopy. You bring an up tight vibe where ever you go and drive people away from the sport because your to good to jump with someone who might fly the wrong slot or take the wrong grip, god for bid they can't turn a 97 pts in 2 seconds. You get pissed off when others have a good time on the plane and go yahoo on take off. You don't need the bungee on your leg straps because your so uptight your asshole sucks your leg straps up.

The bottom line is some of you need to get over yourself and see what is really all about....... Go jump with a noobie and give back for a change.

Thanks world team members for the fun jumps.

you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

[D22369 0]

I agree wholeheartedly
two stories about playing with lowtimers..


1) I was the lowtimer, on a c-182 load we had over 10k worth of jumps, I had about 90 of them.... they asked me to jump with them, and inquired about my skill level, then told me thiers... I asked are ya sure ya wanna jump with me, I screw up alot. *(not much has changed) They just smiled and one said pay it foreward.

2) years and 1800 jumps later returning from portland decided to swing through skydive toledo, got shanghaid into a 3 way scrambles competition... Tim Weible has tons of jumps not sure how many, but more than me, and a kid with 50, we kicked ass and took names, that kid did a fantastic job, we all had a great time.

I love jumping with lowtimers, their attitudes are typically great. So what if someone screws up, as long as we all get down safely its all good.

fuck the skypricks, its usually the 2nd string players in this sport that have the "i'm too good4u attitude"

cant stand them.


Roy

They say I suffer from insanity.... But I actually enjoy it.

[DSE 3]

Very nice, great post! Sweet pix, too

[BGill 0]

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You don't need the bungee on your leg straps because your so uptight your asshole sucks your leg straps up.

I need to write that one down. That's great.

[DougH 270]

Awesome post!!!

"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

[CSpenceFLY 1]

Well said.

[stratostar 5]

Thanks the really good ones I might send in. And thanks to the rest of you for your understandng of my point of view.

you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

[simplyputsi 0]

great post!!!

I had a similar experience at WFFC last year.
I was given the opportunity to jump with some wayyyyy more experienced people than I. They never made me feel like I shouldn't be there.

It helped me relax, and I had 2 of the best skydives ever with the group.

One was a 12 point 6 way that my uncle happened to be on. The 2nd time I jumped with my uncle ever.
Anyway.

great post again.

Skymama's #2 stalker -

[jeremy_o 0]

One of the greatest guys I know, Mr. Bob Stumm in the green/black jumpsuit. World Teamer and DZO, well...he owns the planes at least.

I have no doubt that he would jump with any low timer, over half of my jumps are with him I would guess. Including multiple 2ways, 3ways, and of course 4ways.

There are many times that the total jump numbers in our C182 is over 30,000...INCLUDING me with a mere 150...that is just awesome right there.

Edited to add: That is what it is about and you bet I'll be jumping with low timers in the future.

http://planetskydive.net/ - An online aggregation of skydiver's blogs.

[peregrinerose 0]

Very well stated.

I think you should come to the Pelt Head Boogie to visit Kyle so I can actually meet you in person.

Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

[stratostar 5]

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That is what it is about and you bet I'll be jumping with low timers in the future.

Son, I been jumping with low timers for a good 20+ yrs. every weekend. I'm that guy who trains them and keep's jumping with them in order to build skydivers. So it's up to the new guys like you to take over, so hurry up I'm getting tired of teaching all weekend.

It is sad to see many of the young jumpers I (and many like me) have spent our time to teach and train to be skydivers turn into a bunch of stuck up pricks, cuz that is NOT the way the were shown!

The reason I posted this story for all to read is because, I have been to and jumped 17 states and 55 dz's across the USA and at many of those dz's the types I speak of rule the roost and you can't get the time of day from them let alone get on a load, if they have never heard of you. So it was refreshing to be at one of the huge DZ's and see the "world class" skydivers doing what we do, having FUN and letting everyone play in the rain deer games, it didn't matter they didn't know me, there was no "credit check" or phone calls made to check out my back ground as a camera flyer, no one asked to see my log book. But I was asked on many more loads by the LO and group as a whole. No one came down demanding a lift ticket because someone was in the wrong slot or had the wrong grip, in fact they were laughing about it and cutting up on each other, in other words JUST HAVING FUN!

And that is, "what it is all about"..... Having Fun!

you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

[wildfan75 1]

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One of the greatest guys I know, Mr. Bob Stumm in the green/black jumpsuit. World Teamer and DZO, well...he owns the planes at least.

I have no doubt that he would jump with any low timer, over half of my jumps are with him I would guess. Including multiple 2ways, 3ways, and of course 4ways.

There are many times that the total jump numbers in our C182 is over 30,000...INCLUDING me with a mere 150...that is just awesome right there.

Edited to add: That is what it is about and you bet I'll be jumping with low timers in the future.

Ah, Bob Stumm. He, along with many others at Wissota,...I just can't think of the words to express my full gratitude. There have been many times when I've totally screwed up the entire dive for everyone and never once has anyone been mad that I wasted their money. In fact quite the opposite, they all laugh and say "That was a fun jump!!".

I did a 2 way with a guy that had about 30 jumps a couple of weeks ago. I was nervous because I was the "experienced one". We only got together and got like two points but it was so fun watching Brad tumble out of the airplane, go on his back, get on his belly and come forward to me (I made him come to me). I can't wait to be "the experience one" more often.

Thank you Stratostar for the wonderful post. You can bet the Jeremy and I will be doing everything possible to have it go back to how it once was. And that's for posting the pictures. I'll make sure that Bob sees them.

[Darius11 12]

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You get pissed off when others have a good time on the plane and go yahoo on take off.

What skydiving is supposed to be fun? It would be great if you could just toss the stiffs out.

I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not." - Kurt Cobain

[justinhawxhurst 0]

You hit the nail on the head here

"fuck the skypricks, its usually the 2nd string players in this sport that have the "i'm too good4u attitude" "

I have been skiing profesionaly for 10 years as well as other sports and what I have found is that the top players in the world usualy have no attatude as they do not need it they show there stuff where it counts, riping it up in their sport. The ones that suck and have shit attatudes are the ones that are good but just could not cut it to be the best and have to vent it some way usually on the kids that are up and coming and could some day beat them at the game they have tried so hard to be the best at but just could not cut it.

I was think it of starting this exact convisation today. This should be a fun one to keep updated on.

[homer 0]

Roy you have always been one to jump with lowtimers. I know this because we have jumped countless times together. My first night RW jump was with you and is one I shall not soon forget. Let me know when you get your CRW canopy so you can teach me more.

I have a similar story myself only it wasn't just some weekend jumping. I belong to a Cancer Survivors Skydiving Group and a few years back we all assembled in Texas to try for a CSWR attempt. I believe I was the low man with about 155 jumps having never jumper more than an 8-way to jumpers with more than 8K that could dock a 100-way blindfolded. There were jumpers from around the US, Canada and Europe attending.

We were all Cancer Survivors so the camaraderie was great and we all got along great. Because jumpers had come from as far as Europe we wanted to set a WR. It was set the first year as well as the second with more attending. However, there were some skygods in the group and all they cared about was adding another WR to their résumé and having another photo to put on a business card. Because of this, low timers ended up getting cut from some of the loads as we weren’t meeting their standard and kept screwing up the dives pissing them off. If I had funneled the base one more time I probably would have been cut myself. There was a good jumper who had come from Europe the first two years of the event and got cut both years. It started as a 26-way the second year that end with an 18-way WR. That’s 8 jumpers on the bench some for the second year and nobody was taking the time to help them with there weaknesses. Sad to say it never lasted more than three years as lowtimers didn't want to spend the money to attend only to get benched and the select few Skygods didn't want to spend the money to jump formations they could do blindfolded at their home DZ and not have it funneled bye a lowtimer.

However, there was one accomplished jumper who has stayed close to me as she knew and cared about the struggles of lowtimers like myself and took the time to teach. She made me realize just how little I knew (in a good way). She explained what my body should be doing in relation to the formation from exit to docking and as well as how to keep flying once docked. How a formation falls as it is building to include formation speed and what to do if I go low. I learned more from her in three days than I had from everyone at my home DZ where I started jumping. It is jumpers like her that make this sport great bye giving back through teaching. Its jumpers like her that I most enjoy reading about in Parachutist “Profile” section. So here’s my Vote to see you Profiled Mary (flyangel2) and Thank You for taking the time to teach a lowtimer. I’m sure I’m not the only one who thinks the same of you.

CSA #699 Muff #3804

[kimemerson 7]

Tommy Piras asked me on a loose sunset load twenty way back in DeLand when I had all of about 100 jumps. I thought he had made a mistake so I actually scratched at first but he made it clear he meant me. He gave me a "slack slot" and throughout the dirt dive explained it all to me in front of the more experienced folk who didn't have to hear any of it. After the jump everyone was high fiving Tommy and he was cordial to a fault but he sought me out and high fived me and asked me along again. I've never forgotten that and I've used it as a story to preach the gospel of keeping your nose closer to ground level and looking out for the tyros and jumping with them. It's amazing what one small gesture like that can do for confidence, camaraderie, and staying power in the sport. When we get into the discussions of why people leave the sport, this might be one thing to look into. Exceptional post. Makes me want to run out right now and grab a sub-50 jump wonder and make them smile and shine. Or just have a good time.

[JerryBaumchen 1,047]

Hi stato,

One of the best posts ever. It should be on the wall at every dz in the world.

Jerry

PS)

Quote

There are many of you out there (you know who you are) that have your nose stuck to far up in the air or some DZO's ass and walk around acting like your shhhhit don't stink and your the greatest thing to happen to skydiving after the invent of the square canopy.

Ain't it the truth.

[stratostar 5]

Kim, (and everyone else)

Thanks for sharing your story. (S) I think too many soon forget, once they get a few years into the sport and some ratings or a medal, that they too were once a lowtimer who couldn't fly. They learned on their own or in MOST cases some old fart took them under their wing and showed them the way. (right Kyle?)

In my first post one might think I ran into a ton of skygods @ Perris Valley, not true at all, in fact not a one. Everyone (but one staff person) was more then welcoming and went out of their way to see to I got on some great jumps and had a good time after hours.

The "types" I speek of are a bunch in the In, Oh, MI, Ky, Ill. part of the country as well as other places I have traveled. You know the ones who are fat as all fuck, jump only on weekends and never spend all winter in SoCal or FL. yet their jump numbers go up 1000 to 1500 jumps a year and the DZ's they jump at would be lucky to fly a 1000 loads in a "midwest season". Their to busy struting around with their tail feathers displayed out the end of their walking bill board jumpsuit.

If you ask them anything their to busy staying focused on the up coming dives to answer or help put out a 5 second delay because it would mean that they can't sit by the door and take invisiable grips for the whole ride to Alti. and have to fool with a student for 2 min.

Yet some how these people can keep ratings year after year and never use them. Most, if not all the others around them know their full of shit and yet don't call them on it, instead they seem to want to stroke the ego of this asshat who did 5000 jumps in 3yrs in the midwest. These fucknuts have yet to be asked to attend a WR, yet act like their gods gift to human flight and if they quit jump'n today the sport would come to a halt without them.

Like I said there is a bunch out there who need a big ass ego check, your not all that, now get over yourselfs already.

P.S. I will LO'ing again this year @ the 2007 Richmond boogie for the lowtimers and those who wish to have a NO STRESS, NO PRESSURE skydives, if your a lowtimer and plan to attend the boogie and not sure if you will find a good time, good dives, PM me.

you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

[LloydDobbler 2]

I'll echo what everyone else has said - damn fine post, stratostar.

I remember the first time that it really hit me, how cool the cameraderie of this sport is. When I had around 40 jumps (a ways back - injuries grounded me for a bit), a buddy of mine & I were down at Skydive San Diego for a day's jumping - first "road trip to another DZ"-kinda thing. End of the day, a guy named YoYo comes up to us and asks us if we ever track, and if we wanted to get in on a tracking dive for the next load. Having done a few tracking dives before, we said, "Sure." Then we asked, "By the way...how many people are gonna be on this thing?"

"Meh...looks like 10, right now." (Bigger jump than either of us had done before).

By the time we had dirt dived the exit in the mockup, the group had grown to 12. The load went up just before sunset, and the jump was awesome. Little bit of a funky exit, but then it formed up nicely. Flying back to the landing area and yelling out to the other canopy pilots...just a great thing.

Interestingly enough, I had had my pre-second cutaway earlier that day...the guy who invited us on the jump was actually the rigger who had packed the reserve that saved me, IIRC. So given the earlier cutaway, to be pulled into a jump like that? It was a real confidence builder. To get a high-five from the people on the jump afterwards? Best feeling in the world.

I think that was the day I realized what a big family our group of people is - and that I could find "home" at most DZ's, not just my "Home DZ." Like any family, I guess we have our share of dysfunctional moments, and our share of unappreciative/deadbeat relatives. But ultimately, it seems like we're all cut from the same cloth. From my limited perspective, it seems that the key is to remain humble...and remember where we came from, and that we were low-timers too, at one time. (Or in my case...I still am).

Anyway, regardless, I'm looking forward to paying that jump forward, one of these days....

Signatures are the new black.

[HALO1 0]

Stratostar - It's been said multiple times already, but what a fantastic and timely post. And, your OP is going up on our DZ bulletin board tomorrow. You should think about making a trip out to Hawaii... You'd fit in great around here. We have 4-5 "long timers" who "pay it forward" every weekend.

Don't be sexist… Broads hate that.

[stratostar 5]

I'm well aquanted with the many fine old timers you have around (Jump Hawaii 79-81). Say hi to Clarance Lopez and Flip Holstine (sp) for me. Aloha.

Oh yea kick Johnny Stewart in the shin real hard and ask him where my T-shirt is......

you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

[popsjumper 2]

You be 'da MAN!

I'm trying to do my part with FJCs and Coach jumps and just-bring-'em-along fun jumps.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[JohnMitchell 14]

I don't always take low timers on bigways, sometimes do. But I love to take newer peeps on 4-8 way rw. Lots of flying, great opportunity to hone skills for bigger things. I've seen many lowtimers do well on bigways, but I've been scared by them a few times, too. After a small jump or two with them, I have a much better feel for their abilities so I can organize a larger dive with them safely.

And actually, now that I'm rambling, I've seen really experienced jumpers track like crap at breakoff and not wave before they pitch. Maybe I should take only noobs?

[stratostar 5]

John,

The point is after 32 yrs and 4800+ jumps your out there still working/jumping with the new ones and not hanging at the dz being a skygod prick. They don't care if it's a 2,4,6,8,10,12,20-way, they just want to jump and have fun like the rest of us.

How many people have you personally kept in the sport because you took the time to be nice and invite someone on a jump? While you may not know the number, I'll bet in 32yrs there is at least 1 or 2 if not more.

I can tell ya in many of my travels I have been to dz's where I was going to do solos because I was a visitor and none of the EXP. would jump with me because they didn't know me, so I often would and have found a noobie or two also doing a solo on the load and I jump with them instead of burning a 20 dollar hole in the sky.

Also while @ Perris this last trip, I was on a load, had planned on doing a solo. I saw a guy named Lee getting ready, I asked him what are you doing, he said a solo, I asked if I could jump with him and I said I would fly video and stills for him at NC. He said I don't have a license yet. I told him I didn't care and I was not a scared to jump with him and showed him my AFF rating to ensure him I was not a danger to him.

He was very happy to have someone to jump with even if it was no contact and he was going to geek the cam. He had been there all weekend and done nothing but solos. Once on the plane riding up a staff member ask me who I was going to video and when I pointed to Lee, they said it was not really allowed because he had no license.(this staff person didn't bust my nuts about it for the record) Yes we blew it off and did the jump anyway, your damm right we did! And the guy took home some kick ass stills and had a great time. I'm 150% sure if anyone knows this guy, he would tell ya that it sucked to drive all the way from Reno to spend a weekend jumping and do nothing but solos because those who "were allowed" to jump with him wouldn't / couldn't because they were on staff and doing working jumps or becuase this guy didn't want to pay more for coaching.

If more EXP jumpers would take the time to keep an eye out for people like Lee and take the time to befriend and jump with them instead of letting them fall between the cracks or not jump with them because it don't pay, maybe we wouldn't see many new people leave the sport as fast as we do these days. I mean they spend a ton of cash and everyone likes them as long as the check book is flowing, but as soon as we clean out their bank account for high priced student & coach jumps, tunnel time and new gear, we drop them like a hot potato because god forbid we let a rookie screw up our hot skydive.

And ya all wonder WHY the sport is in decline these days.

you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

[aheavenlytiger 0]

I'm far what anyone would call experienced or a long-time participant in the sport, but preventing someone from having to do all solos before they are licensed is a big part of why I want to get my coach rating. Its not as though I would be charging them for coaching, just giving them the chance to jump with someone else. In the height of the summer, there aren't as many people available to go up with a student for a fun 2-way because most of the other people who can are doing working jumps. Even though I'm going to have a coach rating (soon I hope), its not really going to be about subsidizing the cost of jumping as much as it is going to be about trying to make someone's day a little bit happier
post edited slightly because it was a little incoherent the first time