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skykittykat

Who Are Your Skydiving Heroes/Mentors?

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Really? Wow! I'll have to tell him he's got a groupie next weekend!



The Steve Scott I mentioned was my Brit AFF instructor in 2000 - don't know the other Steve Scott you mentioned, unless they are the same!

Liz



Lemme see if I can find a pic of Steve Scott from Perris.

Man, that -would- be funny if he had an alter ego!

ltdiver

Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon

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Roger Nelson
Jerry Bird
Jerry Lenherr
Ron "Ronco" Nowak
Billy Weber
Jennifer Martin
Kim Meijer

To name just a few! All of them have taken the time to help me out when I needed it AND reaffirmed my belief that skydiving is supposed to be fun!

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Bob Sinclair
Lloyd Kallio
BJ Worth
Randy Deluca (may he rest in peace)
Ray Cottingham
Luke Lucas
Dave Martin
Rob Laidlaw
Herman Landsman
Scott Christensen
Domina Jalbert
Steve Snyder
Gary Douris
Bill Booth
Sandy Reid
John Sherman
Troy Loney (may he rest in peace)
Ann Helliwell
Vite Visvesser
TK Donle
Charles van Surry
Carl Boenish
Tom Classon
Milt Burton
Don Balch
Bob Celaya
Judy Celaya
Ian Flanagan
Dan Poynter
Ted Strong
Manley Butler
Stefan Etler
Jamie Woodward
Luc de Garadin
Loic

When I grow up, I want to be just like those guys, only without the scars, drug problems, debts, ex-wifes, etc.



One of these is my ex-wife.:P

Sparky
My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

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Al Stephens, for passing to me a love of skydiving history.
Steve Rafferty, for teaching me to never give up.
Dave "Bonz" Altieri, for showing me the joy of freefall.
Josh Gwaizda, for showing me much about being a good instructor.
Jan Meyer, for her numerous skydiving safety related articles.
Kate Cooper, for teaching me everything I know about selling gear, for all of her accomplishments in the sport and for helping me get to the point where I could be on a 100+ way.
Mary SantAngelo, for being Mary (if you know her, you know what I mean).
Bob Sinclair, for living the ultimate dz bum lifestyle.
Any skydiver who deals with physical pain (from previous injuries, arthritis, etc) and continues to jump despite it.

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Thank you for mentioning Lloyd Kallio.

Lloyd put me out on my first jump back in 76 and probably doesn't remember me in grand bunch of people he has dispatched over the years but the mark he left on my life and the value that skydiving, which introduced me to, is beyond mention.


Thanks Lloyd.
"Where troubles melt like lemon drops, away above the chimney tops, that's where you'll find me" Dorothy

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Mentors:

Kate Cooper
Jan Meyer
Barb Duke



[:/]God it sucks when some one you trust and look up to disappoints you.

I guess I learned a lesson, don't put people too high on a pedestal, cause it's a long way to fall.
May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey

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I don't think that I could pick just one mentor...

Steve Eggars - First Jump Course Instructor
Bryan Wolford - DZO & Coach
J.E. VanNatta - Instructor & Coach
Gary Fletcher - My Father

Steve Eggars was my first jump instructor. He made learning to skydive fun and taught me the basics of what I need and was always available to me coming up whenever I had questions. I respect him.

Bryan Wolfor is my DZO. He's given me every opportunity that I have received in furthering my skydiving career. Coming up he I guess you could say "kept his eye on me" and steered me indirections to become the skydiving instuctor that I am today and will be tomorrow.

J.E. VanNatta was our onsite S&TA. He always looked out for all of us and kept it a safe place to spend the weekend. He taught me how to be an instructor and gave me the confidence I needed to take the step forward and actually become one.

Gary Fletcher, my father. He helped pioneer this sport and taught me that life is short and that you are never too old to have fun. He showed me that even after a 30 year lay off the draw to the sky is to great and that you eventually have to return.

All these people took a personal interest in me and gave me the opportunity, wisdom, skills and knowledge to further myself in the sport.

Some years ago I realized that skydiving was going to be an integral part of my life. And the people I mentioned above are who I have to thank. Thank you guys and I can't wait until we get to jump together again.

Gary "Superfletch" Fletcher
D-26145; USPA Coach, IAD/I, AFF/I
Videographer/Photographer

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hmmm Heroes? those i really look up too? I'm very lucky and some of them are my mentors as well... in no particular order at all...

Omar Alhegelan
Sean McCormac
Dusty Smith
TJ Landgren
Andy Farrington
Jeffro Provenzano
Amy Chemeleki
Jason Peters


all great skydivers I admire both for their abilities and the time they take to share their skills and knowledge with others...
____________________________________
Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

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Those that give back more to the sport than they take.

Those that help the sport progress and have the courage to do so despite those that mock them.

Those that don't feel they deserve sponsorship just because they have 100 jumps.

Those that don't look at other jumpers as a way to jump for free.

Those that will just go out and fall flat/stable for the newbies and never think of charging them a coach fee.

Those that don't care if they become a name in the sport.

Those that don't let competition and ego rule their destiny in the sport.

Those that never forget they are always a student, even after 50 years.

The ones that never forget that they are all fun jumps.
_________________________________________
you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me....
I WILL fly again.....

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Well there is something about Mary (Flyangel2) SantAngelo that I admire. I know, all the knowledge you have given me over the past couple years.

All those in my CSWR Family-
Larry Foit
Toni Albano
Lee McMillin
Scott Schaffer

I have learned so much from so many people. That to me is what makes this sport so great. Those that have molded us to make us the skydivers/people we are today. BEER


CSA #699 Muff #3804

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Well there is something about Mary (Flyangel2) SantAngelo that I admire. I know, all the knowledge you have given me over the past couple years.

All those in my CSWR Family-
Larry Foit
Toni Albano
Lee McMillin
Scott Schaffer

I have learned so much from so many people. That to me is what makes this sport so great. Those that have molded us to make us the skydivers/people we are today. BEER



Scott, I believe I was on the CSWR with you. I docked on your left leg.

Sparky
My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

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