Got my coach rating!

[bch7773 0]

finished up the course and air evals today! students beware!


I started the thread (to brag a little ) and also just wanted to know, is there anything specific that helped any of you when you first started coaching?
like something that your students seem to always do that caught you off guard?

or does anybody remember something that their coach did that really improved their flying skills or helped them get past an obstacle in their learning?


oh yeah, and also wanted to thank J.E. and Terri for teaching the course, and pretending to be my students. They also are apparently both male strippers, and "life partners"... at least thats what they told me on the plane, hahaha.
also thanks to the DZ that hosted it, freefall express in missouri. they let me crash there, and had a really nice hanger.

MB 3528, RB 1182

[Unstable 8]

Congratulations!!!!! We are going to need some coaches out there that actually want to coach!!! I know Speedy Wants you to throw her, and we have a big FJC coming up that should keep you busy once some of em get to freefall... We can keep ya busy out there.......

Did anyone call you on beer yet??? Beer!!!

=========Shaun ==========

[zulu 0]

Congrats!!

I havent been coaching very long but I can tell you some things to watch for:
1. Rehearse what you are going to do on the ground and make sure the instruction in understood.

2. Once in aircraft I ask my student to go over it one more time. Just to make sure their thinking process is focused.

3. I always do this, Go over a saftey plan should something happen, IE falling in clouds, aircraft emergencies at altitude, and this is one of my doings, I always establish a distress sign for them to signal me if something is wrong.

These are but a few, but they are effective and make the student feel comfortable with you and your competence level. Congrats again.

[HRHSkyPrincess 0]

Congratulations! Being a coach will make you a better skydiver because you really have to pay attention, be situationally aware, 100% of the time! It's a blast watching the look on the 'just off of AFF' faces. Here's a few suggestions that you might find useful:
1. Tell 'em they have two important missions on the coaching jumps: PULL (on time/stable) and have fun, the rest is extra. It helps them realize it's not a pass/fail event and they can start to relax more and get into learning the new skills.
2. If there's turbulence on the way to altitude while passing through what will be open canopy time, have them note at what altitude it occurs so they won't be surprised on the way back down under canopy. Unexpected turbulence can freak some folks out...
3. Suggest they get in the habit of keeping their hand on their seat belt buckle release in case of emergency and they need to get out quickly (are INSTRUCTED to do so). Who wants to be fumbling along the floor amidst chaos...
4. KISS. Keep it simple, Sweetie. Plan the dive, dive the plan. Be predictable for your student.
5. Try and trick them into using the word 'first'...heh.
And you have fun and be safe, too! Purple Skies, D.

*****************
Attitude is everything!

[Auryn 0]

Here's a couple more tips:

watch their helmets.. Ive had to tell quite a few of my students to put their helmet on during take off...

let them make mistakes only until it affects safety... they are learning new things so may forget the basics.

be sympathetic toward the new things they are experiencing.. a good quote from this weekend "It scared me that we were sitting so close to the door of the otter on the way up !" these are things we take for granted but are completely new to the student.

also, try to do something goofy during the early part of the skydive to relax the student.. stick your tongue out, scream your head off, kiss them, (I licked one student's visor, that got a great reaction)

this will relax them more than any "relax, we are about to jump" on the plane can.

tell them "you're on jump 18, so you have 7 more jumps till you're eligible for your license" so if they don't meet the objective and you don't feel comfortable signing it off, they don't have to worry about having their license delayed, which is what most of my students worry about. You will instinctively know if they have met the objective, and follow your instinct.. you've earned, and paid for, your rating, so use your judgement. if they don't meet the objective, make the debrief as positive as possible.

Blue Skies !

Bryan

D 27808

[sducoach 0]

Brian,

Although you and I will NEVER be as good a coach as Shaun..................

CONGRATS!!!!

You did a great job and I still have the dollar bills you shoved into my jump suit!!!!!! ( that was a hard one to explain to my wife though!)

Now you get to really learn my friend!

Blues,

J.E.

James 4:8

[rw2go 0]

Just saw the post about new coach's and your post. Sounds like JE put you through the wringer. He is the best one at Freefallexpress to work with. Most of the others are pretty new. The guy who owns it just started jumping five years ago, might be six.

I'm sure JE told you to take part of what everybody tells you and use what works for you. Make it your own.

Being a coach or instructor is a responsibility you should take serious but make it fun for the students.

Safety is first.

Justin

Fly Brother Fly

[hoozh 0]

Woooohooooo, another person to throw me out of the plane. Now if you can just learn how to keep the winds down, you'll be my best buddy

[Unstable 8]

Quote

Brian,

Although you and I will NEVER be as good a coach as Shaun..................

CONGRATS!!!!

It's so hard to be humble at times like this........

=========Shaun ==========

[KCJumper 0]

Wow...bribes...Nothing like stuffing money in your instructors jumpsuit. Congrats on your rating Brian. Hope you get to use it lots. Take care and safe flying.

Patrick

[obelixtim 103]

OK you've got your coach rating.....now you are going to learn how to be a good coach....

Expect the unexpected......stay cool under fire....teach your students to think.....and things should go OK......

Go for it....

My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....