Excuse me, what happened to having fun?

[dgskydive 0]

What happened to everyone on the DZ getting together at the end of the day and doing a big way. Who cares if it's a little Zooish.

I am invisioning all kinds of havock

What happened to pick up formation loads?

seeing more havock

What happened to hanging out around the bonfire?

Ask Mr. Anderson

What happened to just having fun once and a while, blowing off training, or coaching, or whatever?

It costs to much

What happened to smiling in freefall?

Full faces

What happened to kiss passes,

Herpes

big rounds,

still around


hokey pokey dives,

that's what it's all about


and a general enjoyment of the moment?

If someone isn't feeling that they don't really like skydiving. Isn't that what it's about. Enjoying that moment when you close that vertical perfectly and reliving it over again in your mind, or a really nice landing, being a part of a completed 40 way and turning some nice points!

Dom

[rehmwa 2]

This one is digressing. Hottamaly just was asking why every weekend has to have prizes and awards and fees, etc. What's wrong with just skydiving? It's a good subject, but more likely just related to marketing and it doesn't stop jumpers from doing their thing unless they are way more concerned about sticking their noses in other people's business.


Then others came in and were pushing their personal definition of 'fun' as being zoo loads and big rounds, etc.

So on that digression, 4-way training is the most fun I can have. It gets me jazzed and we do smile and laugh a lot during dives. The Type B's don't understand this. That's just too bad. But it's still fun. Their kind of 'fun' is ok too. But it doesn't invalidate my kind of fun no matter how much they wish it did.

I don't mind a Type B weekend once or twice a season, but that's not nearly as fun as the more intense training.

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[VectorBoy 0]

Let's change things. Every Saturday night let's do the "family load" for sunset. A big star (as big as we can get anyway). Everyone is welcome.

I'll be on it. Or video if anyone want's it.

C'mon it'll be fun. Bet we can get it to formation load sizes inside of 2 months.....

[hottamaly 1]

reply]This one is digressing. Hottamaly just was asking why every weekend has to have prizes and awards and fees, etc. What's wrong with just skydiving?
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Yes, it has digressed. My point was that us manufacturers and dealers are constantly getting hit up for free products and such for "what every you want to call it" boogie and by the looks of the way it's going, by next year, there will be a boogie, fund raiser, etc. every weekend all over the US and we can't afford to keep up with all the requests for free or discounted products. Are there any other manufacturers or gear dealers out there that would like to comment on this?

Skydiving gave me a reason to live
I'm not afraid of what I'll miss when I die...I'm afraid of what I'll miss as I live

[rehmwa 2]

Oh, you're a manufacturer. Then get over it and say "no" more often. Or establish a set of criteria for sponsoring a boogie with giveaways so you don't just get hit up every time someone gets two people together to jump the same plane they have every weekend.

Your giveaways should be advertising, so if you don't get additional exposure and more business from sponsoring the event, then don't participate. It should be only about your profit.

Edit: At least you are popular enough that you get asked a lot. That's a very good sign even if it is annoying sometimes.

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[chachi 0]

a clear set of requirements on your website would be a great start. you shouldn't have to give to every boogie but how nice is it when you are at one and people get little things. people ask, because people give.

~chachi

[skybytch 259]

Quote

Are there any other manufacturers or gear dealers out there that would like to comment on this?

I see donations for boogie and event prizes to be cheap advertising.

That said, I'm going to put those advertising dollars where they will do the best job for me. Hit and chug at sunset at my home dz? You bet the shop will kick down a prize or two, cuz those are my customers out there playing/competing. Nationals being held on the other side of the country? Not as likely.

I know of one rather large skydiving equipment company that rarely sends out donated items for boogies/raffles/etc. that are not held at a dropzone they have a presence at or are not held to benefit a cause close to the owner's heart.

Saying no isn't easy, but sometimes ya gotta do it. Perhaps putting an annual limit on the number of free and/or discounted items you will donate would help (then once you've reached that limit you can say "sorry, we've already given out everything our accountant says we can give out this year").

Or prehaps require a certain "level of event" before sending stuff out - i.e. bigger than an Otter weekend at a Cessna dz, more than one or two days, more than just a large aircraft and a Saturday night party...

[diablopilot 2]

At a company I used to work for we found the number of gift certificates were were giving out was not drawing a proportional amount of business from the DZ's we were sending them to. Not only that but most o the time we were not even thanked for the cotributions. We had boogie organizers that even had said "is that the best you can do? it's only 50% off" (or whatever)

Point is we decided to stop. We started giving certificates to only to events our best dealers were involved in THROUGH the dealer, or events that our sponsored athleats were involved in. We had a couple gross of t-shirts printed up for all the rest of the requests. Send out a $4 t-shirt or a certificate worth up to $200 in profit loss? Simple answer.

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You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[hottamaly 1]

Thanks, I appreciate the input.

Skydiving gave me a reason to live
I'm not afraid of what I'll miss when I die...I'm afraid of what I'll miss as I live