Possible Under 40 (PUPS) big-way

[Seebs112 0]

Some friends and I are thinking about organizing an under 40 big way for later in the season. Right now I am just trying to find out if there will be enough interest for the event to even be possible. Ideally, the size will be around a 40-way. The plan is to host the event in the southeast most likely in GA or FL sometime between August-October. If you would be interested in participating send me a PM or e-mail me at [email protected].

Greg

Is it bad when I am consistently dreaming about skydiving?

[upndownshop 0]

If you have to be under 40 then it should be a 39 way you discriminating SOB!!!

[knic 0]

- Knic

[Andy9o8 0]

This seems like unlawful age discrimination. You better not do it, or I'll sue.

Rotten kids.

[kkeenan 13]

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Some friends and I are thinking about organizing an under 40 big way ...

Ha. Good luck finding 40 PUPS who can belly fly.

_____________________________________
Dude, you are so awesome...
Can I be on your ash jump ?

[Remster 24]

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Some friends and I are thinking about organizing an under 40 big way ...

Ha. Good luck finding 40 PUPS who can belly fly.

We had quite a few of us lined up 2 years ago... Never materialized...

Remster

[mdrejhon 8]

I'm a PUPS for the next 4 years. There's enough PUPS at the Perris 100-ways to fill a 40-way PUPS event. It's almost as difficult to herd baby canines as it is to herd cats, though (pun intended)

[sdctlc 0]

Years ago, sometime in the 90's, we had some Pops vs. Pups jumps at the Lost Prairie boogie. I don't think/remember either group completed the formation but it was a good excuse afterwords to drink and shout "We suck Less" over beer that evening....

Good times!

Scott C.

"He who Hesitates Shall Inherit the Earth!"

[katecooper 0]

Hey Mark
sounds like you and Josh should put something together for the Wednesday before the 100 way camp. PWR (Pups World Record) :D
k

[mdrejhon 8]

Hey Kate!

Yes, that'd be cool!
However, I got my hands full in August unfortunately:

I am organizing Rainbow Boogie 2010 at Skydive Cross Keys on August 26th-29th, and the remainder of my finances for September are being saved fo the major big way events in October. Which means, my word-of-mouth social networking resources are being tied up between RainbowSkydivers (125 members) and the growing CanadaBigWays movement. I spend too much time in front of my computer already, so my online socializing is already hitting its limit.

However, for those organizing PUPS, here are my recommendations:
(This is addressed to OP)

... Create a PUPS Facebook group.
Under 40-people are BIG users of Facebook.
Become a good moderator and generate buzz. Send out newsletters no less often than once every two months; to help subsconsiously remind them that the PUPS event exists. It will take one year to hit critical mass. (Example: Most of my Rainbow Boogie attendance is from Facebook networking now!)

... Don't depend on Facebook, so also maintain an independent parallel PUPS mailing list. (That's why I also paste the Facebook Rainbow Skydivers newsletter to the Yahoo mailing list too, for those who prefer email.)

... Once you've drummed up enough interest, and set the date, begin having a simple Word document that's a registration form. This is also doubles as a tertiary backup for those who don't like Facebook or mailing lists too. (You can also even require all your Facebook and mailing list members to use it too, so that everyone is using one format to register for the event.)

... Encourage people to express interest even if they are unsure. The Facebook group and the mailing list captures this audience. Example: I myself can't express my definite interest (due to competing events), I'd definitely join such a Facebook group or mailing list, to keep tuned for future PUPS I am able to squeeze into my schedule if the dates/locations announced are favourable (i.e. a Perris piggyback).

... Make sure you're mentioned at places like bigways.com sooner than later.

... Get a volunteer to write an article for Blue Skies magazine and Parachutist. Any extra buzz helps.

... Young people are less likely to have spare time (more likely to be working people, more likely to have young kids; less likely to be retired spending their money being skydivers); PUPS like me usually can only afford the Perris big ways. You may have to piggyback off existing events.

.... Optionally, but I agree with Kate Cooper's recommendation to piggyback off the Perris 100-way, or some pre-existing boogie or record event. It may be the only way to squeeze a PUPS record attempt into my budget/schedule for that timeframe too, if it's farther away than driving distance. Other PUPS may agree. Set it right before the 100-way event (of which 200 attend); anyone good enough to be approved for the 100-way has likely already done a 50-way on the prior weekend's event, or is otherwise a known 100-way jumper. You would therefore only need to schedule one day for the event, rather than a whole series of 3 or 4 days.
(Or piggyback off the Eloy 200-way, or a different bigway that has a good critical mass)

... Personal word of mouth. Tip: If PUPS is being organized as a piggyback on October Perris event, pre-announce the date BEFORE the May Perris big way event. That way, you can generate BUZZ at the May Perris big way event. Attend the big way. Get a big way organizer to endorse your event for you (use Kate Cooper!). Ask the organizer to briefly announce the PUPS event for you at one of the 200-person gatherings of big way jumpers at the May perris event. Tick tock, tick tock -- set the date now!

... Start simple/realistic. Aim for a PUPS "20-to-40-way". Prepare for both scenario (use a DZ with at least two full-time planes so they don't get upset if they wasted a plane). Don't be dissapointed if fewer than expected show; end up actually having 24 attend. Jump two groups (equally split) and winnow that to a 20-way for 2010 with a bench team doing concurrent jumps. Use the world's first PUPS recordholders to generate facebook buzz for next year's PUPS 40-way in 2011. (This is how I am doubling Rainbow Boogie 2010 RSVP's - more than double the amount of buzz for my boogie this year than last; I used the last event t generate buzz for the next event and building the Facebook group to 125 members)

... To get anywhere near 40-way, you may need to get a well known organizer that will attract people. It will help spread word of mouth too. Josh is probably going to help Kate Cooper organize the Perris big ways, and Josh to the best of my knowledge is a PUPS who also happens to organize 100-ways.

... Optional, but if you have the funds, provide ome incentives to be at PUPS somehow. Certificate, prize, T-Shirt, exclusive party, or whatnot. Give it an air of officialness somehow, even if just a congratulatory article written on a major dropzone news resource.)

Obviously, some recommendations are common senes and some might be overkill (if you don't have enough time/money). Those are my recommndations as the organizer of three Rainbow Boogie's... It is a lot of personal time and effort, but is worth it.

Also: Rob Deselits is also a PUPS, and has co-organized a 40-way. He operates the www.formationskydivers.com website. Maybe get in touch with him too?