dgskydive

LAst years Intermediate winners (no player coach) beat out a few teams that had really good Player coaches. THe team can only fly as well as the weakest jumper. Yes there is something to be said for the abilities of the PC. But the bottom line is everyone else on the team has to fly their slot. Dom

Bummer! You guys did so well the last meet and this sucks for you. I will ask around PErris this weekend for ya and see if anyone is looking. Dom

That is right Pam. Quality all the way around is needed. How pissed will people get if you just take anyone that has the "skills" to do a 100 way? How do they know they have the skills if they haven't done one? The only safe way is to get into the camps and show your skill on the smaller 40 to 50 ways. Of course you need to be consistent at 10 to 20 ways before you can get to the 40 to 50 ways and into the camps. One sure thing I know is you better learn to track. I have helped at one of Kate and Tony's camps before and on the last day (the day they do formation loads generally) I had to take a group of 8 or 9 out for long tracking jumps (16K) because they didn't have the skills they thought they did. Nothing worse then turning to track from a big way and seeing people go into these steep dives that they call tracks. The other thing is the money issue. It hurts to see people go low and think "Damn there goes $1980.00 dollars of the other 99 peoples money!" At least if they go to camps they can learn what they need to work on and really learn the skills they need. Dom

I would only count jumps that I do with others on my belly and where you are staying relative. The Herc Boogie is geared toward formation skydiving. Usually bigger stuff. They want to make sure you are current at sequential and also current jumping wiht other people. Start working on 10 to 20 ways and use those as your goal. I haven't been to the Herc Boogie, but one of my bosses is an organizer every year and the way that Boogie is ran is different then a normal Boogie. Just confirmed with her that the smallest group they did last year was an 8 way. Dom

I made friends with a few foxy ladies as well and still want my shirt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dom

I was about to say the same thing. I saw it as she went tumbling down. At first it looked like she was thinking "WTF just happened?" Then it was "Oh GOD!!! I hope nobody is seeing this..... Maybe if I close my eyes they won't see me!" Not your fault Val, but fun to pick on ya anyway! Dom

Chelle don't eat any more! Who ever that was is an ass. Or just doesn't appreciate a GRRREEEEAAATTTTT body like yours!!!! Dom

Like a 50 way that held forever and ever and ever. I remember thinking....."WHy the hell didn't we plan a second point?" Dom

Taz is a trip. The girls has so much to say it is funny. I had a great time listening to her on the plane. She cracked me a few times. Dom

Forgot about Skydive Chicago. Opps. They definatley have the right place and the aircraft. I also think big part of it is the vibe of the DZ's. I may be wrongbut it sems to me from what I hear is that Chiacgo is more of a freefly DZ now then anything. Makes sense with Missy and Rook being as good as they are at what they do. Perris was becoming a primarly freefly dz until B.C. came back and lit a fire under the Rw folks asses that got things rocking again. The Freefly Mega center is here operating as well now and we have a really healthy drop zone at the moment on both sides of the free fall spectrum. It is really cool to see 100 ways and 50 ways all weekend and also to see the free fly world record in the same month along with 15 way tracking dives to end the weekend. I love Perris. Dom

all the peopple come to Cali and Florida to do them. Most of th epeople on the loads this last week were from other places then Cali. The knowledge and experience are out here and in Florida for the most part to organize these things. There aren't really that many people that want to do big ways like that. Once you get into the bigway scene a bit more, you will start to notice that it is almost always the same people at all the events. Doesn't matter if it is in Florida or Texas or Cali. The same people travel to all of them. The planes and people that can put them together are here and Florida and Texas for the most part. Better planes and bigger dropzones for the whole thing to happen. Dom

Have you seen the Exorcist? Look over you damn shoulder as much as you can and see what you can. Like when on point. It is almost impossible to see your clone a lot of the time. In that case the point flier is really trusting the centers to give him a good picture and to be confident in where they are going so he can see the slot and puthimslef where he needs to be. Thee bottom line is do everything you can to see your clones eyes and if you can't, see as much as possible. Dom

We sat around Saturday night and picked his brain for at least 5 hours. He loves to talk 4 way and I loved hearing it. ARe you sure he is looking at your soul. I get confused where he is looking sometimes Dom

] Damn Dave! I am glad a have been reading all the replies today. Once again I think this is dead on. Fly your body into the correct position before taking grips. The knees will help you to swing around but you may turn the entire formation at the same time. Gips are a reward. Put your body into the right slot, then you can have your reward. When we see the big boys doing 4 way a lot of time it looks like they are flying and taking grips at the same time, but they are just so good and fast you don't really see the stop. There are some times when you can get away with that, but most of the time for most us mortals. It is all aout flying to the slot, stopping and taking grips only after the other two are done. This is kinda where the slow is fast thing comes from. Not the you should fly slow. Just do thing one at a time. Turn fast, stop hard and then grip. Everything as fast as you can cleanly do it, just take it one step and a time. Dom

Good advice from all. I like the way Dave said it the best. I think that OC is the hardest slot on this exit. OC must be able to get that left leg up and the right side down. As IC, I take it as my personal responsibility to not let it spin. I really try and and get my hips out as much as possible and to really dig in my left knee and try and make it spin the other way (my mind set). Dom

I saw some of your tapes this weekend as well. That Samer loves to show video of you guys. You guys looked good Dave. Except for that Mark guy. He needs to learn to control his legs a bit more at times they look like they are broke at the knee flopping all over the place. I think I would get rid of him. Dom

Just make sure that you know what you are saying when giving them criticism. The worst thing would be for you to start correcting and then find out you where wrong about it all. It's like that on every 4 way team. Even the big dogs!!!! You can only fly as fast as the slowest member of the team. There is always a person catching up to the rest of the team. At times it may be you and at times it may be the other guys. It is good to push them to go faster and harder, but you can't go faster till they do and that is the hard part of 4 way (at least for me). Knowing when to light a fire under someone or letting them figure it out. Dom

Let me take that one step further for you. Bigways are a good time to look "through" a formation. When doing 4 way, yes you are looking through the formation, but more importantly, you shl\ould be looking into your clones eyes. Look right at them. Not the face or the general area of the eyes. I mean stare that mofo down!!!! The communication you can get from looking into a persons eyes is key to 4 way. Dom

Putting the heaviest and least experienced on point is a bad combo. AT least in my opinion. The point spends most of it's time facing out and it is setting him up to go low A LOT! I would put him on tail and let him anchor the exits out. Plus being on tail he can see everything and it will help him to stay in the formation. Tail is usually the last one on so don't get pissy with him for it. The centers are the most important. Ooutside has huge moves and he needs to be very confident in what he is doing. Inside Center sets the angles and he needs tobe even more confident in the moves he makes. Point and Tail (while still very important) need a good center to know where to put themselves. ' What exits are you doing that you are taking chest strap grips out the door? A round? IF so just take arm grips. Also you wearing video on every jump is not going to do much to help[ you figure things out. You need camera from above. All your angle will really show is........ welll to be honest not much that will really help you to figure out your problems. If you are doing the right thing (eye contact) you will not pick up much on your camera. Plus, it is more of a distraction then anything. YOu are trying to fall is a team. All of yo shouldbe in the middle of your fall rate (this is done with weights most of the time) IT is a pet peeve of mine when I see a 4 way guy (or girl) wearing a baggy jumpsuit. I wonder what your team fall rate is? That is the first thing to work out. It think Ed said it earlier. Go out and doa no contact Star. Fall across from each other and try to stay relative. From there you will adjust the rate by having people change jumpsuits or ad weights? The centers usually set the fall rate but, it needs to be comfortable for all. Your profile says you jump at XKeys? Is that where you guys jump at as a team? There a god 4 way folks out there. The best thinhg for you guys is to have the others shit or get off the pot. Get coaching. I know you want to but...... they need to get on board. One thing I have learned is that the team needs to have the same goals and ambitions. THis includes coaching. If they don't want to get coaching and it sounds like all of you do. THen you guys may be doomed from the start. It will lead to a lot of finger pointing and frustration. You have a coach and he points out what needs to be fixed and how to do it. If the other 3 don't see the need for coach...... well then find a new team. That is if you really want to learn 4 way. If this is just 4 guys playing around to have fun, well go have fun and not worry about it. It sounds like you at least want more. Two things arching on the ground in front of a mirror (at least in my opinion) doesn't do a whole hell of a lot. IT just makes you tired. The best thing is jumping with video and having a coach look at it and tell him what to do. No offence to you, but I bet you need some work as well. I know I still do. Also good teams don't just fly well. They are friends that is wear the energy comes from. If one person on the team keeps refering to his team mates as low timers they will start to resent it. You guys are a low time team that is learning together. Keep that additude and it will help a lot. The one thing you don't want to do is stress anyone to much. If it starts to not be fn then they will go bye-bye on ya and that really sucks after you have done lot's of jumps and lot's of monet onlt to have to find a 4th again. Dom

Some people are telling you 180 and some are saying 180 from the formation. They all mean 180 from the formation!!!!! Don't get fancy and put your self in a bad situation. !80 for the center means that you may not turn at all. Just point you butt at the center of the formation and track like a mofo. I and you in time will be able to see all of your buddies while tracking away. It just takes a bit more awarness, that comes with time. I can even see our camera pull from time to time. As I am turning away from the formation, I take the time to see each person and know where they are going. Then I look back nder my body to see them again, and adjust my heading if needed. Dom

They should be arrested! Dom

Very true. I have found recently that in a lot of cases where someone is considered a Sky God or a group of Sky Gods is just what you talked about....... A small group of friends. I was recently told by a girl that I am seeing right now, that one of her friends told her that I hung out with the Sky God group at Perris. I was a bit dis-heartned by that. 1st becasue the person that told her that doesn't even know me, and the people that I hang with and jump with are some of the most freindly people on the DZ. They may want more out of there jumps then others do and maybe put a bit more into getting better then others, but by no means are they "Sky Gods" We just have a bit more of the A type personality for the most part. Most of the people that she named are LO's and tunnel organizers, that try to help others and get involved in the DZ as much as possible. Most of these people actually think that they are not that good and are trying to get better every jump. If you bring your own group of friends with you to the DZ, that is great and have a wonderful time. Take a minute and introduce your self to the "SKy Gods" and get to know them. Once you do, you will see that most of these people are wonderful, they just happen to have a desire to get better for there own personal satisfaction. Most of them enjoy helping a new people get involved with the DZ and help them get better. Dom

Agreed. Still looks like a bitch. Dom

That f looks like a bitch! Dom

Thanks for the word Thomas. I think a lot of us knew Joey and Joao are on it. Thanks for filling in the blanks. WE have been playing with hybryd 4 way in the tunnel here at Perris. 6's, 17's and last week we managed a few 21's that didn't suck to bad. I can't wait to see how you guys over come a lot of the possible grip issues and the verticals. Good luck and be safe. Dom