Leaving the sport

freakydiver · October 21, 2003

"Trust me, you will get very sick of being belly to earth. "

I've been jumping for close to a decade - trust me

I haven't. Granted my likes have changed, but there is still a great deal of joy for me turning points.

-- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

grega · October 21, 2003

Huh did you try changin the DZ???

i mean that's like: i hate how people on the street act, and politics, and safety on streets and all so i'll just close myself in the house for the rest of my life.

You shouldn't close yourself, neither quit skydiving. i sometimes hate how things at DZs are going too. sometimes it so bad that i'd rather watch tv at home than go skydiving

, so i almost understand you. But the only way to make it better is to fight back with good things.And you're not the only one who want's to make things better,...

But it's your life, you call.

"George just lucky i guess!"

wallygator · October 21, 2003

whats the hardest thing to do in skydiving?

socializing? just a thought after thinking about some of the bullshit and politics that go on after the beer light goes on.

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who Jah bless Let no man curse.

jumper03 · October 21, 2003

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I don't understand why you would say something like this? You're open minded enough jump out of planes, why close your mind to different ways of flying?

Sorry for not getting my point totally across. I'm not saying that belly flying is the only thing for me. Maybe someday I'll try freeflying. I'd like to try CReW too. I'd like to fly a birdman suit one day. etc. etc. etc.

What I meant to say was, when just falling out of the sky is boring (in any form you see fit) or seems like a waste of money - then that is when I need to quit.

Maybe an example?:
Take the most boring skydive you can imagine and if you don't get excited about going up to do that dive - then go get the bowling ball.

Hopefully that makes more sense - I freely admit that I'm not the most eloquent being on the planet.

Blue Skies
Jump

Scars remind us that the past is real

Trader Feedback · October 21, 2003

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But the only way to make it better is to fight back with good things.And you're not the only one who want's to make things better,...

When you pound your head against the wall time after time.....it can start to hurt. Derek has tried a lot to make things safer fro all jumpers around him. Yet, he has been shunned fairly well by some DZOs for his efforts.

Chris Schindler
www.diverdriver.com
ATP/D-19012
FB #4125

Trader Feedback · October 21, 2003

I think I said "trust me you'll get sick of being belly to earth....unless you are doing RW"

No disrespect to belly flyers.....
RW is cool too, although I have yet to try it.....

What is all this bitching about politics at the DZ?
I really don't get it. I see more politics on this Website than I do at Perris or any other dropzone is Southern California. I would be very interested to hear what your concerns are, what are people fighting over?

I said this once before....I'm there to jump....the friends and beer are a bonus but that is not the sole reason I jump.

scott

Trader Feedback · October 21, 2003

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I was getting close to quitting earlier this year.... and a wingsuit saved me.

That makes 2 of us that the Wingsuit saved.

At the start of this summer I got bogged down hard in politics at my DZ (Being on staff can do that to you) and I took off traveling. I hit 4 new DZ's in 8 weeks. Those DZ's were in 3 new states to me and not one was closer then 10 hours away. I met a lot of new friends and it was a good chance for me to stay out of the politics at home. I came back from one of the trips and I was burnt out. I was'nt able to get on the loads I wanted to, I was'nt flying like I normally did, over all I was pissed at my self and was beating my self up over why things were going the way they were.

For about 3 weeks there I'd go to the DZ, make about 2 jumps then go home. I wanted to jump... but at the same time just being at the DZ was taxing to me. I drafted up an Ad for my gear since I was getting so frustrated about jumping, but decided I'd wait 30 days/ At about the end of June I really got the itch again to take a wing suit out. I made arangements to travel back to Raeford and demo a suit. I fell in love with jumping all over again that weekend. Ever since then I've only made about 10 non-wingsuit jumps out of about 100 jumps. I've started doing a lot more tandems and they bring a certian joy to my weekends too. If not for Wingsuits and watching and experienceing the joy of flight... I would have probally walked away.

Thank you Jari, S

1 and the Raeford crew for letting me love this sport again!

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

freakydiver · October 21, 2003

Doh - foot in mouth...

-- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

Trader Feedback · October 21, 2003

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Take the most boring skydive you can imagine and if you don't get excited about going up to do that dive - then go get the bowling ball.

I don't think that's true. I'm very easily bored by things. I do find some jumps boring. Before I started doing sit flying recently, I had made an attempted 4 way rw dive. Two split off at exit and I held to one of them. We just fell and didn't do anything. I would've liked to have done something but he was trying to fall fast to get to one of the others that was impossible. This dive bored me. I don't think I should take up another sport. I have made some pretty fun dives lately and I really enjoy freeflying and that's where i'm going to stay for a while. If it gets boring, i'll try something new in skydiving, not a new sport altogether. Hopefully i'll get to swoop one day, that looks like lots of fun!

:)
Angela.

crwmike · October 21, 2003

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Injuries, age, money?

No, no and no. For me it was; politics, attitudes, egos, lack of aircraft maintenance, and a generally poor safety attitude. I looked at the effort I was putting into it and the return I was getting out of it and all the hassels and decided to hang it up. So far no regrets.

Derek

Wow Hooknswoop, ditto the above for me. The negatives finally outnumbered the positives that made it worth the hour and a half drive each way to the drop zone.

I'm gonna throw in a 'me too' here for some of that. I'm not all warm and fuzzy about the directions skydiving has taken over the past couple of decades. I've been 'semi-retired' from skydiving for several years now. After the CRW world record attempts next month, I've pretty much decided to pick some new, enthusiastic CRWPup, give them my gear and walk away with 30 years wonderful memories ...and (hopefully) one more world record

CRW Skies,

Michael

ianmdrennan · October 22, 2003

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I'm now stuck doing 2ways, cause there aren't any fun jumpers around. To me that is a waste of money

If you think 2 ways aren't challenging then you aren't trying hard enough.

Mix up the dives and try stuff. Trust me, you can build some significant skill on 2 ways alone.

Oh...and make Hook come to Eloy....come on...I know you wanna

Blue skies
Ian

Performance Designs Factory Team

lug · October 22, 2003

***For me it was; politics, attitudes, egos, lack of aircraft maintenance, and a generally poor safety attitude. I looked at the effort I was putting into it and the return I was getting out of it and all the hassels and decided to hang it up. So far no regrets.

Derek

Think

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I hear what your message and at times, I feel the same, you are not alone. In addition, I also feel burned out, the sport has lost some of its zing.
Memento Mori

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ianmdrennan · October 22, 2003

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Nope. If Skycat wants to go to a boogie or just go make a couple of jumps or something, I'll go, but otherwise, nope.

I'm working on her right now

Blue skies
Ian

Performance Designs Factory Team

tictoc · October 22, 2003

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***For me it was; politics, attitudes, egos, lack of aircraft maintenance, and a generally poor safety attitude. I looked at the effort I was putting into it and the return I was getting out of it and all the hassels and decided to hang it up. So far no regrets.

Derek

Think
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I hear what your message and at times, I feel the same, you are not alone. In addition, I also feel burned out, the sport has lost some of its zing.

Yep put me in this as well. After 4 years of jumping hard I have just decided to try and back off a bit. For me the sport has just seemed to have lost what it once had.
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Some one must go to the edge for others to be able to find it. But if you go be sure you can make it back.

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Trader Feedback · October 22, 2003

I quit back in the 70's after about four years in the sport. It just got to the point where it wasn't that much fun anymore and I didn't have the cash to pursue it like some folks, so I took up a new sport that was challenging and fun. We had another guy in our club who later went on to World Fame in skydiving. He seemed to be from a different world than I was though. His parents paid his way through school, paid his jump bill, and he could do pretty much anything he wanted expense free. If I didn't work... I didn't eat...I didn't jump... and I certainly didn't go to school. He just couldn't understand why I didn't spend all my time at the DZ like he did. Hell, I was trying to work my way through school and didn't have the time or money to do much else. This was another reason I quit. Call it a personality conflict, politics, etc...

After being grounded for over twenty years I made a jump. It was with old friends, and after 20 minutes of training we went up and did some RW with old Pals. What a wonderful feeling! I was hooked all over again. I hope I can hang onto the joy that skydiving brings......It's just way too much fun to think of quitting now, but the day may come. Hopefully it will be many years in the future...Steve1

mikkey · October 22, 2003

If I can add my 2 cents. I had a 7-year and an 11-year break from the sport and I have seen many people come and go.

The reason why people leave the sport seems in my opinion to anchor around 3 main issues:

1) “Social” issues
2) DZ issues
3) “Challenge” issues

1) Peoples live changes all the time. We go from study to work environment. We start focussing on a career. We move. We get married. We get kids. Our priorities change, it is natural. Some people who quit the sport due to these reasons come back later when their circumstances change again.

2) It is often the case that when people start skydiving they get very obsessed with it. It becomes their live and sometimes even their livelihood. Unfortunately, “politics” and conflicts can arise. Both on commercial DZ’s and in “clubs”. You see this in a workplace and in all kind of sports or clubs. These “politics” can get frustrating and if you have no alternative choice in your area – you might quit the sport.

3) If you can’t or won’t become an instructor/professional skydiver or member of a team, it can be frustrating to skydive. Being a “fun” jumper myself – it was a reason for me once to quit the sport. If you are not at a DZ with lots of other “fun” jumpers you will quickly get bored doing solo’s or doing 2-ways with students.

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When people look like ants - pull. When ants look like people - pray.

sara85 · October 22, 2003

I have not been jumping to long just 5 years. I'm in my mid 40's. And my knees are getting bad. I know I will have to leave the Sport sometime

But, Until then I just jump when I can . I work at a printing company as a computer tech and it keeps me from jumping. When I can jump it's GREAT......

schattenjaeger · October 22, 2003

This topic's depressing :( Are they any skydivers here with numerous hundereds of jumps who HAVEN'T at some time or another left the sport or come within a hair's length of doing so?

hungarianchick · October 22, 2003

The last time I jumped was in July and I haven't been back since due to lack of funds and self confidence. I got stuck on a level because of stability issues and I never handled failure very well..
I was determined to finish AFF this season but I was in for a wake-up call and that kept me away from the sport, however I can't stop thinking about it and I can't bear the thought of not going to the DZ again...
I hope that some day I can return with some tunnel time behind me and really achieve something...

"I love cooking with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food."

schattenjaeger · October 22, 2003

Aw, don't feel bad that you failed a couple of levels:( I failed 3 twice, barely passed it the 3rd time, and am still not entirely sure how I passed 4 and 5 on one shot! And I know a guy who failed 3 a grand spankin' total of 5 times, a lady who failed 5 four times etc. People fail these things, be surprised when someone DOES make it through in 7 jumps

VectorBoy · October 22, 2003

For me it was; politics, attitudes, egos, lack of aircraft maintenance, and a generally poor safety attitude. I looked at the effort I was putting into it and the return I was getting out of it and all the hassels and decided to hang it up. So far no regrets.

Derek

VectorBoy · October 22, 2003

What is all this bitching about politics at the DZ?
I really don't get it. I see more politics on this Website than I do at Perris or any other dropzone is Southern California. I would be very interested to hear what your concerns are, what are people fighting over?

scott

happythoughts · October 22, 2003

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You only have 65 jumps.

So, ummm... how many have ya got now?

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Trust me, you will get very sick of being belly to earth.
That is, unless you are interested in RW.

Tracking, 360's and back/front loops get very old.

Too funny.

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If I want to relax, I go into a sit fly position because the view is a lot better, you can see the horizon better.
When you are belly to earth, all you see is the ground,

LMAO Thanks for the chuckles.

skycat · October 22, 2003

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I'm now stuck doing 2ways, cause there aren't any fun jumpers around. To me that is a waste of money

If you think 2 ways aren't challenging then you aren't trying hard enough.

Mix up the dives and try stuff. Trust me, you can build some significant skill on 2 ways alone.

Oh...and make Hook come to Eloy....come on...I know you wanna

Blue skies
Ian

See that's the thing I go anywhere else and I have more people than I know what to do with to jump with, and I can pretty much pick any load I want to get on. The problem here is there aren't that many jumpers and most of them have under 100 jumps. So I end up doing coach jumps, which after a while get old, so why deal with Derek who is extremely unhappy when being at the DZ and chasing a newbie around the sky when I can go rock climb or snowboard instead.

Snowboarding over X-mas is still winning btw.

Fly it like you stole it!

VectorBoy · October 22, 2003

Is Derek unhappy on his home DZ or any DZ?

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Leaving the sport

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