VIC – Mentor update for Barwon Heads (March 2018)
Then and Now… Commitment and Change
While looking ahead to Perris in 2019, I recently took a moment to look back. It blew me away just how much has changed since our first Aussie Bigways trip to California. And how much commitment is needed to pull this off!
In 2009, I bought new jumpsuits and helmets for Perris. That was my first real commitment to the trip, and my first acknowledgement – out loud – that I was giving it a go. I even got green and gold on my grippers, to remind myself that I’d be representing Australia. I saved money, I travelled to boogies, and I picked up whatever diving and stopping tips I could, despite my regular jump ship being a cosy little Cessna 206. There were 11 of us doing the same thing at a small DZ, with occasional updates from that Greg Jack dude, who most of us barely knew. Through word of mouth, we picked up who else might be going, and we tipped each other off whenever we found appropriate clips or articles to educate ourselves.
John Winkler was the one with all the Perris experience, and he gave the Victorians a great briefing about what to expect. Especially the ‘really heavy stuff’ at the end of the camps when the record attempts would be on.
My mantra was the same this whole time: “I am going to the camps to do the best I can. I doubt that I can make it to the record, but the experience will be wonderful!”
Fast forward to now, and NOBODY has any reason to be under-prepared. Everybody should be able to pursue the 150-way record as a VERY REAL possibility, and they have the tools available to them to build the skills, knowledge and attitude that they need.
If we don’t get this record, I’ll come home disappointed, but I’ll know with 100% certainty that we did EVERYTHING possible as a group to make it happen.
Back then we had hope, and we had trust in Greg Jack, our Aussie Bigways captain, who’d selected the P3 option and spruiked the group’s skills. When Greg walked into the ‘meet and greet’ at the Perris Valley bar in May 2010, he seemed visibly overcome when he saw how many people had put their faith in his idea. “How f%^&$*g lucky are we?!!”, he asked.
Well we WERE lucky. What we lacked in bigway experience, we made up for with passion and enthusiasm, plus we soaked up every piece of information that the coaches gave us. Somehow, with those ingredients, we smashed the previous record of 81 and we pulled off a 105-way, a 109-way and a 112 way on the last 3 jumps! (Still gives me goose bumps.)
While collecting more records in 2012 and 2015, we also gathered more vital knowledge.
Which brings me back to the future again. Thanks to the Aussie Bigways teamwork on the ground, we have SO MUCH more now than we had back then. We have a fantastic Aussie Bigways network, communicating knowledge and sharing opportunities. We have a wide selection of bigway and coached events, fantastic APF Funding available, a thriving competition environment, visits from international coaches, and a growing skill set for efficient bigway building. We don’t yet have a wind tunnel in Victoria, but there are several that are just a short weekend trip away. Our DZ has a beautiful 17 place plane at our disposal EVERY weekend, with $30 slots to 14K in 11 minutes. All of these valuable tools are within reach if we have the commitment to reach out and use them. And NOW is the time to do that! No excuses. No putting it off until we get to Perris Valley. Get cracking now and the goal is very achievable. Even for people who are just starting out on their skydiving this weekend.
So, grab your diary, look on the APF and Aussie Bigways calendar, and PLAN ahead for your events in the next 12 to 18 months.
At Barwon Heads, our summer Star Crests have ended (until next October), with 11 new Star Crest recipients in that time. One of the freshly minted Star Cresters, Jarrod Gardiner, has also gone on to get his B-rel coach appointment, and to become a paid camera flyer. He is a great example of a skydiver who has grabbed every opportunity and pursued his goals.
Another winning player was Mat Whyte, one of our most frequent participants, who won a free Dekunu One smart alti. And Daniel Rutten scored himself a discount voucher for a G3 helmet. (Great supporters! Thank you Dekunu and Cookie.)
We also produced a Star Crest video from this summer’s jumps. It’s due for release any day now. Please share it on social media and spread the word. The more people who learn the right terminology and mindset for Star Crests, the better our prospects for building bigger and better skydives. Make sure every new skydiver sees this, and, if it sparks their interest, help them out with information and enthusiasm.
We’ll keep doing random jumps on good weather days, but right now I’m gearing up for Nationals, Big T Mega Boogie in WA, Pops World meet, and a mid-winter getaway to the Bowen Bigways in the Whitsundays (in July). The APF and Aussie Bigway calendars are jam packed with opportunities for bigway flyers.
There’s never been a better time to pursue this record. Let’s make it happen!!!!
Kelly Brennan – Aussie Bigways Mentor for Barwon Heads
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