When did you start wanting to get on a team?

[riggerrob 643]

... I'm definitely not comfortable with that at this level unless we break much higher then my normal break that way I can get more time to track away.

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The better teams plan drill dives to improve the weakest skills of the weakest members.
For example, participants in the World Record 400-way recently completed a training camp - in Perris Valley, California - with the primary goal of improving their break off and tracking skills.

A secondary goal of that training camp was to try every participant in every slot - to discover their strong skills and weak skills. Participants left training camp with two lists. The first was a list of skills they were already good at, a confidence-booster. The second list included skills they still had to work to improve.

[mr_woosh 0]

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You can start a team at any experience level. At lower experience levels, player-coach is a great way to go because you have one 'ringer' and he can help you each meet your individual goals. The ultimate at your level might be a 2-on-2 tunnel camp; your skills will improve _very_ quickly with that sort of coaching.

Not just there yet for the team jumps (still going through my AFF ) but was just wondering if it's better to be the only noob among experienced divers in the team or is it good enough to have at least one experienced diver in the team with the rest being noobs? I am going through AFF with two of my friends and it would be so cool to jump with them. So once we've got some experience under our belts will it be a good idea to stick together from the very beginning or to jump with more experienced people first? Thanks!

[Icon134 0]

I started really being interested in 4-way when I had about 40-50 jumps. I had done a 2-way competition.

I did my first 4-way comp when I had 60 jumps... (we only managed a full page, i.e. 3 points at a competion later in the season. but it was a very good experience...

Livin' on the Edge... sleeping with my rigger's wife...

[NWFlyer 2]

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So once we've got some experience under our belts will it be a good idea to stick together from the very beginning or to jump with more experienced people first? Thanks!

Here's my view on it (that was shared with me by one of my instructors very early in my career, and has borne out in my experience as well). Mix it up. Jump with people at or near your level, and jump with people who have more (and sometimes much more) experience than you. You will learn different things from each type of jump.

From jumping with other newbies, you will learn how much your instructors and other highly experienced jumpers are compensating for your lack of skills. If you're jumping with other newer jumpers, keep the jumps small and simple, and gradually increase the size and complexity as you build your skills. Your first two-way once you have your license, you might find yourselves not even in the skydive or chasing each other around till breakoff time. But you'll get better each time as you practice.

From the more experienced jumpers, you can learn what a successful skydive looks like, from beginning to end. If you can get in with load organizers, the best will plan the jump to match the entire group's skill level and ensure a successful jump for all members. They will plan it from beginning to end and you will learn more about the best exit techniques and about when to save funneled exits and when to just let them go. You will be able to get more points and get some confidence. You'll get to watch people who are very good at what they do and talk to them about how they do it.

As much as you like your friends, branch out, too. Then if at some point you feel ready for a team, that can also be a fantastic learning experience (I don't mean any of what I'm saying to be anti-team, I am just sharing my expeirences of what helped me to build my skills). For me, jumping with lots of different people at lots of different DZs, with lots of different skill levels really helped me up the learning curve. I have also heard others say that starting four-way early in their career helped them grow their skills immensely, so chances are either approach will work.

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[mr_woosh 0]

Thanks! Really appreciate you writing it all out for me!
I guess my major concerns were just how much experienced divers would be to have a noob among them and how bad things can be with only noobs in the team (I'd think it's not like math where minus by minus will produce a plus ). Oh well, I've got quite a few jumps ahead of me to to think about it before I get there

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[jumpinlow 0]

Joined my team with 80 jumps. It was a great learning experience and still is. Been on the same team with 2 of the same people for the last 3 years. Highy recommend 4 way to learn belly flying.

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