Mentors

[freebirdtif 0]

Is it normal to think you need a mentor to keep you psyched up in the sport like to help you keep on keeping on or should it be innate?
Is it normal to not want to jump unless you have someone to jump with? On all good weather days even if they an jumper RW is it normal for someone with 87 jumps to not want to jump unless they have someone to jump with?
I personally think mentors are critical in any sport. I think skydiving is a sport where a mentor is more important.

-

[AllisonH 0]

I only jump alone if they need 1 more warm body to make the plane fly - I think it's boring and always have. I don't know if I'd say I'd be bored and quit without a mentor, but I've had several on and off and they certainly help get me excited and remotivated.

[bodypilot90 0]

sure is, I never paid for a coach jump and I never charge newbies to jump with them. It's fun! Helping others learn new skills and becoming friends. For me it's the best part of skydiving.

[freebirdtif 0]

I meant that a mentor should me motivation for jumpers with 100 jumps or less. I am just trying to figure out my reason for jumping besides I love it.
I get bumbed out sometimes when i am at my Dz and all of the jumpers I know with the same jump numbers are jumping one load after the other rather they have a coach or another jumper or not. Why do I feel the need for extra motivation? My personality? I feel with a coach or mentor I would do better. is this normal?

-

[ltdiver 3]

Quote

I feel with a coach or mentor I would do better. is this normal?

It's always more fun when you feel you're successful in a skydive and a coach (or mentor) who has more skill than you can make this happen. If a skydive doesn't work out then it tends to be boring (after the thrill of doing your own solos wears off).

This is normal with anything in life.

As you grow in the sport you'll go one of two ways (IMHO). You'll continue to get coaching and angle towards competitions (or big-way records)....OR you'll develop friends who just want to go up and have fun together (competitions and records be damned).

Either way you're developing and having fun. Otherwise you'll go the third way...which is quit.

ltdiver

Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon

[kallend 2,028]

Quote

I only jump alone if they need 1 more warm body to make the plane fly - I think it's boring and always have. I don't know if I'd say I'd be bored and quit without a mentor, but I've had several on and off and they certainly help get me excited and remotivated.

I can always think of something interesting to do on a solo jump. I practice tracking and see how low I can get my fall rate. I practice diving and see how fast I can go. I fly my wingsuit and see how much freefall time I can get, or practice acrobatics, or see how far I can go...

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[freebirdtif 0]

(competitions and records be damned).
"here, here"! I am jumping for the love of jumping now.
Who knows in the future.

-

[Lindsey 0]

Quote

I can always think of something interesting to do on a solo jump. I practice tracking and see how low I can get my fall rate. I practice diving and see how fast I can go. I fly my wingsuit and see how much freefall time I can get, or practice acrobatics, or see how far I can go...

You remind me of a seagull I read about a long time ago.

linz

--
A conservative is just a liberal who's been mugged. A liberal is just a conservative who's been to jail

[blackout 0]

There is always plenty to do on solos, if you find it that boring, do a hop n pop and practice your canopy skills.

While they may not be my favorite thing to do either, they are probably a good time to practice new skills. If nothing else just to enjoy the day and get your jump #'s up. I would rather be sitting in a plane on the way to altitude than be sitting on the ground

[stratostar 5]

There have always been mentors, some choose to be mented, others choose to scoff at them, a lot choose to follow the wrong ones because they get all wrapped up in ego stroking, while others are wise enough to pay heed to the "white haired wise one's" who are so filled with more info and insight about this sport it would take a lifetime to know it all.

If you have to have another hold your hand to keep jumping from being boring, then take up a team sport like golf or bowling, one should jump because they enjoy it for themselfs, not because they need someone to hold their hand. One of the best things many miss is to stop and just enjoy the simple things in life, a hop & pop @ 13K on a long summer evening as the sunsets and the sky is filled orange and pinks, purples, grays and take in all the sights god gave you to see & listen to wind sing through your lines, before sip'n a cool one with good friends at the end of the day.

So many of you young ones will never know the simple sound of quite, the quite of a round jump, where you hear dogs bark, car doors close, kids playing ball, or just pure quite and when you hear the lines sing, it was because the wind was blowing and not the forward speed, just the simple beauty of a jump is what it's all about, not how many points you can turn or how cool your matching gear and jumpsuit looks or even if your a big named world record holder, it's about the skies call, that's all!

Let the sky be your mentor, it's what should have brought you here in the first place, but be sure to enjoy the people you meet along the way, you never know when they'll be gone.

you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

[freebirdtif 0]

Let the sky be your mentor,


But the sky can't save you nor teach you how to skydive. Your right though.

-

[Skydivesg 7]

I have been coaching people for years (decades) and I have never charged a cent, not even my slot.
But when I invest my time and money to help others learn I do expect something in return.

I expect to see those people go up by themselves to work the drills I've taught them.

If they don't go up and practice on their own, that tells me they don't really want to learn and they just want to have another body in the air so they don't get lonely.

You'll never improve your skills if you don't go up and work them by youself.

Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

[AMax 0]

Look at this very accomplished skydivers - they all had mentors. http://skyleague.com/pages/profiles/

Its always good to have mentors even if you don't want to progress fast and become a competitor. A good mentor will help you to become a safer and better skydiver.

Not wanting to jump by yourself is also normal. New people like you often need company for some additional encouragement and emotional support.

Spaceland is a fantastic place with lots of great skydivers, finding a good mentor there should not be a problem.

[PhoenixPhive 0]

Like!

[Squeak 17]

I have mentors that don't even know they are my mentors, several of them in fact.
Some of them are on these forums.
Folks like
Mike Sparky (Mjosparky) & Jim Twardo, I have a few others at the DZs I frequent also.
Mel Curtis is one, Amy Chemlecki (sp) and the Arsenal crew are others.
Some are world champions some are not.
All my mentors do have one thing in common.
They have all got a LOT of time in the sport, and I know one thing if nothing else, if you can get a lot of time in this sport, chances are you are doing something right.

I personally think it prudent to listen to those who have taken the time to develop the sport and have lived through either their own or watched others making a lot of mistakes.

there are clichés floating around in this sport, they tend to have an essence of truth, that’s how they become clichés. One of my favourites is.

"Learn from the mistakes of other. Because in this sport you will not live long enough to make them all yourself".

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?