Skydiving Magazine, How much does it cost to become Skydiver of the Year?

[diablopilot 2]

I have met Natasha and am impressed by her accomplishments in the sport, and they are in no way diminished by the money she has available to devote to her pursuit of the sport.

I can see part of what loudtom is saying however. When I think of an award like "Skydiver of the Year" I do think of an individual who has a bit more longevity, a wider base of expertise, and has made an impact through innovations, and or education of others within the sport. That's just one person's opinion. There may be people out there that are inspired to greatness because of Natasha's efforts.

In any event, we can't see everyone we want win one award, so congratulations to Natasha, and I'll celebrate my personal nominee's by buying them a cold one, or making a jump with them.

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You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[skyblu 0]

Actually, I re-read what you wrote and I think I mis-understood your comment. I thought the 'award' you mentioned (that she didn't try for) was winning the 4-way gold titles.

If you meant the Skydiver of the Year award... Yea, I doubt that was her main goal.

[kimemerson 7]

Sour garpes.
It's not like the money turned the points for her.

[loudtom 5]

You're right to a degree. I hate garpes...
I congratulate them on their medals and wins. A great achievement.
Gotta go teach an AFF course or do some tandems.
lt
oh yea, no money=no points, so it helps...

tom #90 #54 #08 and now #5 with a Bronze :-)

[CanuckInUSA 0]

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Gotta go teach an AFF course or do some tandems.

What makes one person more qualified than another person towards being “Skydiver of the Year”? Who knows … and in the big picture does it really matter? There are many disciplines in this sport and the main common denominator is that we jump from an aircraft (or from fix objects) and we use gear to deploy what we hope is a functional wing which hopefully will then allow us to land safely, pack up and go make another jump. In case you haven’t noticed, not everyone wants to be an AFF instructor or a tandem bitch. Now AFF instructors and tandem bitches are important to the sport, but as long as some of us can afford to, we enjoy being nothing more than goal driven “fun” jumpers. So stop judging people who happen to have a little extra pocket change (you never know maybe that person actually worked for their money and now they are enjoying working hard on an activity that allows them to spend it). There is no shortage of talented jumpers who have put their heart and their souls into becoming better jumpers and who's to say that one method is better than another. Obviously Natasha wasn’t looking to be “Skydiver of the Year” when she set out to be the best that she could be one, two or three years ago. It just kind of happened than one day recently someone decided to recognize her efforts. Is there someone else out there more qualified for this award? Who knows and really who cares.

More jumping and less bitching people …

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[IanHarrop 42]

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You're probably right; I only know what I've been told by folks, and what I've read. I'm definitely on the outside looking in.
I also know that when I won a major industry award, I heard more from the "He didn't deserve it" crowd than anything else, and mostly from "insiders" in the industry. "Fuck em', is all I could say. I did the work, and if the industry chose to grant me the award, then obviously someone felt it was deserved. Same is the case here, as far as I can tell from reading.
Last year I heard the same sort of bullshit about Shannon Pilcher and Ian Bobo. I've gotten to know them quite well, and have watched them in a variety of situations and locations. From my relatively ignorant point of view, they have well-earned any accolades received. But to hear a bunch of folks yakking off, they "didn't deserve it."
Sour grapes...
Of course it could have been bought, traded, bribed, or marketed for. If that's the case, I say "Prove it." Until then, I only can say "Good on ya!" to her.

Well said!!!

"Where troubles melt like lemon drops, away above the chimney tops, that's where you'll find me" Dorothy

[loudtom 5]

." In case you haven’t noticed, not everyone wants to be an AFF instructor or a tandem bitch. Now AFF instructors and tandem bitches are important to the sport, but" end quote

Guess you were lucky enough to have met at least one of us bitches huh? Thanks for them. I guess huh.
but...

tom #90 #54 #08 and now #5 with a Bronze :-)

[popsjumper 2]

What? Chopped liver?

I repeat:

"Can anyone definitively define the intent of the Skydiver of the Year award?

Recognize those who "pay it forward"?
Recognize personal accomplishments?
What?"

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[kimemerson 7]

You're right to a degree. I hate garpes...
.

[DSE 5]

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You're right to a degree. I hate garpes...
.

Not big on garpes myself. Grapes, on the other hand...

[Elisha 1]

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I'd wager it doesn't matter much to her that she received the award anyway. It's very unlikely she won the award by trying for it.

Ummm... right . There's a lot more to it that you apparently know nothing about.

Sounds like you're just jealous that she's not having your baby.

[Vallerina 2]

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What she won for is not what our sport is all about.

I don't know her, and I've never met her. However, someone having a really strong desire to learn as much as they can and achieve what they set their mind to seems to be exactly what this sport is about, and for that I say, "Go, Natasha!"

There's a thin line between Saturday night and Sunday morning

[airgord 1]

Natasha is a really nice person, quick to laugh, quicker to smile.....keys slow sometimes............ Congrats to you.

[DougH 270]

Think of all the shiny new stuff the dz could afford if we could get more rich people to pour money into the sport.

Good for her, that money didn't fall out of the sky after all.

"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

[Foggy 0]

IIRC this was a write-in process for nomination by Skydiving Magazine. So in essence a popularity contest. As in all such contests, we can choose to applaud the winner or gripe about the person/ process which disqualified the rest of us. That is the nature of competition.
I, for one, choose to applaud her success because I honestly believe that I could not achieve even 10% of her skill with 200% of the finances available. Her drive, skill and determination have been well demonstrated at a National and International level and as such "her aerial excellence has contributed to our sport in some outstanding way".
I concede that she would not be in a position to receive such recognition without the past assistance of instructors and coaches along the way but she alone provided the drive to get where she is now. As a former AFFI and SLI I still get a kick from seeing former students growing in whatever path they have chosen.
Looking forward to some good balsamic vinaigrette.

Foggy
D21109

[HeatherB 0]

Who is to say what this sport is about...it is different for each of us!

And AFF and tandem instructors get paid for what they do. Yes, they give back to the sport but it's not as if they do it for free.

RW competition plays a big role in many people's involvement in this sport. I see no harm in recognizing a talented RW competitor.

Your first post was awfully scathing. You're discounting her skills, drive, and accomplishments because she was able to self-fund her teams?

[skyblu 0]

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Sounds like you're just jealous that she's not having your baby.

ppsst... I'm female.

[beowulf 1]

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Sounds like you're just jealous that she's not having your baby.

ppsst... I'm female.

Well you could always try

[piisfish 140]

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Sounds like you're just jealous that she's not having your baby.

ppsst... I'm female.

Well you could always try

and post the video on skydivingmovies

I wasn't aware Natasha had "so few" jumps. Super congrats. That's impressive. Money can buy jumps and tunnel time. Jumps and tunnel time won't make everyone a world champion.

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[rehmwa 2]

I'll go look it up if it's available, but how long has this award been going on and who are the winners?

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[PhreeZone 20]

Shannon P from the PD team won it last year.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[airtwardo 7]

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Sour grapes.
It's not like the money turned the points for her.

Yup!

Had a room mate once the had tried for four year to make the U.S. Team...made about 5500 jumps in the effort.
Spent BOOCOOBUCKS...~No Joy!

The money is great, but without the skills needed, ya never get in the funny papers!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[NickDG 23]

>>The money is great, but without the skills needed, ya never get in the funny papers!<<

Okay, but just for the sake of argument - who thinks her team mates didn't "carry" her until she came up to speed?

While your friend, and the rest of us, are more on the "hack it, or pack it" plan.

So her money DID turn the points for her in the beginning . . .

Wasn't it some of the old guys (Visions?) back in the 80s who did the "turn a turkey into an eagle" thing just to make a point? To prove team compatibility was more important than initial skill three of them took a willing and eager hundred jump wonder and turned him into a point burner.

How Natasha's achievement raises to the level of skydiver of the year escapes me.

NickD BASE 194

[Airman1270 0]

...IIRC this was a write-in process for nomination by Skydiving Magazine...
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If that's the case, then why haven't I been nominated? Gee, I've been doing this longer than many of the people who receive such recognition. Sigh. Where's my grapes...

,
Jon S.

[Zenister 0]

i'm not sure that having time and luxury to dedicate yourself to a sport (or anything for that matter) really qualifies you for "Anything" of the Year...

given the lack of other responsibilities to interfere with training time, its not exactly difficult to enter the upper echelon of anything. (anything that can be taught at least)

just takes time, money and drive... most people have at least one.. not everyone has all three...

i'll admit to being jealous of the time and leasure to pursue whatever you desire.. but I dont think the 'accomplishment' itself is that great, given the ability (in time and funding) to focus on what you want... I'd be more impressed by someone who did the same while working 40hours a week and training only on weekends...

IMO if a sport is nominating someone as "XXXX of the Year" they should have done something significant for the ENTIRE SPORT....

but really.. its just another silly award... does it really matter that much in the end?

____________________________________
Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.