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The History of Team Funnel .
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Once upon a time, back in the early 1400s, there was a man who . . . oh, wait. Further back in history than you want to go? Okay, we'll start a bit more recent. |
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It all began on a sunny Saturday afternoon at Sky Dive Chicago. There we were, 8 newly graduated, recently licensed sky divers who basically had no idea of what to do next. We had, most of us anyway, successfully completed Roger Nelson's AFP training program, and so were at least reasonably safe in the sky, and could maintain somewhat of a stable heading. We had proven ourselves capable of jumping alone (not by virtue of gaining the A license, which we all had, but by successful completion of the AFP program). |
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The Spring Four Way Scrambles were fast approaching. For all of us, this was the dream. We wanted to be in the Scrambles, and we wanted to do well. So we decided to practice. We didn't count our numbers at the time, we just jumped together. One weekend there would be 3 of us, the next maybe six or seven. All told, there were eight of us beginners jumping together with something approaching regularity. |
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One of the practice weekends, we decided to launch four ways. Launch after launch, we worked on four-way formations. Of all the jumps that weekend, we only failed to successfully launch every time . . . no matter how simple the formation, we funnelled it. We tried three ways: Funnel. We tried Five ways: Funnel. We tried Two ways: Funnel. I think a few of us even managed to funnel solo exits that weekend. |
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We were determined, so we tried again the next weekend. We were nothing, if not consistent. Somebody mentioned the name Team Funnel, and so we adopted the moniker, wearing it like a badge of pride; in the way only the trully hopeless can do. We were 30 and 40 jump wonders, but up there in the sky, we looked like, well, 30 and 40 jump wonders . . . |
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The Scrambles came and went, as did many afternoons after that. We held on to the name, even after some of us had forgotten how to trully funnel an exit (some will never forget!). On the rare occassion one of us would funnel a serious exit (or anytime Bernie jumped), we would remind each other on the ground, and those unknowing souls brave enough to have jumped with us, that we were Team Funnel. |
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Towards the end of the summer an idea was born (okay, borrowed from the Freak Brothers). We should issue Team Funnel numbers. The rest is history . . . oh, okay, so all this is now history, but you know what I mean. |
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We figured out who the original eight were (actually, we could only remember seven at the time). Since I was doing the paper work and keeping track of the numbers, I snagged the first one, and we held a drawing for the remaining slots. The first 7 TF numbers are the original members of Team Funnel. After issuing our first non-original member number (TF#8, of course), we remembered who the original eighth member is/was. Thus, Jeremy, who IS an original member, carries the number TF#9 and an interesting story to tell (at least, that's how we convinced him not to raise too big a fuss over the number issue). |
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Does that cover it? Oh, yeah, TFCs. We also issued (no longer) numbers to women who wanted to join Team Funnel. In honor of Krash (TFC#1) we began issuing Team Funnel Coochie numbers . . . Krash had initiated among a group of original TF members, the concept of a Coochie dive. In truth, it's what's been happening in SkyDiving for a couple hundred years (so I exaggerate) -- a bunch of men chase a single female -- but she gave it a name for us. This was about a week before the formalization of Team Funnel, so she became the original TFC. Now THAT is a distinction to be proud of!!! |
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That's about it for the history. Team Funnel is now dedication to two things: Spreading the Madness, er, I mean Love, and having fun. Spreading the Love, to us, involves making sure EVERYONE is having fun. We have happily assumed a role at our DZ and any DZ we visit, as a group eager to jump with newly graduated SkyDivers and anyone else, for that matter. If you're too dangerous for anyone else to jump with, come see us, we'll work with you (but only if you're willing). We want to share our experience (as limited as it may be) and we want to share our love for skydiving. |
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