How many stickers do you have in your logbook?
Did you collect them all yet? We’re talking FS1, FF1, TR1, FF2, TR2, CF1, CF2, CP1, CP2, WS1, WS2… the list, it seems, is endless.
But it hasn’t always been this way. Back in the olden days of skydiving (OK, so I’m talking like 2008 here, but still), we weren’t driven by sticker progression. Many of the skydiving accreditations you see today didn’t even exist prior to a few years ago, and while their introduction has had many benefits, it’s also, arguably, hindered people’s deeper skill progression.
In this second article of my series on skydiving progression, I’m going to explore what progression can mean, and how you can set goals for your own progress.
Self-actualisation: an inherent human need
It’s been suggested that human beings have needs that surpass the evolutionary basics of food and shelter. According to the psychologist Abraham Maslow, the hierarchy of needs starts with those basics and progresses on to a need, eventually, to fulfil one’s potential – whatever that means to that individual.
It’s an idea that seems more prevalent today than ever before. Without going too deep into it, consider the impact of things like social media, which celebrates self-actualisation through likes and comments, where achieving those things earns social validation that can be addictive.
It’s an idea that has many positive implications, too. When we feel we’re able to aim for and then achieve our potential, it brings us a huge amount of satisfaction and can be very empowering. It’s certainly no bad thing to aim for big goals.
Stickers as stepping stones to success
With all that said, it’s equally important to remember that those big goals aren’t easily achieved in the short term. To fulfil our potential is a huge ask; one that requires us first to work out what we want to achieve, and then to identify the steps we need to get there.
That’s where the stickers currently available in British Skydiving’s system can be really good. Want to become a great formation skydiver? You’ll need to start with FS1 to learn the basics and stay safe. Want to go and fly around head down with your boyfriend and one day make an MFS team together? Well then, you’ll be needing FF2.
But that’s not the end point. An ambition for FS1 is not the same as an ambition for FS greatness. One doesn’t become a great skydiver by simply collecting stickers; rather, we need to view those stickers as a gateway, a starting point, a stepping stone.
Once we know our long term aims, we can find our path.
Taking the next step
The next step following achievement of a sticker is dependent on the discipline you want to do and the way you want to do it.
For example, in FS, it’s great to get your FS1 and FS1+ so you can then start building your skills by jumping with other people. Start off in small groups, doing 2-ways, 3-ways, 4-ways – even once you have the stickers to do more, this is still a great size of group to really hone your skills.
Then, look out for any small group coaching opportunities (like the ones we host every Progression Weekend at Skydive Langar). You might decide to join a 4-way team, giving you a real focus for your coaching that can supercharge your skills development.
Small group, progressing to larger group, bigway jumps can also be hugely beneficial. Remember, if you’re the weakest person in the group, that can be a very good thing – the weaker you are compared to the group, the greater your potential to learn!
By breaking down your big goals into bite-sized chunks, you make the journey feel longer, but it’s also much more doable. By taking it one step at a time, you’ll feel the benefit for your progression much more, and are more likely to achieve the long-term goal without frustration or giving up.
It’s OK to just be OK
Not everyone will achieve their potential in grand, podium-topping ways. While winning medals or setting records are nice goals to have, it’s OK to just be OK at skydiving – to just have a fun hobby to enjoy with awesome people.
I’ve spent most of my skydiving career chasing some goal or other. For a decade, my focus was solely to become the 4-way national champion. And you know what? It was awesome. But it wasn’t everything.
I’ll always be proud of what I’ve done in 4-way and will continue to benefit from the FS skills I’ve built as a result. But I’ve also come to learn that, for me, simply being part of this community, being able to chill on the grass with my fellow skydivers between loads and then jumping with no plan but for the pure joy of it is a worthwhile ambition, too.
Laura Hampton is an AFFI, FS coach and tandem camera flyer at Skydive Langar. She is also the Progression Lead at Langar, meaning she oversees all coaching and supports up and coming coaches in gaining their ratings. Prior to working full time in skydiving, she was part of 4-way national championship winning team Chimera, having travelled the world representing Team GB in 4-way events. In 2023, she was part of the team to set a new British formation skydiving and a world formation skydiving record.
Laura Hampton is an AFFI, FS coach and tandem camera flyer at Skydive Langar. She is also the Progression Lead at Langar, meaning she oversees all coaching and supports up and coming coaches in gaining their ratings. Prior to working full time in skydiving, she was part of 4-way national championship winning team Chimera, having travelled the world representing Team GB in 4-way events. In 2023, she was part of the team to set a new British formation skydiving and a world formation skydiving record.
