"I'd been jumping a year, had almost 200 jumps and was unable to close the gap and dock on a 4 way. Pete Knight encouraged me to come to Langar and try the organised group.

I was axed several times, and screwed up many many times! I made all the mistakes in the book but I loved it, I couldn't get enough! I was learning to fly. It was the best feeling I'd ever had. I didn't miss a weekend for almost 3 years.

Stephen 'Stealth' Elvy was the organiser at Langar then and always made a point of telling me right before exit "don't screw up".

Around this time I joined an 8 way team called 'Box of Frogs'. The team experience taught me to reference and fly 'off the grips'; which up until then I'd managed to avoid learning. I also started going to Boogies in France, Spain and the USA.

Stealth then announced that he was moving to Florida. One day he was sitting at Langar with another regular jumper talking about "who was going to do 'walk up' organising when Stealth went", they suddenly pointed at me and said in unison, "you"!

The Skydive Choreography approach is great because it allows people to learn what it took me years to learn by doing a combination of boogie and team jumping. Progression is faster at these events than it is through walk up groups, mainly because of the structured environment. If you're not convinced you only need to watch how quickly and how far new joiners progress in just a couple of events!

As for organising, I love it - it's great to jump with so many different people - watching the progression and seeing the lights come on for people. Some are fresh, talented and fast learning, and others are trying to overcome habits practiced over years and years. Whoever they are though I'm right there learning with them myself."

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