Coaching Tips To Help Every Skydiver

Learning doesn’t have to end after you get your skydiving certification! With the completion of skydiving school, you’ll be opened up to the world of skydiving – which might actually be bigger than you could ever imagine! In skydiving, there are loads of disciplines, license levels, special events, and even competitions that you can now be a part of. At WNY Skydiving, we even have a wingsuit school available for those that have at least 200 skydives.

But where does one begin their journey? With so many options, it might be a bit overwhelming – which is why we recommend getting coaching from a local coach or organizer that frequents your dropzone. We’ve got all of your coaching tips to help every skydiver in every discipline, no matter which path you choose.

SKYDIVE COACHING

Skydive coaching is one of the best ways to sharpen up your skills and progress in the sport, while also learning about other opportunities. Not only does coaching improve your overall skill level, it also provides you with a direct resource to find out about events and connects you with experts in the field you’re interested in pursuing. For example, if your goal is to compete in belly flying, your skydiving coach could help you hone your skills and point you in the direction of competitive skydivers and skydiving competition events.

BENEFITS OF SKYDIVE COACHING

Coaching yields a number of important benefits to your skydiving progression. Not only does it help you improve your physical flying skills, but it can also help you mentally prepare for the jump ahead. Coaching gives you the confidence to tackle each skydive with purpose, keeping the goal in mind. Yes, skydiving with friends is super fun – but you might experience burnout if every skydive is a “zoo-dive” and no real skills are being cultivated. Here are the four main benefits that you’ll notice when you receive skydive coaching.

1. SKYDIVE COACHING GROWS YOUR SKYDIVING SKILLS

Skydive coaching helps you to maximize your time in the sky so you can grow your skydiving skills. A coach can assist you with coming up with a pre-jump plan and show you how to remain calm during the duration of the jump. Sticking to a goal-oriented plan builds competence and self-confidence, and successfully executing the plan promotes empowerment. When you land, you feel accomplished knowing you’ve used your time wisely rather than wasting a jump with an out-of-control flail fest. Coaches give a pre-jump brief as well as a constructive debrief so you know which areas to target for improvement.

Maintaining your focus and working toward specific goals creates efficient, confident, and happy skydivers!

2. SKYDIVE COACHING FOCUSES ON SKYDIVING SAFETY

If you’re a new or inexperienced jumper, all of the skydiving rules can be a bit overwhelming to remember — especially when you’re trying to focus on building a new skill. Jumping with a certified coach helps keep you in check more than a fellow newbie jumper would. A coach knows what to look for and which adjustments to make for you to be a better, safer skydiver. Once you get your skydiving license, you’ll notice that all sorts of well-intentioned skydivers will give you unsolicited skydiving tips and advice. Our advice is that you listen to a certified coach or instructor who has your safety in mind before all else.

Bottom line, it’s best to listen to the pros rather than your pals.

3. SKYDIVE COACHING KEEPS YOU FROM BURNOUT

Sometimes, in your skydiving career, you may begin to feel like your skills have come to a plateau and it seems like you start to lack motivation or drive to continue in the sport. Coaching can broaden your horizons and encourage new ways for you to engage in the sport. 

One-on-one and bodyflight support aren’t the only options for skydive coaching. If one-on-one coaching isn’t for you, there are also load organizers who frequent the dropzone who can help refine your skills during weekend fun jumps with other skydivers. In tandem with bodyflight coaching, it is also highly recommended to attend regularly scheduled canopy courses to keep your parachuting skills sharp. Maybe you enjoy teaching and want to become a skydiving coach yourself! Whatever it is – get that skydiving spark back!

4. SKYDIVE COACHING GETS YOU INVOLVED

The incredible, worldwide skydiving community is one of the major reasons skydivers stick with the sport for so long. When you opt in to coaching, you significantly broaden your network and make a ton of connections within the skydiving community. Skydivers have a particular way of positively motivating each other to take on new challenges, inspiring others to discover their true passion within the sport. Working with a coach is a great first step towards you getting introduced to the right group of people for you to get the most out of your skydiving career.

You can find a skydiving coach in the skydiving school at your local DZ or a load organizer at your dropzone. Some dropzones offer mentor programs for newer jumpers, which are a great way to get your feet wet. You can also stay up to date on your dropzone’s upcoming skydiving events and attend events at other dropzones to expand your knowledge and meet new peeps. There are several applications out there to view the most popular skydiving events and boogies all in one place, such as Mile High Hub.

Ready to take your skydiving career to the next level? Contact a team member at WNY Skydiving to find out more about coaching, load organizing, and events! Blue skies!