posted Mar 11th, 2009 - Another interesting lineup has recently been added to the list of teams for the FSL Shamrock Showdown 2009. Four top US competitors hide behind the team name MD Fooza, which indicates some of the names of the members.

MD stands for Mass Defiance, and the New England Skydiving League team has been covered by the NSL News many times over the years. The last specific MD update was published after the USPA Nationals 2008, on 11 November 2008 (Archives > 2008 > News > Search for "Mass Defiance"), with the headline that Mass Defiance still holds the amateur record average in the USA.

Later stories in 2008 covered an indoor competition that MD's Center Inside, Ben Liston, organised at SkyVenture New Hampshire in December 2008. The actual Mass Defiance lineup does not have big plans for the 2009 season so far, which is probably the reason that two MD members decided to do something that they had only thought of in the past.

Ben Liston said that he is very excited to compete at the Shamrock Showdown for the first time: "I've wanted to compete in the Shamrock for years, but the logistics never worked out in years past."

His team mate Brian Stephens added that they both are looking very much forward to attending the Shamrock despite the lack of any training: "It is true that this is a total pick-up team. Our first jump together will be Round 1 at the Shamrock."

They both also remembered that Mass Defiance did only about 30 jumps in 2008 before the USPA Nationals and still performed very well, at least for the first nine rounds. The NSL News audience probably remembers MD's Round 10 at the USPA Nationals with a 1-pointer on the scoreboard after video trouble at the exit. That's history, and Brian Stephens explains the main reason for the trip to Florida:

"No matter how well we do, it will be fun, which is why we're coming down. It also gets us out of the snow up here in New England."

The other half of MD Fooza does not have to travel that far at all.

James "Bu" Klinge and Steve Johnson both live in Florida, and both know each other from earlier team projects, as well.

They competed with Phugoid (Al Brooks, Ron Hill, Steve Johnston, Jim Klinge) in 2005 and posted a 17.5 average at the June meet of the Florida Skydiving League. Phugoid then finished in 7th place with a 15.7 average in the Open Class at the USPA Nationals 2005.

Steve Johnston and Jim Klinge put another lineup together for the USPA Nationals 2006. Billy Andrews and Rodney Cruce joined the FiaZco lineup and finished again in 7th place of the Open Class with a 17.6 average.

The name Fooza was created for the USPA Nationals 2007 when Joey Jones and Sally Hathaway joined Steve Johnston and Jim Klinge. Fooza finished in 6th place this time, with a 19.0 average. Mass Defiance, with Ben Liston and Brian Stephens, was right in front of Fooza, three points ahead with a 19.3 average.

Steve Johnston and Jim Klinge came back for the FSL Shamrock Showdown 2008 where they posted a 17.8 average for Teiwaz, this time with Robert Chromy and Kurt Gaebel. They did not compete at the USPA Nationals last year.

The FSL Shamrock Showdown 2009 brings back Steve Johnston's and Jim Klinge's team name of 2007 when they posted their highest meet average so far. Fooza was also their name when they competed head to head with Mass Defiance at the USPA Nationals 2007.

The team name MD Fooza seems to make perfect sense and promises the fun that Brian Stephens was talking about. Round 1 will be the first skydive for this lineup. However, the performance level will probably be close to the one of their previous teams, and the personal best level will not be that far away.