posted Apr 8th, 2009 - Another team is currently looking for a new Center Inside.

Vertical Obsession attended two meets of the Ranch Skydiving League last year and traveled to DeLand in November for the NSL Championship at SkyQuest 2008. Rob Jayne, Markus Lucas, Andrew Palermo, Jim Petrocelli and Lee Staebler completed their first 10-round competition and took home a bronze medal.

The same lineup made plans for the 2009 season and began with the training early this year.

XL and Sinapsi PD member Pete Allum was working with Vertical Obsession at the first camps, and the team was thrilled after their first coaching experiences. The NSL News mentioned the team's camp in DeLand already on 16 February 2009.

Vertical Obsession's Center Outside, Lee Staebler, informed the NSL News recently that his team lost its Center Inside, unfortunately. He said that Vertical Obsession is actively recruiting for a new team members in this slot.

Vertical Obsession competed in the A Class last year and is moving up into the AA/Intermediate Class for the 2009 season.

Lee Staebler said that the three reamining team members (Rob Jayne, Andrew Palermo, Lee Staebler) just finished a 2 on 2 training camp with Andy Honigbaum and Kirk Verner in Raeford to learn all the block techniques of the AA Class dive pool.

Vertical Obsession will return to Raeford this month and train again with Andy Honigbaum. The team already finished two outdoor camps in February and March, both with coach Pete Allum.

Lee Staebler himself knows the benefits of flying with a coach. He did a 1 on 1 camp with Pete Allum in December 2008 and had done this already the year before, as well.

The Vertical Obsession members have also been training in the SkyVenture New Hampshire tunnel every month, and former Mass Defiance member Jim Rees was coaching there. The 3-way is going to Nashua again this month for more tunnel training with Jim Rees.

Vertical Obsession's goal is to compete at the USPA Nationals 2009. The team is highly motivated after the NSL Championship experience in 2009 and the progression with the coaching. Vertical Obsession will move forward, no matter what, as Lee Staebler explained:

"If we can not compete this year due to not having a fourth, then we will go to the USPA Nationals next year and do even better."

His team already has a Plan B if the slot cannot be filled quickly. Vertical Obsession would be flying with Jim Rees and Andy Honigbaum as the team's Center Inside at six or seven weekends this season. The three original members will also continue with 2-way and 3-way drills in the air and in the wind tunnel.

Lee Staebler said that he and his team mates are committed to improve their skills in the meantime:

"We have plans that will ensure we will advance until we obtain our fourth. We are very motivated and committed and are looking for a capable Inside Center who shares the level of motivation and commitment we have."

Finally, Vertical Obsession's Center Inside also mentioned a special and helpful requirement that is related to the physical shape of the team members:

"We would like someone who is close to our size to keep the physics of a compatible fall rate, however."

Vertical Obsession trains at the Blue Sky Ranch in Gardiner, New York, and also at Skydive Long Island where all team members live. Interested skydivers can get in touch directly with Lee Staebler by e-mail.