posted Jan 23rd, 2015 - The recent Sun Path Products NSL News update from the Golden Knights headquarters on 21 January 2015 covered the situation of the US Army team in 4-way Women at the beginning of the 2015 season.

Sean Sweeney, team captain of the reigning 8-way world champions, now followed up with information of the second US national team that has represented the US Army at world meets since 2010 and won two consecutive gold medals in Dubai 2012 and Prostejov 2014.

Differently compared to the 4-way Women lineup, Sean Sweeney's 8-way team is facing personnel changes, which took place after the world meet in August last year. The Golden Knights 8-way lineup for the next two years has two new members.

It was a part of the plan that Michael LaRoche would leave after the world meet, and team videographer Andrew Starr has taken his slot. The Sun Path Products NSL News reported the personnel change on 22 November 2014 when Andrew Starr visited Florida to compete with a pickup team at the NSL Indoor and Outdoor Championship 2014.

Team captain Sean Sweeney eventually followed through with another personnel change after the world meet. Larry Miller, who used to film the Golden Knights 4-way team before winning his own 8-way gold medals, returned to the US Army's demo team, which needed new members when the new VFS 4-way lineup was added to the Golden Knights competition team.

It seemed to be a good timing for personnel changes, as the Golden Knights had created a significant distance to the other best 8-way teams in the world.

World Meet 2014		Rd. 1	Rd. 2	Rd. 3	Rd. 4	Rd. 5	Rd. 6	Rd. 7	Rd. 8	Rd. 9	Rd. 10	Rd. 11	Total	Avg
Rank	8-way Open	E,3,C,5	F,G,D,21	19,H,2	M,4,1	O,14,A,P	8,J,16	7,11,12	22,20,15	17,G,18	13,B,9	Q,10,N,L	Total	Avg
1	Golden Knights (US)	24	22	15	26	22	21	19	26	21	20	-	216	21.6
2	Barkli (RU)	19	18	13	25	14	16	16	19	18	13	20	191	17.4
3	Venturi (FR)	19	16	14	23	18	13	18	19	15	16	19	190	17.3

New member Sherri Jo Gallagher (31 years - 1100 jumps) was selected from the demo team for the new 8-way lineup. Sean Sweeney added a few slot changes to the plan, which connected the new members with experienced 8-way competitors. Sherri Jo Gallagher ended up as the team captain's new piece partner. Josh Coleman and Jeshua Stahler have new slot assignments.

Sherri Jo Gallagher is now the first female competitor in the history of the Golden Knights 8-way lineups. This happened almost exactly a year after the French national team added the first female competitor to the 8-way lineup. Anais Maillet won her 8-way bronze medal for France in Prostejov 2014 and has now become a member of the French Girls for the next two years.

Anais Maillet will compete for France against the Golden Knights in 4-way Women, while Sherri Jo Gallagher has to defend the US 8-way gold medals against the new French 8-way lineup.

Mondial Dubai 2012		Rd. 1	Rd. 2	Rd. 3	Rd. 4	Rd. 5	Rd. 6	Rd. 7	Rd. 8	Rd. 9	Rd. 10	Total	Avg
Rank	8way Open	N,21,B,5	14,C,13	22,M,20	17,H,16	J,E,12,4	7,19,15	G,K,8,2	O,L,F,P,A	10,11,18	9,Q,D,1	Total	Avg
1	Golden Knights (US)	21	19	27	26	26	18(-1)	20	28	19(-1)	25	229	22.9
2	Aerodyne Maubeuge (FR)	22	19	22(-2)	23	27	20	20	28	19	25	225	22.5
3	Barkli (RU)	19	18(-1)	22	22	21(-2)	15	15(-1)	24	16(-1)	20(-1)	192	19.2

Videos: Golden Knights and France in 8-way at the Mondial Dubai 2012

Both tasks will probably be equally challenging. The Sun Path Products NSL News explained the much better start for the Golden Knights in 4-way Women this year with the earlier update. This means that the new French Girls will face tougher competition from the Golden Knights compared to the 2014 season.

The situation in 8-way has changed dramatically after the world meet and after the Golden Knights decided to follow through with the personnel changes. French national coach Jeremie Rollett has brought back the 8-way lineup that posted the 22.5 average at the World Meet 2012 in Dubai, four points behind the Golden Knights.

Sean Sweeney is expecting at least a 22+ average from the French 8-way team in 2016, and he has to bring his new lineup to this level within the next two years. He plans to attend as many 8-way competitions as possible with the new lineup, including the upcoming Paraclete XP Indoor and Outdoor Championships 2015. The race to the next 8-way gold medals seems to be open again...