posted Jan 2nd, 2006 - The NSL News had covered the situation of the Golden Knights after the USPA Nationals 2005 with an interview on October 19, 2005. The new team captain, Brian Krause, was looking back at the competition in Perris and briefly explained the plans for the future.

Brian Krause's teammate of the 2005 line-up, Golden Knights member Matt Davidson, recently provided the NSL News with a new update from the Golden Knights headquarters. He had quite exciting news for the NSL News audience and offered details of the new line-up for the 2006 season.

Matt Davidson also explained that former team captain John Hoover is doing okay serving for the Army in Afghanistan and provided photos of the Army duty overseas. John Hoover was recently honored as the Golden Knight of the Year in 2006, and Matt had delivered the news to John:

"John Hoover was awarded the prestigious honor of Golden Knight of the Year, an honor that all current team members vote on yearly. The award was announced at this year's GK reunion in front of more than 300 former and current Golden Knights and their guests. Some former members included those from the original team in 1959. John was unable to attend as he is serving his country in Afghanistan. I let him know via email, and he said that he was a little choked up."

The details of the new line-up include a surprising move that is similar to Arizona's Airspeed situation in 2002. Airspeed selected a female member for the first time in the team's history. Eliana Rodriguez became an Airspeed member in 2002, and in 2004 she was the first female competitor who won a gold medal at a World Championship of Formation Skydiving. Her career story has recently been updated in the NSL Profiles, and it includes the NSL News story, which announced her Airspeed membership in December 2001.

Matt Davidson revealed similar news with the information that the Golden Knights have selected two new team members, and one of them is Angela Nichols:

"We have picked up two new 4-way members. They are Sean Sweeney and Angela Nichols. We are getting Sean Sweeney from Gold Demonstration Team and Angela from the Style and Accuracy team. She is the first female member of the GK 4-way team. Brian Krause, Larry Miller and I are remaining on the team. BK will move from point to outside center, I will move from tail to inside center, Larry will remain as videographer, Angela will be point, and Sean at tail."

Matt Davidson was the tail of last year's line-up and will be able to provide his new piece partner will all the tricks and secrets of this position. The situation in the front piece will be similar with the experienced Brian Kause moving into the center outside position. Angela Nichols will be able to benefit from BK's point experience.

Angela Nichols is an experienced competitor with her 29 years of age, and she will not have to learn how to deal with pressure and win medals. She just finished in second place of the Women's Accuracy Open Class at the USPA Nationals 2005 in Perris. She has already plenty of freefall experience, as well, as she has competed in the military CISM competitions. The Golden Knights website offers additional information in her profile:

"Sergeant Angela J. Nichols is a medical specialist serving as a competition parachutist on the Women’s Style and Accuracy Team for the Golden Knights. This is Nichols sixth year on the team. She enlisted into the Army in 1998 and upon completion of her advanced individual training she was assigned to Fort Hood, Texas. In the fall of 1999 Nichols volunteered to go through the rigorous Assessment and Selection Program to become a Golden Knight.

Upon acceptance onto the Knights she performed her duties as a demonstrator for two years with the Gold Demonstration Team. Nichols was then selected to become a style and accuracy competitor. Nichols and her team took first place at the military world meet for freefall formation skydiving last year. She and her team also broke the record in this event by completing 25 formations during 35 seconds of freefall. In addition to all of that her team brought home the Bronze Medal for Overall Women’s Team. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her dog, hiking, camping and traveling."

23-year old Sean Sweeney is the team member with the lowest experience level. He has been in the sport for only three years. His skydiving career in the Army moved him up from the supporting Demonstration Team Gold to the 4-way competition team. His brief career story provides additional details:

"Specialist Sean M. Sweeney is an Airborne Infantryman serving his second year as a demonstration parachutist on the Gold Demonstration Team. Sweeney enlisted into the Army in January 2003. Upon completion of his initial entry training he was assigned to the 1st Battalion of the 325th Parachute Infantry Regiment 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.

In November 2003 Sweeney completed the Assessment and Selection Process for the Golden Knights and upon being ‘knighted’ he took a spot supporting the Gold Team. Since he first began skydiving in 2002 Sweeney has made more than 1,500 freefall parachute jumps. In addition to skydiving Sweeney also enjoys playing basketball and motor cross."

Brian Krause mentioned in his NSL News interview that his new team plans to compete at the FSL Shamrock Showdown 2006. He was also hoping that "we will be back in the race sometime in the near future". The first step is done, the new Golden Knights line-up is complete.