posted Oct 18th, 2004 - The NSL audience may have noticed that the name of a 4-way team with one of the longest traditions in the country did not appear on any scoreboard this year. Mr. Pink from Georgia set the team priorities differently this year. The main team event took place last weekend near Atlanta. Jennifer Gruwell, alias Kid Pink and Glen Hauenstein, alias Mr. Purple, got married.

Missing Pink scores in 2004 does not mean that the team has completely disbanded. In fact, the wedding ceremony at Kid Pink's parents' house in Powder Springs, Georgia, included Pink guests from all over the country. Mr. Pink's last Tail of the 2003 line-up, Robert "Bobby" May, alias Mr. Jade, visited from his home in California.

Former Pink coach and alternate, Kurt Gaebel, brought his whole family, including the three youngest Pink fans (Erika-7, Annica-4, Kurt-3) from Florida. Robert Anderson, one of the Mr. Pink founders in 1997, honored the Pink wedding with his presence, as well.

The travel distance was not a problem for another Mr. Pink member on site. Mike Gruwell, alias Mr. Silver, is Kid Pink's brother and was quite familiar with the location of the ceremony. He had celebrated his own wedding years ago at the same location.

Mr. Purple and Kid Pink met each other as Mr. Pink members. There were no other goals besides making Mr. Pink a stronger team when Pink captain Mr. Purple offered Kid Pink a slot for the 2001 season. The defending champion of the Georgia Skydiving League 1999 season went through some major personnel changes in 2000. Mr.Pink had won the GSL Championship three years in a row with the same original team squad (Glen Hauenstein, Mark Thompson, Robert Anderson, Jonathan Perl).

This line-up also represented the Georgia Skydiving League at the first NSL championships in 1998 and 1999. Robert Anderson had already health problems in 1999 and retired from Mr. Pink at the end of the 1999 season. This was the time when Jennifer Gruwell became Kid Pink and took Anderson's position as the Outside Center.

Kid Pink had to separate from her brother Mike Gruwell for this move. Mike had been her teammate with the GSL team 4Alpha4. However, an additional Pink slot opened up early in 2000 when former tail Mark Thompson retired. Kid Pink remembered her brother, and it did not take long until the Gruwells were reunited in the new Pink line-up.

The unique line-up with brother and sister in the same team caught most of the attention in the early days of the new Mr. Pink line-up. However, it was not unnoticed that Mr. Purple and Kid Pink seemed to enjoy each other's company very much. The group dynamics were better than normal, and team activities went beyond the actual training. This was not unusual for Mr. Pink since team captain Glen Hauenstein's job as a teacher and principal at a school required him to value group dynamics in general.

The bonds between Pink members have always been sincere and serious. However, the dedication to the team and its relationships became suspiciously intense when Mr. Purple and Kid Pink both showed up one day with real tattoos of the Mr. Pink logo on their upper arms. Other members, coach and videographer decided to not follow this stunning example of team commitment. It really seemed at this point as if there was a little bit more commitment to each other than only to Mr. Pink when Mr. Purple and Kid Pink showed off their upper arms.

However, there were still no other signs of a closer connection. Other teams members and fans with a close connection to the team often thought and mentioned that Mr. Purple and Kid Pink actually made the perfect couple. In the meantime, principal Glen Hauenstein had even hired teacher Jennifer Gruwell to work at his school. Mr. Purple and Kid Pink now spent almost their whole lives together and still enjoyed their company - obviously. School and Mr. Pink activities were not enough. Both Pink members also added motorcycle trips and scuba diving to the agenda.

Finally, the most expected move happened when Mr. Purple and Kid Pink officially announced their engagement in 2003. Mr. Pink's team business had slowed down in 2003 when the team had difficulties to find a new tail. Mr. Jade was finally the perfect fit and traveled back and forth between California and Georgia. Mr. Pink still competed at the USPA Championship and the NSL Championship 2003, while Mr. Purple and Kid Pink had plenty of time for other "team activities".

Jennifer's brother Mr. Silver left Mr. Pink early this year and forced the team once again to look for a new Pink member. This time, the search was not too intense since Mr. Purple and Kid Pink pursued other plans, as well. There was a house to be built north of Atlanta and a wedding ceremony to be prepared. Finally, Mr. Pink missed the whole 2004 season and now makes the NSL News for the first time this year.

It is a good reason to make the news. Both Mr. Purple and Kid Pink are still committed to 4-way competition and miss the action. The married Pink couple is now on a scuba diving honeymoon in the Caribics. There is a vacation with the extended family on the agenda at the end of the year, and Mr. Purple still needs a knee surgery to get ready for the future Mr. Pink skydiving activities. There is a very good chance that Mr. Pink will be back in action with the beginning of the 2005 season. The NSL News sends congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Pink Hauenstein.