posted Jan 11th, 2005 - A new posting on the NSL Forum surprised NSL News reporter Kurt Gaebel yesterday. Thomas Hughes, former XL and Arizona Blade member, who currently serves as videographer for the newly formed team "DeLand Fire", posted a note that revealed Gaebel's current activity out in the field. Hughes funny remark in the NSL Forum mentioned his "payback" for the comprehensive recent NSL News stories covering his new engagament with DeLand Fire.

The 4-day training camp with two members of the German national 8-way team (Uli Sehrbrock and Uwe Soppa) and Hughes as the player coach delayed the NSL News service at the beginning of this week. However, the visit of the NSL News at Skydive DeLand, which is located only a few minutes away from the NSL office, was very productive and provided up-to-date information for the NSL audience.

The Norwegian national 4-way team Arcteryx currently trains in DeLand. DeLand Fire member Shannon Pilcher was originally planned to take over the coaching job for Arcteryx when Lise Aune decided not to continue the work with the Norwegian team. Pilcher never began the work with Arcteryx since he became a team member of DeLand Fire (Pilcher, Montgomery, Smith, Bobo, Hughes).

The Norwegian team was looking for a new coach on a very short call and succeeded with hiring DeLand Majik member Dough Park for the current job in DeLand. The NSL News will meet later this week with the team and find out more about the Norwegian plans for the near future.

Another recent update came from the Danish quarters. The Danez were in a similar coaching situation when Pete Allum committed to join the Italian national 4-way team, Sinapsi PD. The Danish team management and Allum agreed to discontinue the cooperation, and the Danez were looking for a new coach.

The Danish project manager, Flemming Nøddegaard, recently informed the NSL News that DeLand Majik member Solly Williams will work with the Danez in their first 2005 training camp in March. Flemming added credit for Allum in his update: "Denmark has come a long way with Pete as the project coach since 2001. That year the National team scored 9.5 at World Meet. Pete is concidered one of the (if not THE) best technical coaches of the World. Some of DaneZ's block times are as fast as block times of currently leading world teams."

Flemming also explained that the official "Danish National Team" actually consists of three teams: DaneZ (best competition score 16.0), Vitesse (13.3) and Elements (10.7). The precise schedule of the training camps and involvement of the future project coach will be made public in early February 2005.

In the meantime, the NSL News has continued to work on the update of the Golden Knights. Team captain John Hoover has been very supportive, and the information is almost complete. The NSL audience is allowed to already get excited after this quick note: the Army team's schedule will include the SSL Valentine's Meet in February, the FSL Shamrock Showdown in March and meets of the Carolina Skydiving League. The heat of the regular season will be on, and the NSL News of the Golden Knights 2005 story will follow very soon.

Last not least, the NSL News plans a trip to Lake Wales at the end of this week. Team Fastrax is in the middle of a one-week winter training camp at the Florida Skydiving Center. Team manager and member John Hart invited the NSL News to visit the team and observe the very progressive training procedures. Recent news from Lake Wales on Monday included the information that Team Fastrax completed 34 training jumps that day. The NSL News will follow up with the Fastrax story after visiting the team and collecting enough information.

Indiana Skydiving League director Randy Connell also visited in DeLand this week with his wife Leah. Team Fastrax is an important part of the Indiana Skydiving League. Connell is currently working on a tunnel and skydiving winter training camp for his league following. NSL and Connell plan to set up this camp together. Connell will also visit the PIA Symposium that begins this weekend in Jacksonville, Florida. NSL and Connell will use the opportunity to work out more details for the Indiana camp in February.