posted May 15th, 2007 - Skydive Chicago is one of the three hosting skydiving centers for the Midwest Skydiving League this year. The MWSL was launched in 1999, and the host of the USPA Nationals in 2002 became a major player of the Illinois/Wisconsin league the same year. The owner of Skydive Chicago was the late Roger Nelson, who treated the participating MWSL teams to a first-class event for the occasion.

The USPA Nationals 2007 will be hosted again by Skydive Chicago, and the MWSL teams will be very familiar with the competition site.

The big event on Illinois home turf has inspired the local and regional teams to begin early with the preparations for the 2007 competition season. The first meet of the Midwest Skydiving League is less than three weeks away, and MWSL Director Alan Butt introduces the teams of his league to the NSL News audience.

Comeback teams and new line-ups - by Alan Butt

There hasn't been much nice jumping weather in the Midwest this spring. However, opening day for the Midwest Skydiving League is already less than three weeks away. Although the first meet is usually distinguished from later meets by the uncertainty of what teams are out there and who is on them, seven MWSL teams were kind enough to provide snapshots of who they are and their plans for this season.

Skydive Chicago's Furies and Just 4 Fun from the Sky Knights in East Troy, Wisconsin, are the two reigning seniors of the Midwest Skydiving League, both coming back for their fifth consecutive season of 4-way competition.

The Furies, with Gosia Cienkosz (Outside Center), Lisa DeSimone (Inside Center), Sarah Lawrence (Point), Shannon Sweet (Tail) and Charles Lane (Camera) in the line-up, won the bronze medals of the AA/Intermediate Class at the USPA Nationals last fall. They also set the record mark of the highest MWSL score ever for a single round in a competition with a 22-pointer in Round 7.

However, only two members of the 2006 line-up are still on the 2007 roster. The other two former Furies have combined with members of last year's MWSL team Cohesion and formed SDC Quattro. Skydive Chicago's Chasing Amy is back, albeit also with some roster changes.

"On the Fly" is a new team from Skydive Chicago and rounds out the line-up of home teams at the hosting skydiving center of the USPA Nationals 2007.

Chicagoland Skydiving hosts several other MWSL 4-way teams and has seen a few changes, as well. Two former members of CSC Rubicon have added JaNette Lefkowitz and player-coach Robert Chromy to form CSC Rhythm. The new team has the distinction of being the first MWSL team to engage in other NSL competitions this season, having already traveled to compete at the FSL Shamrock Showdown 2007 this March.

False Religion is another new team at Chicagoland Skydiving and completes the current overview of MWSL teams for 2007. MWSL Director Alan Butt provided additional brief profiles of these teams and begins with the new Furies.

SDC Furies

Fresh from a bronze medal success at last year's USPA Nationals, the Skydive Chicago Furies have confirmed this year's line-up and will ambitiously move up to the AAA/Advanced Class competition in 2007. Those familiar with the MWSL will recognize Karyn Rees, the Furies' new Point, from last year's all-female team CSC Sirens.

A graduate of Skydive Chicago's AFP program, Karyn is excited to be back at her home dropzone, and the rest of the Furies look forward to jumping with her after enjoying the Sirens' tough but friendly rivalry for three years.

Greg Rick, a new face to the MWSL, will fly the Tail position for the Furies this year. He is the first male team member for the Furies since 2003, except the video slot. Most recently coming from AerOhio, Greg is a veteran of the Texas Skydiving League. He was a member of the AA/Intermediate Class team Kaizen at the USPA Nationals 2004, and this will also be Greg's first year in the AAA/Advanced Class.

Sarah Lawrence and Gosia Cienkosz are founding members of the Furies and have been with the team for five years. Gosia Cienkosz will continue in her Center Outside position, while Sarah Lawrence has a big change ahead of her. She will move from Point to the Center Inside position and work with her long-time teammate in the center. The introduction of the MWSL 2007 teams will be continued.