posted Apr 28th, 2005 - The National Skydiving League headquarters in DeLand, Florida, makes efforts to be in touch with the local non-skydiving community on a regular basis. Press releases are being sent out to the local media announcing the events of the Florida Skydiving League to the public. Special events, such as DeLand Majik winning the World Championship of Formation Skydiving in 2004, usually earn additional attention and coverage.

Keeping in touch with the local media and the non-skydiving community may result in support for special events, such as the FSL Shamrock Showdown 2005. Several companies located in DeLand have contributed cash and prizes for the Skins Game of the Shamrock Showdown in the past years.

The NSL has also been invited by local schools for the presentation of skydiving to the students. One regular invitation arrives at the NSL headquarters for the "Career Day" at the Woodward Elementary School. The students have enjoyed the presentation of the unusual career opportunities offered by the skydiving industry.

The NSL headquarters has received feedback from the students in many letters of appreciation. Here is one example, the letter was written after the Career Day 2004 by Myles:

"Dear Mr. Gaebel, thank you for the presentation you gave us on Career Day. It was very interesting learning about parachuting gear and watching how skydivers win skydiving events. I never knew that NSL stands for National Skydiving League, or that skydivers skim across water as an event in the competition. Once again, thank you very much. Sincerely, Myles."

Christopher Cade wrote: "Dear Mr. Gaebel, thank you for coming to Career Day. I liked what you taught us about parachuting. I liked that if you don't pull the parachute out, the little device will, so you don't get hurt. Also, I want to know how does it feel to parachute? Some day, I might be a skydiving parachuter. Your friend, Christopher Cade."

This feedback encourages to continue with these efforts, and it could be very beneficial for the future of the sport. The NSL headquarters invited Bill Booth of the Relative Workshop, inventor of the 3-ring system and the tandem jump, for this year's presentation at Career Day on April 28.

Booth has done similar presentations many times before and knows how to catch the attention of the students. He has also jumped into several locations in the DeLand area as Santa Claus for Christmas and enjoys the direct communication with the children and teenagers.

The 20-minute presentation at the Woodward Elementary School included a short visual introduction of 4-way and the NSL structure. This year, a colorful DVD, made and provided by Mr. Pink, served as the first eye catcher. A short part of the Pink DVD can be viewed by clicking here.

Bill Booth then explained how to become a skydiver and possibly make a career in the skydiving industry. Booth has a broad collection of different extraordinary events and experiences he had in his skydiving life. He selected his exploring trips to and jumps onto the North Pole for this presentation and showed several unique pictures of those trips.

The presentation also included once again the whole set of skydiving equipment. The students like to have their hands on the gear and always enjoy dressing up like a skydiver. There was hardly any of the approx. 150 students who did not have a gear on his/her shoulders at least for once during the presentation.

Hopefully, many of these future skydivers will keep in touch and try the element once they are old enough. Many of them wrote in their letters that they would like to become a skydiver one day. It will be up to the skydiving community to offer the opportunities and continue with efforts to attract the public to the sport.