 by brian giboney |
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| Melanie Curtis left
corporate America to live her dream of working full time in the skydiving
industry. She now makes a positive impact on the sport through coaching,
organizing, competing, and marketing. Age: 28 Height and Weight: 5’5”; 138 pounds Birthplace: Oneida, New York Marital Status: Single Occupation: Marketing and event director, organizer, coach and competitor at Skydive Elsinore Education: Middlebury College, class of 2000 Pet Peeves: Unpredictable landing patterns Hobbies: Movies, biking, karaoke and dinner and drinks with friends Container: Talon FS Main Canopy: Katana 97 Reserve Canopy: PD 113R AAD? Cypres Licenses and Ratings: D-25688, AFF Instructor, Coach Team Name: Elsinore Gravity Medals: U.S. Nationals 4-way advanced silver, 2003, and gold, 2004, with Elsinore Adrenaline; U.S. Nationals 4-way advanced silver, 2005, with Elsinore Gravity Total Jumps: 3300-plus FS: 2700 Freefly: 500 CF: 2 Camera: 100 Accuracy: 10 Demos: 3 AFF: 50 Total Cutaways: 1 Life Philosophy: I absolutely believe in positive attitudes. I am a happy person because I choose to be with people and do things that make me happy, regardless of how scary, stupid, or impractical they seem— not that that means taking the easy road. I love my life, and think that comes through in everything I do. I can’t help myself— I’m always smiling! Jump Philosophy: Jump, jump a lot, then jump some more, and love every single one. Always keep learning, seek knowledge, and know there is always more to know. Did you start as an AFF, static-line or tandem student? I started on static line here in the States and then did AFF to complete my student training in Australia. Describe your first jump. It was in 1996 at Verona Skydiving Center in upstate New York. I was doing a static-line jump and hanging off the strut of a Cessna 210 with my dad in the pilot’s seat saying, “Get out.” What do you like most about the sport? Elsinore Gravity; Skydive Elsinore; 4-way; hugging my teammates when we win; freeflying; |
 Team
FEEG; tunnel; coaching; light bulbs in my students’ eyes at
10,000 feet and the giddy joy they have telling me all about it on
the ground; good body position; head-down flowers; sit rounds; that
first jump with someone I’ve never jumped with before; new DZs;
moving cross-country to California where I had no friends only to
have 30-plus new ones the moment I arrived at Elsinore; back-flying
even though I still suck at it; all the shockingly diverse, caring
and comfortable individuals who understand our truly amazing and limitless
sport.Who has been your skydiving mentor? I met John Hamilton in 2002 when I had 300 jumps and a fire in my gut. Every significant opportunity I have had in skydiving since then has been because of him. In 2003, he convinced Lou Ascione and Tammi Rettig to pick me up for Elsinore Adrenaline. I was a complete wild card with essentially zero 4-way experience— only some raw talent, young desire and credit cards I was willing to max out for the right team. In 2004, John took a chance on my coaching and organizing skills by asking me to head up the new Excel Basic Camp. I went nuts working on it. I spent hours in my cubicle at my real job getting the word out, talked to everyone within earshot at the DZ and did tons of jumps. In 2005, I asked him to hire me full time at Skydive Elsinore. He did. What are your future skydiving goals? To win the 4-way open class, compete on a freefly team, swoop in an actual meet and positively impact the sport of skydiving over the long term by continuing to work with young jumpers. I want to send the message that getting better, while frustrating at times, is a hell of a lot of fun and opens the door to even more cool new things to try. With that, there is always something to do and always somewhere to go in our sport. What’s the toughest thing to do in this sport? Maintain balance— I pretty much have failed at this part. Oops. What is your most significant life achievement? Living my dream by age 27. How did you become a successful skydiving event coordinator? Just like everything else I’ve done that matters to me, I threw myself in head-first and went for it in a huge, obsessive way. What is the worst thing about leaving corporate America for skydiving? Re-learning how to live on very little money. It can be hard, but I still consider it the best decision I ever made. Explain Melanie Curtis in five words or less. Drive, enthusiasm, confidence, hilarity, love. |
