Currently among the top five women's skydiving teams in the world, Team Select has been named to the 2006 United States Skydiving Team as the Women's 4-way Formation Skydiving representative. In their second year together, the women of Team Select will attend the 2006 World Championships of Skydiving to be held in Gera, Germany in August 2006.

Following an impressive 10th place overall finish in the Open Division at the 2005 United States National Championships, Team Select capped its inaugural season with a 15.0 average and 5th place finish (4-way Female) at the 2005 World Cup of Skydiving.

Aggressively training for the World Championships, Team Select will make 350-400 skydives this year at Skydive Elsinore, train 20 hours in the SkyVenture wind tunnel, and maintain an aggressive competition schedule.

Now meet the talented and passionate players...

Team Bios

Kristina Byrne

Birthplace: Hugo, CO
Occupation: Plastics Distribution/Sales
Current Slot: Point
Number of Jumps: 2000+
Years of Competition: 6
Gear:Talon FS, Bev Suit, Viso
Sponsors:Skydive Elsinore, Bev Suits, Rigging Innovations, Larsen & Brusgaard
Skydiving Influences: Joey Jones, Kurt Gaebel, Niklas Hemlin
Something most people don’t know about me: If you know me, then you know pretty much all there is to know about me... Favorite block: today it's 22
Personal goal: Continue improving my 4 way skills and understanding to see just how fast I can go. And have a good time doing it.
Team goal: Wolrd Meet 2006 top three, World Meet 2008 first place
Age: 39
First jump: August 1991 static line out of UH1 at Fort Rucker AL
Advice to new skydivers: Get coaching early. Take full advantage of the tunnel. Be safe and have fun.
Favorite Quote: "I want to do it because I want to do it." - Amelia Earhart
Favorite Accomplishments: Team Select, Capital City Marathon
Favorite non-skydiving activity: Yoga and reading

Michelle Carlstrom

Birthplace: Baltimore, MD
Occupation: I run a non-profit organization promoting employee health & well-being.
Current Slot: "oh yeah, I'm Tail...!"
Number of Jumps: 2600+
Years of Competition: 5
Gear:Talon FS, Bev Suit, Viso
Sponsors:Skydive Elsinore, Bev Suits, Rigging Innovations, Larsen & Brusgaard
Skydiving Influences: Niklas Hemlin, Joey Jones, Shannon Pilcher, Matt Davidson
Something most people don't know about me: I once totaled 2 cars in 4 weeks.
Favorite block: at the moment it's 19
Personal goal:Share with others a nugget of the happiness that comes from jumping.
Team goal: 2006 World Meet top three
Age: 33
First jump: June 1999
Advice to new skydivers: Don't give up on 4way until you have that first jump that really clicks, then get ready for a wild ride.
Favorite accomplishments: Team Select, BASE 839, working hard and seeing the outcome.
Favorite non-skydiving activity: anything –ing - lately it’s climbing.
Favorite quote: Today is a new day, begin it well and serenely with too high a spirit to be encumbered by old nonsense” - Emerson

Tammi Rettig

Birthplace: Normal, IL (it's a great place to be from...)
Occupation: computer analyst
Current Slot: outside center
Number of Jumps: 3400+
Gear:Talon FS, Bev Suit, Viso
Sponsors:Skydive Elsinore, Bev Suits, Rigging Innovations, Larsen & Brusgaard
Sponsors: Bev Suits
Skydiving Influences: John Hamilton, Dan Brodsky-Chenfield, Lisa Aune
Something most people don’t know about me: If I answer this, then it won't be true anymore.
Favorite block: the one that is the next skydive
Personal goal: continually improve my 4-way skills
Team goal: medal at World Meet
Age: 41
First jump: July 3, 1994 at Hemet, CA
Advice to new skydivers: learn as much as you possibly can, don't be too aggressive with gear choices, have fun
Favorite accomplishment/s: Advanced division gold medal - 2004
Favorite non-skydiving activity: enjoying good wine and good music
Favorite quote: "For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been and there you long to return." - Leonardo Da Vinci

Brianne Thompson

Birthplace: Mesa, AZ
Occupation: Skydiver
Current Slot: Inside Center
Number of Jumps: 900
Years of Competition: 3
Gear:Talon FS, Bev Suit, Viso
Sponsors:Skydive Elsinore, Bev Suits, Rigging Innovations, Larsen & Brusgaard
Skydiving Influences: Dan BC, Mark Kirkby
Favorite block: 8
Personal goal: to constantly improve
Team goal: to constantly improve
Age: 24
Advice to new skydivers: Get coaching no matter what discipline you decide.
Favorite non-skydiving activity: watching movies
Favorite quote: "Stop. Look." -Dan BC

Supporting Cast:

Rick Schindler (Video)

Occupation: United States Marine Corps and father of the coolest kid on earth.
Jumps: 2500+
Jumping Since: 1993
Ratings: Tandem, AFF, Coach, Pro, Military Freefall instructor
Disciplines: Video, RW, Freefly
DZ where you learned to jump: Fort Bragg North Carolina (Military Freefall School)
Why Video?: It supports my jump habit, and I want to be a world champion
Experience:
2000 US Nationals 5th place 4 Way Open (Elsinore Matrix)
2005 US National Champion 4way FS Intermediate (Elsinore Equinox)
I was deployed over seas for every Nationals in between those.
Most Memorable Jump: Round 10 out the door 2005 US National Championships when I nailed the exit I knew we won.
What People Don't Know About You: I hate flying in planes, I don't feel safe until I jump out of the damn thing and I only have 1 life left of my nine.

John Hamilton (Coach)

Occupation: DZO/General Manager Skydive Elsinore
Jumps: 12,500+
Jumping Since: 1988
Ratings: AFF I, Tandem I
Disciplines: RW
DZ where you learned to jump: Otay Lakes
Occupation: DZ Owner
Sponsors: Skydive Elsinore, Performance Designs, Sun Path Javelin, Skysystems, Tony Suits, Grafic Elements, Emergen-'C'
Email: jhammo408@skydiveelsinore.com