Myth #1(Mother Nature killed the sport of ski jumping) Debunked

Myth #2(NCAA killed the sport of ski jumping) Debunked Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13

Myth #3(The US doesn't have the talent) Debunked Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13

Mind Of A Ski Jumper Part 1, 2, 3, 4

The Ultimate Coach - Ski Jump Training Device

Jumping Season Digest: (see bottom of this page)

Monday, January 09, 2006

Myth #2 Debunked, Part 9

How has the attitude "When you quit competiting, you quit jumping" hurt ski jumping?

To answer this question we have to look at the real sports world first. In the real world you get into a sport/recreational activity and you actively partipicate in the sport. For most people that do this it is for the long haul. I can go out paddling whitewater just about anytime I want with people that have been paddling for 30+ years. They still go out paddling every weekend all summer long, and even during the week while the spring runoff has the local rivers and creeks running high. I can go skiing with individuals that have been skiing for 30+ years and they still come out practically everyday all winter long and put on the skis and take some runs. Ditto on just about any sport that you can think of. People stick with the sport and continue to do it for a lifetime.

This is the way a sport operates in the REAL world.

In the world of ski jumping, luge, and skelton it's hard to find someone that has been jumping/sliding more than 15 years. The kids initially get into the sport for the fun of it, and they quickly get sucked right into the competitive environment. Everything is geared straight for competition, not for anything else. I have a fun when I jump, even when I'm jumping worth a darn, and I very rarely ever get into any of the competitions. I don't need to compete to have a good time, I just need to be jumping to have a good time. I just need to be out there participating to be having a good time.

The kids end up getting so obsessed with competition that they forget all about having any real fun ski jumping. If you were to cancel all the meets for an entire winter, they would go and find something else to do. All they have come to know of ski jumping is how to compete. This creates a big drag on them once they start doing real well and they start being noticed on the national level. All of a sudden they find themselves, whether they want to be or not, being in the sport only to compete. They have totally forgotten all about having fun, they only want to compete. When they finally come to realize that they cannot compete with the best anymore they give up the sport and hit the sidelines. Some even go as far as to completely vanish from the sport altogether, never to be seen or heard from again.

It's this mentality that caused several jumpers that I know of to quit jumping. They just flat out get fed up with the crap that goes on once you get to the upper ranks. Everything gets focused on one or two jumpers and if your name isn't the name of that particular jumper than 'Oh Well', your just another has been.

This meantality creates a major problem for ski jumping. Tomorrow I will take a look at this problem.

Until next time
Keep the ski tips up,
Crash

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