DAN
BEVINGTON
Age
49
Anchorage,
Alaska
Norge
Ski Club
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| Dan (2011 USSA ski jumping coach of the year) with AK youth jumpers |
When
dad left active duty we landed in northern Illinois in the summer of 1970. I
was 6 years old and we found ourselves in a home on the Fox River, across the
river from Norge Ski Club. I recall my parents asking me “do you want to ski
jump?” The six year old in me said, "okay." A small makeshift takeoff
was placed on the side hill of the landing bowl. I recall my first days getting
“let go” down that hill by the older kids on an old pair of downhill skis with
rat-trap bindings.
So
there began my journey. In the early 70’s, my parents allowed me to jump into
any old car (sometimes driven by teenagers themselves) and travel around
(mostly Wisconsin) to go to ski jumping competitions. There were many
interesting adventures and some events that I probably shouldn’t recount in my
outside voice. At any rate, that experience of crossing the frozen ice of the
Fox River to go ski jumping, the hours and hours spent at the hills, experience
of “learning how to fly” and traveling to other clubs around the Midwest was
significant for me. More so, was the impact of my coaches.
My
teammates Scott Smith and Eric Shoemaker and myself were taken under the wing
of Eric’s dad, Shoe,” for a time. Along with Jim B. from Wisconsin, Shoe called
us his “Four Eagles” and he gave us all Eagles (the band) belt buckles. We all
worked together, supported one another, and it was good. Shoe would sometimes
put giant speakers on top of his car in the outrun and play "power
music" while we were training. Eric was the unassuming guinea pig for some
of Shoe's more radical ideas, like putting fists onto the skis during inrun to
help get into air flight quicker.
I
recall marking the landing hill during an international competition at Westby
when I was 12 years old. A European came flying over the hill and was so
committed to getting every meter possible from his jump that I recall his tips
bent back over behind his shoulders as the tails scraped along the ground. Shoe
looked at each of us that weekend and said, “next year, you’ll be on that
hill.” In truth, I think we all did jump the big hill the next year.
From
my perspective now, Shoe’s devotion as a coach motivates me in my efforts to
help kids that are learning the skill and the art of ski jumping. What I know
is this: wherever a life leads from learning how to jump, facing and overcoming
fears, learning skills to fly, teamwork, and sportsmanship will be a foundation
upon which any person can build a meaningful and fulfilling life.
No 8
JEFF PAPKE
Age 59
Tahlequah, OK
Mt. Simon Ski Club, Eau Claire, WI
 |
| Jeff Papke- then |
It was in the late 60’s, me in about the eighth grade someplace in
Wisconsin and I had borrowed a longer pair of black ski’s with the yellow
bottoms as mine were getting short. I came out of one of the side ramps because
the top was to fast. When I went to jump into the main tracks of the inrun my
right foot and ski caught an edge and ended up crossing sideways in the jump.
My left ski in the track and my right almost straight across the old wood jump
with the bottom of the ski towards my leg going bang, bang, bang, I went down
the jump. My right ski was catching on each of the upright boards of the
sidewalls all the way to the bottom. Just before the end of the jump as the
walls disappeared, I managed to get my right ski in the track and jumped with
all my might. Of course I landed on the knoll and bounced into the air again
managing to keep my balance and landed the second time on the landing hill, I
then skied out the rest of the fiasco to my and everyone’s amazement. Learned a
good lesson that day… I improved my technique…
The great Billy Olson was our ski club coach back then. I also jumped
with Dan Wold and Dave Tompton too. Wow what memories.
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| Jeff Papke- now |
What a sport, nothing like flying. It’s time to also let Women
Jump in the Olympics if they can downhill and participate in the other types of
games too…
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