Today we’d like to introduce you to Christy West.
Christy, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I started skydiving in January 1997 when a good friend who had a few hundred skydives said I should try it. I said he should try riding a horse. We traded, and I knew I’d found a new passion with that first jump. I completed the student training course a few months later after completing my bachelor’s degree, and helped found the University of Wisconsin-Madison Skydiving Club with three other jumpers that fall.
My primary focus has been competitive skydiving, where my teams (from 4 to 16 people) build as many formations as we can in freefall for a high score. I’ve been competing in the United States Parachute Association National Skydiving Championships since 2000, and my teams have earned several medals there. One of my competitive highlights was winning silver in women’s 4-way formation skydiving at the Dubai International Parachuting Competition in 2014.
Today I have about 4,400 skydives and I work as the marketing director for Skydive Spaceland, a multi-location skydiving business with operations in three states and growing. My job is helping more people have fun; does it get any better than that?
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
No road is perfectly smooth, but following your passion guides you through the rough spots.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Skydive Spaceland story. Tell us more about the business.
Skydive Spaceland opened its first location near Houston in February 2000. Since then, Spaceland has grown to include locations near Miami, Fla.; Atlanta, Ga.; and Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas. Skydive Spaceland is a family-owned and operated business that specializes not only in amazing first-time skydiving experiences, but also on training new skydivers to skydive solo, and developing the skills of experienced jumpers. We are the busiest civilian skydiving school in the country; people travel here from around the world to learn to skydive in our popular, exclusive “A” License in a Week program. We maintain professional facilities, a large fleet of carefully maintained, high-capacity turbine aircraft, and state-of-the-art skydiving gear so our customers have the best possible experience no matter what type of flying they’re doing here.
Pricing:
- First skydive: $219 weekends, $199 weekdays (prepay and group discounts available)
- Skydiving license training: $150/jump
- Licensed skydivers: $25/jump
Contact Info:
- Website: www.skydivespaceland.com
- Phone: 1-800-SKYDIVE, 281-369-3337
- Email: manifest@skydivespaceland.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skydivespaceland/
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Spaceland2
- Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/SDspaceland
- Yelp: http://www.yelp.com/biz/skydive-spaceland-rosharon
- Other: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g56578-d2142236-Reviews-Skydive_Spaceland_Houston-Rosharon_Texas.html
Image Credit:
Wingsuiters: Jeff Donohue
Sunset head down: Ben Nelson
Tandem skydive: Darren Quinn
Tandem parachute: Stephen Boyd
3 planes: Craig O’Brien
Plane with people exiting: Eric Boyd
Raft skydive: Chad Hall
150-person skydive: Eric Boyd
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
