Smith, who has been skydiving for more than 39 years, isn’t about to trade in his parachute for golf clubs anytime soon. He is a member of the University of Montana Silvertip Skydiving club, which is about to celebrate its 50th anniversary.
The Silvertips are a club that came together to help pay for the costs of skydiving and to join together others who share their same passion for a recreation that not many people take part in. The club was started by a group of smokejumpers who wanted to jump for fun in the offseason.
When Tom Petty’s song "Free Falling" echoes throughout the stadium, seasoned Griz fans know exactly what to expect. The skydivers have almost become a signal to fans that most of the pregame hoopla is over and it’s time to take your seat.
Director of UM marketing and productions, Christie Anderson, said a cheerleader once told her that she always gets tears in her eyes when she hears the start of "Free Falling."
Scott Spraycar, who is also a member of the Silvertips, said they usually jump out of the plane at 6,000-7,000 feet on stadium jumps. The jumpers usually open their parachutes at about 4,000 feet and that’s when the fun begins.
"When we get down to around 4,000 or 5,000 feet and we open up, you can just hear that crowd roaring," said Spraycar, who is 52 years old.
Spraycar, who has been jumping for about 33 years, said the stadium jumps are a lot more intense than regular jumps.
"You get a little more nervous about it, but it’s more of an adrenaline rush," Spraycar said.
Smith said there’s nothing like a jump into the stadium.
"Every jump is apprehensive," said Smith, who has been with the Silvertips since 1969. "It’s a big responsibility. I think every stadium jump is special."
The main goal of the jumpers is to make it into the stadium, but they also try to land on the giant Grizzly symbol, which surrounds the 50-yard line. It seems for Griz fans that the skydiving has turned into a little game before the big game. Many fans cheer or groan depending on whether or not the jumpers land on the Griz or stay on their feet.
"We all try to land on the Griz," Spraycar said. "We try but sometimes we’re just happy to make it onto the field because when the winds come up a little bit, it gets tough. We prefer to stand it up. That always looks better, but if we are going to fall we try to make it look graceful."
Smith said that on several occasions jumpers have been unable to land in the stadium because of winds and were forced to land in fields surrounding the stadium. Smith, who has logged over 3,400 jumps in his sky diving career said he hasn’t witnessed any major problems when doing the stadium jumps.
Of the 25 or so active members of the Silvertips only about nine are qualified to jump into the stadium. To do the stadium jump a skydiver must have done at least 1,000 jumps n a requirement set by the Silvertips. A jumper needs a Class D license issued by the United States Parachute Association and a Pro Rating, which allows skydivers to jump into stadiums and large gatherings of people. The jumper must have also made 50 jumps in the last year.
The Silvertips used to jump into Dornblaser Field when the football team still played there. The switch to Washington-Grizzly Stadium has made things easier for the football team but not the skydivers.
"Washington-Grizzly Stadium is a lot more challenging, mostly because of the winds from Hellgate canyon," Smith said. "The equipment has gotten a lot better over the years though, making the stadium jumps easier than in the past."
Once the jumpers touch down they don’t just salute the crowd and head out. Although their mode of transportation to the stadium may be a little unusual, the skydivers are there to watch the game. They usually load up their equipment into a vehicle parked inside the stadium and then take their seats.
This year the club is planning something special for homecoming. They are considering doing a formation jump that would require two planes to hold all the skydivers needed to make the formation.
Smith said the club takes great pride in providing skydivers for the stadium jumps and hopes the tradition continues long after he’s gone.
"We love it or we wouldn’t do it," Smith said. "Lord knows we don’t get paid for it."
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