Biography for Nicholas J. Batsch February 2019

My Goals and Plans

My short and long-term goals include: continuing to coach canopy piloting and XRW students of all levels, win canopy piloting competitions, break more world records, become more visible as a sponsored athlete and coach, and assist my sponsors and students in their objectives. I also hope to maintain a presence in publications such as Parachutist. Below is a brief history as well as specific examples of my achievements, goals, and plans regarding swooping and skydiving. I can also attach copies of publications I have been featured in, if requested.

A Brief History

My skydiving career started thirteen years ago and it has taken hard work to aspire and become the four-time (and current) United States National Champion in Canopy Piloting, World Cup Champion, and a seven-time World Record holder in Distance. I was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri and still frequently visit my parents and sister there. I began skydiving in 2001 and completed 400 jumps in my first year. My first home drop zone was Quantum Leap Skydiving Center but later became Skydive Chicago after the tragic plane crash that closed Quantum Leap. My first team was a free flying team with four people, including my close friend Kevin Brennan, which developed into Kevin and I learning to swoop together in 2003. Sadly, Kevin passed away in a skydiving accident and I began swooping seriously in his memory. I began winning canopy piloting competitions in 2006 and joined Team Extreme in late 2006. In late 2008, after fulfilling my contract, I made the decision to become independent of Team Extreme and began my own coaching program. I also decided to pursue individual sponsorships in early 2009 and I am always continuing to grow my partnership between my sponsors and myself each year. Currently, my home drop zone is Skydive Dubai and the majority of my time is spent coaching and competing in competitions throughout the world. I sometimes jump into the Denver Broncos football games with Team Thunderstorm, which is exciting and rewarding. I am passionate about spreading public knowledge of our sport through safe and exciting demonstrations. I am a member and co-owner of Team Alter Ego, where we focus primarily on competitions and coaching, but also perform in demonstrations and projects. Our team goals are extensive but our main intentions are to provide the best canopy control and canopy piloting coaching available in the world.

Overview 5 Time World Champion 10 Time World Record Holder 33 World Championship medals

Current Achievements in Canopy Piloting 2018 World Champion 2017 World Cup Champion 2017 Swoop Freestyle 2nd Place 2017 US National Champion 2017 Pink Open Champion 2017 Champion

Nicholas J. Batsch Biography Page 1 of 6 2017Polish Open Champion 2016 Swoop Freestyle 2nd place 2015 World Cup Champion 2015 Swoop Freestyle 2nd place 2015 DISL 5 Skydive Dubai Desert Campus Second Place Overall 2014 DIPC Dubai International Championships, Skydive Dubai First Place Overall First Place Distamce First Place Speed First Place Freestyle Fourth Place Accuracy 2014 Sun Path Products Canopy Piloting Open, Raeford, NC First Place Overall First Place Distance First Place Speed 2014 King of Swoop Empuriabrava, Spain First Place Overall First Place Distance First Place Speed First Place Accuracy 2014 DISL 4 Skydive Dubai Desert Campus First Place Overall 2014 DISL 3 Skydive Dubai Desert Campus First Place Overall 2014 DISL 2 Skydive Dubai Desert Campus First Place Overall 2013 Fourth Dubai International Parachuting Championships, Dubai, UAE “Seventh-Time Official World Record Holder” in Distance (158.76 meters), breaking my previous record First Place Distance First Place Freestyle Sixth Place Overall 2013 Product Orange: Lord of the Strings, Zephyrhills. FL First Place Distance 2013 Sun Path Products Canopy Piloting Open, Raeford, NC First Place Overall First Place Distance First Place Speed 2013 World Cup Championships of Canopy Piloting in Kolomna, Russia First Place Distance/Distance World Cup Champion Sixth Place Overall 2013 Skydive Pink Klatovy Canopy Piloting Open, Klatovy, Czech Republic Third-Time Overall Champion/First Place Overall First Place Distance First Place Accuracy Fourth Place Speed in Canopy Piloting , Colombia, July 2013 First Place Distance Third Place Speed 2013 United States Nationals of Canopy Piloting, Skydive City, Zephyrhills, FL Nicholas J. Batsch Biography Page 2 of 6 First Place Overall/Fourth-Time National Champion First Place Accuracy Second Place Distance 2013 Florida League Canopy Piloting Association Meets, USA Meet #2: First Place Overall in Zephyrhills, FL March 2013 Meet #3: Second Place Overall in Raeford, NC April 2013 2012 World Championships of Canopy Piloting in Dubai, UAE “Sixth-Time Official World Record Holder” in Distance (154.09 meters), breaking my previous record First Place Distance/Distance World Champion Second Place Overall 2012 PD Tveir at Skydive City, Zephyrhills, FL Second Place Team Overall 2012 Skydive Pink Klatovy Canopy Piloting Open, Klatovy, Czech Republic Second-Time Overall Champion/First Place Overall First Place Distance First Place Speed Sixth Place Accuracy 2012 Italian Swoop Fest, Molinella, First Place Overall First Place Distance First Place Accuracy Second Place Speed 2012 United States Nationals of Canopy Piloting, Skydive the Farm, Georgia “Fifth-Time Official World Record Holder” in Distance (151.95 meters) First Place Distance Second Place Overall Third Place Speed 2012 Florida League Canopy Piloting Association Meets, USA Meet #1: First Place Overall in Zephyrhills, FL January 2012 Meet #5: First Place Overall in Rockmart, GA June 2012 2011 Third Dubai International Parachuting Championships, Dubai, UAE, December 2011 Second Place Overall Second Place Accuracy 2011 World Cup Championships of Canopy Piloting in Klatovy, Czech Republic First Place Overall/World Cup Champion First Place Distance/Distance World Cup Champion First Place Speed/Speed World Cup Champion First Place Freestyle/ Freestyle World Cup Champion Eighth Place Accuracy 2011 Skydive Pink Klatovy Canopy Piloting Open, Klatovy, Czech Republic First Place Overall First Place Distance First Place Accuracy Second Place Speed 2011 United States Nationals of Canopy Piloting, Skydive Spaceland, Rosharon, Texas First Place Overall/Third-Time National Champion First Place Distance First Place Speed Third Place Accuracy 2011 PD Big Boy Pants World Record Event, Mile Hi Skydiving, Longmont, Colorado Nicholas J. Batsch Biography Page 3 of 6 “Fourth-Time Official World Record Holder” in Traditional Distance (222.45 meters), breaking my previous record First Place Overall First Place Distance First Place Speed Second Place Accuracy 2011 Florida League Canopy Piloting Association Meets, USA First Place Overall Season Champion Meet #2: First Place Overall in Zephyrhills, FL March 2011 Meet #3: Second Place Overall in Palatka, FL April 2011 Meet #4: First Place Overall in Raeford, NC May 2011 Meet #5: First Place Overall in Rockmart, GA June 2011 2011 Second Dubai International Parachuting Championships, Dubai, UAE, January 2011 Third Place Speed 2010 World Championships of Canopy Piloting in Kolomna, Russia First Place Freestyle/Freestyle World Champion Second Place Overall Second Place Distance Fourth Place Accuracy Eighth Place Speed 2010 United States Nationals of Canopy Piloting, Skydive Spaceland, Rosharon, Texas Second Place Distance Third Place Accuracy 2010 Skydive Pink Klatovy Canopy Piloting Open, Klatovy, Czech Republic Fifth Place Overall Fourth Place Speed Fifth Place Distance Sixth Place Accuracy 2010 Dubai International Parachuting Championships, Dubai, UAE Six Place Overall Fifth Place Distance Fifth Place Speed 2009 World Cup Championships of Canopy Piloting in Johannesburg , South Africa “Third-Time Official World Record Holder” in Traditional Distance (181.9 meters), breaking my previous record First Place Speed /Speed World Cup Champion Third Place Distance Fourth Place Overall 2009 United States Nationals of Canopy Piloting, Skydive Spaceland, Rosharon, Texas First Place Overall/Second-Time National Champion First Place Distance Third Place Speed in Canopy Piloting Taipei, China, July 2009 Second Place Overall Second Place Accuracy Third Place Speed 2008 World Championships of Canopy Piloting in Johannesburg, South Africa “Second-Time Official World Record Holder” in Traditional Distance (169.61 meters), breaking my previous record First Place Distance/Distance World Champion Second Place Overall Nicholas J. Batsch Biography Page 4 of 6 Fifth Place Speed Twelfth Place Accuracy 2008 United States Nationals of Canopy Piloting, Mile Hi Skydiving, Longmont, Colorado “First-Time Official World Record Holder” in Traditional Distance (152.82 meters), which I surpassed in South Africa (above). This was also the “Official Colorado State Record” First Place Overall/National Champion First Place Speed Second Place Distance Third Place Accuracy 2008 PST Championships, Mile Hi Skydiving, Longmont, Colorado Grand Champion, First Place Overall First Place Long Jump Distance Second Place Freestyle Twelfth Place Accuracy 2007 Red Bull Blade Raid, Crystal Mountain, Washington Third Place Overall 2007 PST Championships, Mile Hi Skydiving, Longmont, Colorado Grand Champion, First Place Overall First Place Distance Fourth Place Freestyle Fourth Place Accuracy 2007 United States Nationals of Canopy Piloting, Skydive Chicago, Chicago, Illinois Tenth Place Overall Ninth Place Speed Thirteenth Place Distance My first time making the United States Canopy Piloting Team 2007 PST Air Festival, Mile Hi Skydiving, Longmont, Colorado Eighth Place Overall Second Place Distance Second Place Accuracy Second Place Team Speed

Coaching Program

Over my years of coaching I have developed a successful coaching plan and curriculum. I have received my United States Parachute Association (hereinafter “USPA”) Coach Rating and currently hold canopy and XRW coaching classes. I intend to continue to coach canopy piloting and XRW to students and I plan to travel nationally and internationally as a coach. Regular contact with coach students provides me the opportunity to further their development. When my students coach annually or more than once a year they have a more dramatic increase in their skill sets. As part of my goal to coach larger groups and different country teams, I will continue to provide the best learning experience available in today’s competitive canopy piloting programs around the world.

2-Year Plan for Canopy Competitions and Coaching

I envision the following for my future plans over the next two years:

1. To succeed in future canopy piloting competitions. 2. To travel to a minimum of seven international competitions this year depending on what events are available and which invitations I receive.

Nicholas J. Batsch Biography Page 5 of 6 3. To maintain my presence in publications such as Parachutist. 4. To further establish my career in the skydiving industry by providing a coaching program integrating my USPA Coaching Skills and proven coaching techniques. 5. To strive to become the world’s best coach and competitive canopy pilot. 6. To strive to continue setting and beating world records. 7. To work on special projects with sponsors to help further the development or advertisement of products. 8. To continue to build a long-lasting and mutually beneficial relationship with sponsors. 9. To maintain a professional appearance and demeanor, as has been my habit, in order to continue to retain my branded image.

Finally, I wish to thank you for your time and consideration of my coaching services. Please do not hesitate to contact me should you have any questions.

Very truly yours,

Nicholas J. Batsch 17501 East Wesley Place, Aurora Colorado 80013 [email protected] (314) 708-0440

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