posted Mar 4th, 2016 - Yesterday's Indoor Cloud League update mentioned briefly that iFLY Dallas organizer Amanda Lampton has joined Dallas 350 for the 2016 season. Dallas 350's Outside Center in 2015, Jim Rees, had committed only for one year and did not continue.

The three returning 350 members (Scott Latinis, Scott Levy, Lucas King) have known Amanda Lampton for years, as they have been training and competing at the same places in Texas, Skydive Dallas and iFLY Dallas. They have also worked together ever since iFLY Dallas joined the Indoor Cloud League.

Last year, they were encountering each other in an opposing way. Dallas 350 competed at the USPA Nationals 2015, for the first time in the AAA/Open Class after winning USPA's AAA/Advanced Class gold medals in 2014. Amanda Lampton had joined a player coach team with former Airspeed member Mark Kirkby, EOS, and finished one single point ahead of her future 350 team mates.

USPA Nationals 2015		Rd. 1	Rd. 2	Rd. 3	Rd. 4	Rd. 5	Rd. 6	Rd. 7	Rd. 8	Rd. 9	Rd. 10	Total	Avg
Rank	AAA Class	J,H,2,8	6,D,18	F,9,L,O	1,17,E	K,19,N,P	3,7,5	4,A,B,12	11,16,M	15,Q,22	20,14,10	Total	Avg
6	Prestige Worldwide	18	16	27	15	16	16	14	16	14	13	165	16.5
7	EOS	17	14	26	16	15	15	15	17	13	13	161	16.1
8	Dallas 350	16	16	23	15	17	17	15	16	14	11	160	16.0
9	Verve XP	15	13	27	14	17	16	16	16	13	12	159	15.9

Amanda Lampton left Skydive Dallas for a year of "pretty phenomenal" training in Arizona, which was "absolutely worth the cost and effort". However, she missed her home DZ and the personal experiences with her Dallas Khaos 4-way project, which included representing the DZ, the people and the 4-way community: "I gave back, helped where I could, and encouraged everyone I came in contact with."

The Dallas 350 opportunity came up at the right time after a year away from the home DZ. She heard rumors about the potentially open 350 slot after the USPA Nationals 2015 and contacted her friend and opponent Scott Latinis even before her EOS team defeated Dallas 350 at the USPA Nationals.

The EOS 4-way project was planned only for a 1-year commitment with an option to continue, and Amanda Lampton opted out looking for other opportunities.

Scott Latinis, Scott Levy, Lucas King kept Amanda Lampton abreast of their 350 team plans for 2016 and asked if she would be interested in trying out if they had a slot. The communication continued until they finally asked her for a tryout over the holidays.

The new Dallas 350 lineup met on December 28th and spent a flying hour at iFLY Dallas. Amanda Lampton said that her father drove up with her from Houston. It was the first time he watched her daughter in any skydiving related activity, and Amanda Lampton was quite excited: "It was pretty freaking cool to have him there..."

The tryout went well, with Scott Latinis and Amanda Lampton flying together in the rear piece, before Scott Latinis eventually moved to Outside Center. The group dynamics were not even a topic, as all team members have known each so well for so long.

It still took a little while until the final commitment was made. This happened when all future 350 members went to SkyVenture New Hampshire and the indoor competition in January 2016. The three Dallas 350 members asked Amanda Lampton to join the team before they competed with Josh Hall in the New Hampshire lineup.

Amanda Lampton said that she had to "very skillfully control her excitement (and internal happy dance) when she accepted the offer "with utmost aplomb" - and before she competed with her own team at the same event. It's All About Gen had Scott Levy and Lucas King in the lineup at SkyVenture New Hampshire...

The new Dallas 350 lineup hired Christy Frikken as the team coach for the year. The team finalized the slots with her, and Amanda Lampton ended up in Christy Frikken's slot with SDC Rhythm XP, Inside Center, which could still change though. It doesn't matter to the new 350 member: "I like the idea of being a kickass jack-of-all trades competent in any slot, so whatever works best for the team works for me. I'm incredibly excited to be a part of iFly Dallas and Skydive Dallas again, and I can't think of a better place to keep bettering my 4-way and bringing everyone else along for the ride."