posted Dec 9th, 2004 - The NSL News promised an interview with Arizona Blade members Natasha Montgomery and Thomas Hughes. Montgomery and Hughes spent some extra time in Florida after the NSL Championship 2004 and visited the NSL office in DeLand. Kurt Gaebel asked the questions and was curious about Montgomery's skydiving career and the future of Blade.

NSL News: Natasha, Thomas, will the new NSL Champion 2004 also be the new US national team in 2006?

Thomas Hughes: It is undecided. We still have to meet with the team, we have all been on a busy schedule with the Nationals and NSL Championships.

NSL News: Natasha, you are a young jumper, tell the NSL audience about your skydiving career, please.

Natasha Montgomery: I started jumping November 2002, in Dallas. I have 1,100 jumps. I approached Mark Kirkby to do a player coach team in December 2003 and then found out that Thomas was available as a player coach, as well. We started training in January 2004 with zero expectations.

NSL News: Natasha, how was your first team experience?

Natasha Montgomery: I had 150 jumps when I came to the USPA Championship 2003 in Lake Wales. My team was Taco Party with Brian Johnson as the player coach, Cindy Scott and Rick Duran from Dallas. We scored an 8.9 average in the Intermediate Class.

NSL News: Natasha, how did you get together with Beat who helped sponsoring the first player coach line-up?

Natasha Montgomery: Beat was at Airspeed camps, too, and we got along very well.

NSL News: Why did he leave the team later?

Thomas Hughes: There were immigration issues, and he was also offered a slot in the Swiss national 4-way team Endeavour to go to the world meet.

NSL News: How did you meet Mark Kirkby?

Natasha Montgomery: At an Airspeed tunnel camp.

NSL News: How did you meet Thomas?

Natasha Montgomery: Through Airspeed's Craig Girard. I asked him who could be a player coach. Beat and I had defnatly decided to do the team together with Mark. That is when Craig recomended Thomas.

Thomas Hughes: Craig called me up and set up a meeting With Natasha, Mark and Beat at the tunnel where we could talk and fly together.

NSL News: You were without a team at that time, were you?

Thomas Hughes: Yes, XL had decided to discontinue for several reasons. It was a great opoportunity, to continue coaching and also fly a different slot.

NSL News: Natasha, looking at the numbers, it took you one year to get from a 8.9 average in the AA Class to 19.9 average in the AAA Class. How many jumps did the team make, and how did you train to make that happen?

Natasha Montgomery: We made 500 jumps with Beat and 200 with Bob Healy. We had on average 10 days of training each month, plus the SSL meets. The competition experience helped a lot. I am glad that we did all the meets, I really needed the experience. I had no competition experiences in Skydiving before the USPA Championship in Lake Wales.

Thomas Hughes: We also got the benefit of two different ways of thought as far as the Airspeed way and the XL way of coaching, we could then combine them and make the Blade way Skydiving.

NSL News: Even with the best players around, it is still quite impressive. How is your athletic history or background? Natasha Montgomery: I think I am a very competitive person in general. As far as being athletic, I have always been involved in sports, one way or the other. My business experience has helped me as well, since skydiving is mostly a mental challenge, especially in competition.

NSL News: How old are you, Natasha?

Natasha Montgomery: 28.

NSL News: What kind of a business background are you coming from? A player coach situation like this is quite expensive... Natasha Montgomery: Hotel management. However, instead of looking at this as an expensive venture, I see it as an investment.

NSL News: Okay, now you are the NSL Champion 2004, and you scored a 19.9 average. Where are you going with Blade from here?

Thomas: Disney World.

NSL News: ...and after Disney World?

Natasha Montgomery: Still undecided.

NSL News: I know from my own experience that you cannot stop this now. Is it only a question of how to move on?

Natasha Montgomery: It is definitely a question of how to move on looking at all the options, and trying to figure out the best path to take.

NSL News: What are your goals in skydiving competition?

Natasha Montgomery: Keep enjoying the process.

NSL News: Any athletic goals?

Natasha Montgomery: The process and the experience are really more important than anything else. The Blade vibes and energy were great, and we enjoyed being team mates.

NSL News: Thanks for the interview, and good luck for the future.