Skydiving Broncos take flight

You’re on an airplane, strapped into your seat and you’re awaiting takeoff. The plane soars across the runway, gaining speed and finally launches into the air. This plane ride is different, though. After that plane gets 10,000 feet in the air, the side door opens. You unstrap your seatbelt, get up and walk out onto the wing of the plane. Then, as you’re looking down at the wide-open space below you, you jump. Sounds pretty crazy, right?

For Western Michigan University students Matt Frank and Bill Miller, this is just another Saturday afternoon. These two students are the creators of The Skydive Broncos; a Registered Student Organization affiliated with WMU that they started last year.

“I’ve been an adrenaline junkie my entire life and I was looking for something new to fuel that fire,” Frank said. “I was watching videos on YouTube one day and came across some skydiving videos. Next thing I knew, I was jumping all the time.”

Universities offer the RSO program as an outlet that allows students to have every opportunity to involve themselves in a rich range of student clubs and activities that connect people with what they are learning in the classroom and beyond. These two students saw this as the perfect way to bring their love of extreme sports to WMU.

Frank approached Miller about his newfound interest and it was only a matter of time for Miller to get involved.

“I love being adventurous so when Matt came to me with the idea of starting up the club, I hopped on board,” said Miller. As student of the aviation program at WMU, Miller is no stranger to airplanes. “Jumping out of an airplane has always been on my bucket list, and I saw this as the perfect opportunity to cross it off. I never thought I would be running a club focused around the sport.”

Besides being a great conversation starter, the fact that these two created this club is very unique. The Skydive Broncos are one of only six collegiate skydiving clubs in the nation that are officially registered with the United States Parachute Association. Not only is that something for these two students to be excited about, it’s something that Western Michigan University as a whole can talk about. Students of this school have the opportunity to join a club that only exists in five other places in the nation.

As members of the Skydive Broncos, Frank and Miller have logged 13 jumps each thus far. While it sounds crazy to some, they can’t get enough.

“When that aircraft door opens at 10,000 feet and the cold air hits you, there is no way to describe in words the rush you feel,” Miller said.

This club has retained members from last year, and as a result of Bronco Bash this year, their membership has grown significantly. But they are avidly encouraging all who are interested in the sport of skydiving to see what they have to offer. As far as future goals, the Skydive Broncos have big plans.

“We would love to be able to gain enough members to compete in the National Collegiate Skydiving Competition in Arizona this year. We have several students in a program working toward obtaining their skydiving licenses which will hopefully move us closer to that goal,” said Frank.

The club is easy to join and is already in full swing this year, having completed their first jump last weekend. Frank and Miller are excited and humbled by the things they have been able to accomplish so far through their RSO, and are eager to see what the future has in store.

“It is amazing to see people use the Skydive Broncos as a way to realize their love of this sport, and we know that there are more people out there who are waiting for an opportunity like this, whether they know it or not,” Frank said.

For more information on how to join, follow @skydivebronco on Twitter or @skydivebroncos on Instagram.