University of Alabama - Corolla Yearbook (Tuscaloosa, AL)

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Winds blowing at 140 miles per hour distort Darin Ev- ans Young ' s face as he prepares to leave the plane and join four others for an air formation.

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onfl With a rose given to her from a fan in the crowd of 10,000 in Memorial Coliseum, Slevie Nicks sings Leather and Lace. Onion Programs discovered their potential as concert promoters when Nicks performed on Oct. 29 and gross profits amounted to $110,000. It was a year of discovery. Whether it was learning tcfl breakdance, attending an obscure concert, or learning 50Ut the University ' s past, students unwrapped life ' s sur- prise packages to find large rewards inside. While some spent their Sunday afternoons jumping fro airplanes, the less daring settled for the thrill of reborn Gnioi programs ' presentations of Stevie Nicks and Lionel Richie Seventeen magazine came to campus to shoot fashions for Its August issue and student — models received national ex posure. Students were affected by Jhe outside world as the pop- |larlty of Boy George, Mi- Ihael Jackson and break- lancing influenced the noughts, attitudes and ac- tons of the campus. Embassy Pictures unveiled plans to produce The Bear, the life story of the late Coach Paul Bear Bryant, and the film was completed by the end of the school year. And as students looked be- yond the ordinary, the hidden surprises came to mind first js the University took the raps off a very special year. Student Life Divider 9

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The areat Skydivers thrill to 9,000 feet plunges They sat huddled in the rear of the small plane waiting for the pilot to give the go signal. They had b een up for about 15 minutes, rising to 9,000 feet above the earth. There vi as little talk, some thinking of the planned ma- neuvers, others reflecting on the sensibility of what they were about to do. For most of the jumpers. it was nothing new. Several had registered hundreds of jumps. Yet. they still exper- ienced the anxiety, still felt the rush of adrenaline. After you ' ve been jump- ing for a few years, the mind doesn ' t suffer from mental anxiety anymore, but the body can ' t be fooled. Jack Alford. a chemical engineer- ing graduate of the Universi- ty, said. It knows it ' s about Richard Washburn to fall. SO it pumps just as much adrenaline as ever. The experienced jumper leaps conscious that ever- ything ' s going to be all right but laughs at his own weak body for being afraid. Alford and about 15 other students and graduates of the University were mem- bers of the Bama Skydivers, though not offically char- tered by the University, the Bama Skydivers had been affiliated with it for over 10 years. The Bama Skydivers met every Sunday at the small Eutaw airport. Because of the size of the plane, only about five could go up at one time. The preparations for the jump were considerable. The parachutist had to re- pack his parachute, line up at I the lead cords to the canopy and check his equipment. Most wore a special jump suit that had less wind resis- tance and allowed for a smoother fall. Then, the divers planned the sequence of maneuvers they would later perform in the air, going over and over the sequence in what was called dirt diving. A wide variety of formations, in- cluding stars, snowflakes, and doughnuts were per- formed. It took between 15 and 20 minutes for the plane to reach the desired altitude. After a signal from the pilot, the jumpers lined up on the plane ' s strut, hanging in the air as the wind tried to force them free. At the designated time, the divers broke their grip Richard Washhii Gathering up her parachute. Sandi Wedlock, a University advertising major, heads over to- ward the airplane hanger to repack her parachute and prepare for her next jump. After coming in for a smooth landing. Bama Skydiver Darin Evans-Young waits for Ricky Latham to float to the ground. Student Life: Skydivers 1 1