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USCskydivers YOR .SC.CAPU t - ~BOOKSTORE J. 't1 TBaLokaled in the Russell THE ONLY U.S.C. BOOKSTORE! GIVE THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING MAY WE SUGGEST ... CHRISTMAS LIST. For Southern buffs: JERICHO: The South Beheld. Dickey & Shuptrine. Our price $35.95 A hymn to the South. Mr. Dickey will autograph your copies for Christmas. SOUTH CAROLINA: A JOURNALIST AND HIS STATE. By the late Eugene Sloan. $39.95. A pictorial and descriptive record of the State-all color. --EXAM SPECIALS (Why trail all over town-shop us-save time to It those tests) 1. ALL COOKBOOKS IN STORE DISCOUNTED - Minimum of $10 per cent 2. DAZE We don't fight inflation - we ic it.' C our dollar books in main store, 3. Still some good mark-downs available, including new stock. TO ALL OUR FRIENDS, ONE AND ALL - ABLESSED HOLInA highes BY FRANK DEIOACHE Of The Gamecock staff The Gamecocks of Carolina are ranked fifth nationally, but not in football or basketball or baseball or soccer. Try skydiving. Even though parachute jumping isn't officially recognized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), USC's club has 200 persons on its role and 45 active members, according to enthusiast and club mer'nber John Gray. "The NCAA says it is an un popular sport right now and many pe-ple think it's too dangerous," Gray said. "The problem is nobody understands what they (the skydivers) are doing up there. They don't realize a jumper is performing a routine." Gray, who broke his jaw while jumping and was unable to com pete in recent competition, said parachuting is no more dangerous than sports such as skiling, surfing or mountain climbing. Clubs must keep fatality and accident records and report them to the United States Parachute Association. The Gamecocks earned their national ranking at a National Collegiate Parachute Meet in Florida during the Thanksgiving holiday. Of 47 schools competing, Carolina trailed only West Point, the Air Force Academy, the University of Southern Florida and Georgia Tech. Club members wishing to compete with other schools must try out for the sport parachute Team. Training for the November competition began in earnest in September, Gray said. The team traveled to Raiford, N.C., three times and received instruction from the Golden Knights, professional skydivers with the Army. Gray said Jim Mintz, club president with more than 700 jumps to his credit, helped arrange this special training. The club also made several training jumps at an airstrip in Barnwell County. This year 11 students tried to make the team, but each school is ELECTRONIC CALCULATORS VOCKWLL Cassette Recorders & Tapes soseY PANAsOstIC CRAIG SerascerenCinIcuIane A tesa erin St. - 2ss.391 s pet. msseuen was se a. Unluarmishted Apart ments - enplete kitcben - estral air & heat - drapeules carpet - bakeey - serage resin access to wa*m enj her Two Bedrem sIfts eses at Feed Rd. One Bereen . s34s asas overbses Dr. Reseweed Area CaV 1sn-$23 er 7S1-Iss Cenveuieat Locations to U.S.C. adnents r ranke 'Nobody unde they are doh They don' a jumper is perfoi allowed only nine jumpers in .competition. The problem was solved when Gray broke his jaw and another jumper broke his leg. The 170 contestants at the meet were judged for their style and accuracy. Each contestant was classified either a novice (100 jumps or less), an intermediate (between 100 and 200 jumps) or advanced (more than 200 jumps). In- accuracy competition, an orange disc two centimeters in diameter was the center of a circle 20 meters in diameter. The object was to land on that orange disc, Gray said. For Carolina, Chip Schooler placed third in accuracy in the novice division and Jay Judice earned seventh place in the advanced division. In the style competition each jumper was given three different patterns of turns and backloops to perform as quickly as possible. Judges with binoculars on the ground take off points for excess degrees in a turn and speed. Team captain Mintz placed sixth in the advanced division and ninth overall when individual points were added for both competitions. Gray said most of Carolina's team placed somewhere in the top twenty, enabling the Gamecocks to place fifth overall. There was one category of team competition, relative work, when College o trip for s Carolina is again offering a trip to the Appalachian French-Swiss Ski College in Blowing Rock, N.C. for $61.00, which includes four days of skiing, unlimited instruction, all equipment rentals, slope fees, lift fees, lodging at the Holiday Inn, accident insurance, and mem bership in the French-Swiss Skit Club. The trip Is scheduled for Jan. 5-9. Orientation will be held on Dec. 13, I at 8:00p.m. in rooms 111 111 at thel Physical Education Center. At this meeting a $20 deposit will be collected from each person.I There will be personnel from the French-Swiss Ski College at this meeting to answer any questions and explain their program. The French-Swiss Ski College Si GR APHOLC MA DAAi ,....Advising all affali of life on love mar d team rstands what tg up there. r realize rMing a routine.' three-man teams were given three different routines to perform in a certain time. In the basic routine, the three jumpers must leave the plane separately, join together in a "st .," break apart and perform loo and finally come back togeler. Gray said only 17 schools had teams capable of competing, and USC's team of Mintz, Judice and Robert Trimmer placed third. Gray, with his wired jaw, went with the team to Florida and said, "Relative work is what I really love, but most people don't even realize what's going on." Next semester the club hopes to have a meet with Clemson and that all the schools on the East Coast will meet at Roanoke Rapids, N.C. At times a meet called Carolina Council is he'd which allows all jumpers in North and South Carolina to compete. Gray said some men as old as 60 years show up to jump. Then there's the national competition next year. "We try to take the freshmen and sophomores each year to practice jumps and small meets so they can get ready for competition. I'll be able to compete next year," said Gray, who has 42 jumps. "That is if I don't break my jaw again, or my neck." ffers kiers has added a 25,000 square foot articicial skiing surface, so no matter what the weather there will e skiing. For further information contact Dr. C.J.' Johnson in the Physical Education Center. The USC Ski Club has been runded and is ready to get things mder way. With their money they plan to buy equipment for teaching he care and safety of skils and >indings. Also weekend trips are eing planned with the Union Trip Dommittee. At the meeting Dec. 13 there will e an opportunity to join the club. )ues are not being collected until aext semester. The USC Ski Club ~an only succeed if the students how an interest and participate in he planned activities, a ~esman said. GY READER ~TER ESA S and qet ISOR IFIDENTIAL READINGS iks ad are $.W call 7m911S uInbma.