posted May 30th, 2011 - Whooops and TGV were the first Dutch Rookie Class teams that were registered in May 2005 when the Netherlands introduced the new category at the Dutch Skydiving League meet, which was called Dutch Handicap Cup by then. The Netherlands were a part of the international NSL Network earlier and applied the AAA and A Class before the Rookie Class was added at the Tomscat Trophy in 2005.

Team Bijna joined the Dutch Rookies a few weeks later at another meet. Only Whooops came back to compete at the Tomscat Trophy in June 2005, as well, and the national championships did not offer a Rookie Class competition.

It was the start of the Rookie Class competition in the Netherlands, and it was also the start of a 4-way dream career for Team Whooops, who have become the new Dutch national 4-way team after winning the Dutch Nationals last year.

Whooops spent another year in the Rookie Class and attended three meets in 2006. The Rookie Class competition had now become a part of the national championships in the Netherlands, and Whooops won the first Dutch Rookie Class gold medals with a 7.2 average.

Whooops moved up into the A Class in 2007 and won all three meets in the Netherlands, including the Tomscat Trophy (14.2) and the national championships (14.7) the same year. Four new Rookie Class teams were formed and attended the Tomscat Trophy 2007. Serges Angels became the new national Rookie Class champions.

The Rookie Class teams of 2007 moved up into the A Class a year later, and Serges Angels won the A Class competition at the Tomscat Trophy and the Dutch Nationals 2008. Four new Rookie Class teams were formed and attended the Tomscat Trophy. Whooops skipped the AA Class, competed in the AAA Class for the first time and placed 5th at the Dutch Nationals 2008 with a 12.7 average.

Creeps and Murphy Mania, the Dutch Rookies of 2008, moved up into the A Class competition of 2009, and Rookie Class champion Creeps won the A Class title right away. Whooops was now in 3rd place of the AAA Class at the national championships, and four new Rookie Class lineups attended the Tomscat Trophy 2008 in June.

It does not seem to be very difficult to imagine what happened in 2010, and it came as it could be expected. Many of the 2009 Rookies competed in the A Class a year later, and Air Elementals, Dutch Rookie Class champion of 2009, was only stopped in the A Class of 2010 by a team that came back in the same competition class.

Four new Rookie Class teams began the 2010 season at the Tomscat Trophy. MACH4 won the Dutch Nationals 2010 and collected important points for the Dutch delegation at the ESL Championship 2010 with the 1st place in the Rookie Class.

Whooops completed the mission in the team's 6th year and won the Dutch Nationals 2010 in the AAA Class. The lineup has changed over the years, and the new Whooops lineup (Maurits Idema - Outside Center, Joyce Oosting - Tail, Leon van Leeuwen - Point, Mechie Voermans - Inside Center, Hans Ypma - Camera) launched the 2011 season at the Shamrock Showdown 2011.

MACH4, Rookie Class champion of 2010, has already signed up for the A Class competition at the Netherlands' season opener this year, the Tomscat Trophy 2011. This is obviously no surprise, and other Dutch Rookie Class teams have done the same. The number of teams in the AAA, AA and A Class is exactly the same as in 2010 and dangerously close to the record numbers of 2008 and 2009.

However, there is a difference compared to the past years. No new Rookie Class teams have pre-registered so far. Is it really possible that the small Dutch skydiving community has finally exhausted its human resources? This is hard to imagine looking at the 4-way history in the Netherlands and the Whooops picture book story. The Tomscat Trophy is still three weeks away, and there is enough time for teams to register. However, the event has a maximum number of teams, as the two Cessna Caravans can handle only up to 24 teams. It's time for the new Dutch 4-way Rookies to take action.