I started flying kites in 1989 on Belle Isle just for fun. Some days people would walk up to me and say "hi Nate, where are rest of the guys"? I didn't know who Nate was, or what guys they was talking about. I saw other people out there flying kites, but I never met them. Then one day I drove to the Isle to fly, and I saw a crowd of people watching some guys flying and the news was interviewing them. So I set up across and street and flew for a bit. After the press left, one of the flyer walked over to me and said that the team was watching me fly. He said his name was Gary, and asked if I would like to met rest of the team. I said sure. We walked back across the street and I met Arron and Nate. I said "ohhh so you are Nate, people keep calling me Nate." I later found out one of the persons was Gary's grandfather that called me Nate. Nate and I looked a little alike and around the same frame size. I was always wearing a white jacket and so was the Windjammers.

Gary told me about the team and the 5/20 kite group. So I joined 5/20, and started flying with them. I bought a kite magazine with a calendar of event in it, and one of the months had the Windjammers kites on a beach. The background looked so nice with a lighthouse that I asked Gary where was it. He said "Grand Haven." I asked when they are going there again and he said "in May." So I made plans and drove to the Great Lakes Sport Kite Championships in Grand Haven. Here was a lot of the top Kite flyer and teams from around the world. I was impressed. When the Jammers arrived, it was only Arron and Gary, no Nate! Gary said "Nate had to work." And asked if I would fly with them in the team events. I said "no, I don't know the team moves and no way I'm going to mess up in front of all those people and top flyers. Gary said "if you would like to be on the team, be at practice on Tuesday and Thursday." So that is how it all started.

I became the fourth member of the team and made a lot if friends in the kite flying circle. The team became a second family. I enjoyed the traveling we did in and around Michigan to go to the events. I 1996, I moved to Lockport in upstate New York to work, but I still try to make it to some of the demo flies the team goes to. And when I do, it's like a family reunion.