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Navy Leap Frogs to perform Thursday
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August 11, 2010 - LOVES PARK, Ill. – The Navy Leap Frogs are scheduled to drop by Road Ranger Stadium Thursday.

The RiverHawks close the homestand at 7:05 p.m. Thursday. Prior to the first pitch, the Leap Frogs, a Navy parachute team, will descend upon the stadium.

According to its official website, the U.S. Navy Parachute Team is a fifteen-man team comprised entirely of U.S. Navy SEAL and SWCC commandos. Each member comes to the team for a three-year tour from one of the two Naval Special Warfare Groups located on the east and west coasts. On completion of the tour, members return to operational units.

The parachute team began in 1969 when Navy SEALs and Frogmen volunteered to perform at weekend air shows. The team was officially commissioned as the U.S. Navy Parachute Team "Leap Frogs" in 1974 by the Chief of Naval Operations and assigned the mission of demonstrating Navy excellence throughout the United States. The Leap Frogs support Navy recruiting efforts and promote the Naval Special Warfare community to the American public.

A typical Leap Frogs performance consists of fourteen jumpers leaping out of an aircraft at an altitude of 12,500 feet. During free fall, jumpers reach speeds of 120 mph and can accelerate up to 180 mph by pulling their arms to their sides and straightening their legs into what is called a "track." The jumpers typically open their parachutes at around 5,000 feet by releasing a smaller pilot chute which deploys their main blue-and-gold canopy. After deploying their chutes, the Leap Frogs fly their canopies together to build dramatic canopy-relative work formations.

The RiverHawks are members of the Northern League, an eight-team independent professional baseball league in its 18th season. Advertising and ticket information is available by calling (815) 885-2255. Games are broadcast live on ESPN 1380 (WTJK-AM) and on ESPN1380.com. Fans can also visit the RiverHawks online at www.rockfordriverhaks.com.

 

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