U.S.Parachute Team trains at Unity Township facility

By Virginia Ross

EAST PALESTINE — Members of the United States Parachute Team cite various reasons for taking up the sport that recently carried them to an international competition in Slovakia.

But there seems to be a common denominator that keeps team members grounded in their sport of choice.

“Obviously there’s the thrill and excitement, and of course, the freedom,” explained James Hayhurst, a writer and former pilot from Pittsburgh. “It’s an amazing sense of freedom. And it’s an amazing and wonderful experience. Once you do it, you want to experience it again and again.”

Hayhurst is one of 10 members of the team that spent numerous hours earlier this month training at Skydive Rick’s in Unity Township for the World Parachute Competition in Lucenec, Slovakia.

The team, made up of five men and five women from all over the country, left for the competition July 26 and is scheduled to return Friday.

The U.S. team is competing against teams from 22 other countries for the world title.

Read the full story Monday in The Vindicator and on Vindy.com.