Megan Rapinoe’s Jersey Retired in a Thrilling Way by the Highlight Pro Skydiving Team

The Highlight Pro Skydiving Team made a grand entrance into Lumen Field before the start of the Seattle Reign FC vs. North Carolina Courage match to celebrate the retirement of Megan Rapinoe's jersey number.

Megan Rapinoe and Melanie Curtis / Leah Levy

On August 25, members of the Highlight Pro Skydiving Team flew into Lumen Field before the start of the Seattle Reign FC vs. North Carolina Courage match to participate in the retirement of the renowned Megan Rapinoe's jersey number.

The all-female Highlight Pro Skydiving Team consists of 13 top-level skydivers who, on average, have approximately 200,000 jumps between all of them. According to Melanie Curtis, this jump marked the 20th demonstration jump they have completed as a team.

"It is genuinely an honor to get to celebrate her [Megan Rapinoe], but also amplify her impact and effort through anything that we do as well," explained professional skydiver and co-founder of the Highlight Pro Skydiving Team, Melanie Curtis.

Curtis is a renowned skydiver who has been skydiving for over three decades and has 12,000 jumps under her belt. To add to the grandness, not only is Curtis a professional skydiver and the co-founder of the Highlight Pro Skydiving Team, but she is also the Executive Director of the Women's Skydiving Network nonprofit organization.

Each team member holds a United States Parachute Association (USPA) PRO Rating, signifying them as being able to complete skydiving exhibitions into specific landing areas for public viewing. This is no easy feat as achieving a PRO rating entails extensive training, preparation, and licensing.  

Group photograph of the Highlight Pro Skydiving Team and Megan Rapinoe / Leah Levy

Skydiving is a sport that isn't easily understood by the general public. However, for these professionals, it is their passion, career, and purpose.

"When we're around people who don't understand our sport [skydiving], we want to represent it well, but we also need to guarantee other people's safety," Curtis shared.

With this jump being incredibly public, the team needed to remain focused and aware.

Training for such an incredible goal called for intense planning. According to Curtis, once you have achieved the PRO Rating, the team then practices flying their parachutes into tight locations with a specific target.

"It's a tight stadium [Lumen Field]. Even for the best of the best, it's a really tight environment," she explained.

The impressive crew took on the challenge and created a successful aerial display in honor of Megan Rapinoe's number 15 jersey. This display was monumental and was nothing short of awe-inspiring.

Landing in Lumen Field / Leah Levy