On Thursday afternoon, several dozen members of the University’s U.S. Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) practiced rappelling off of the grandstands at Hayward Field. Senior ROTC cadets and a support cadre of active Army servicemen helped new cadets learn the ropes, starting with the proper way to tie a Swiss seat, a type of harness that is constructed entirely out of rope by a service member. From there, the cadets started with a gentle 10-degree rappel down the grandstand seats on the West side of Hayward Field. After passing the section, cadets tested their self-tied harnesses while rappelling some 25 feet off the back of the stairwells at Hayward Field.
The ROTC program heads to Lookout Point Dam in Dexter, Ore., on Friday to put their rappelling skills to real-world use, as the new cadets will rappel some 90 feet off of the dam.
Cdt. Nick Brooklier rappels off a 25-foot stairwell on the back of Hayward Field. The University’s U.S. Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program leads an introduction to rappelling for cadets at Hayward Field on Thursday, Nov. 14. (Michael Arellano/Emerald)
Nick Brooklier smiles as he fell down while trying to rappel down the west grand stands of Hayward Field. The University’s U.S. Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program leads an introduction to rappelling for cadets at Hayward Field on Thursday, Nov. 14. (Ryan Kang/Emerald)
Master Sgt. Michael Rosenberger instructs a cadet as the trainee prepares to rappel down the 10-degree stadium seating grade at Hayward Field. The University’s U.S. Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program leads an introduction to rappelling for cadets at Hayward Field on Thursday, Nov. 14. (Michael Arellano/Emerald)
A group of cadets man the belay line at ground level as their fellow cadets rappel off a 25-foot stairwell on the backside of Hayward Field. The University’s U.S. Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program leads an introduction to rappelling for cadets at Hayward Field on Thursday, Nov. 14. (Michael Arellano/Emerald)
A group of ROTC students make their way to the west grand stands of Hayward Field. The University’s U.S. Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program leads an introduction to rappelling for cadets at Hayward Field on Thursday, Nov. 14. (Ryan Kang/Emerald)
Cadets Jasmine Clark, left, and Margaret Gill adjust their helmets before their 10-degree rappel down the stadium seats at Hayward Field. The University’s U.S. Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program leads an introduction to rappelling for cadets at Hayward Field on Thursday, Nov. 14. (Michael Arellano/Emerald)
An ROTC student rappels down the west grand stands at Hayward Field. The University’s U.S. Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program leads an introduction to rappelling for cadets at Hayward Field on Thursday, Nov. 14. (Ryan Kang/Emerald)
Senior ROTC Cdt. Christopher Desert supervises the group of trainees as they assemble their Swiss seat harnesses in preparation for rappelling. The University’s U.S. Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program leads an introduction to rappelling for cadets at Hayward Field on Thursday, Nov. 14. (Michael Arellano/Emerald)
A group of ROTC students gather in a circle to learn how to properly tie a knot for rappelling. The University’s U.S. Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program leads an introduction to rappelling for cadets at Hayward Field on Thursday, Nov. 14. (Ryan Kang/Emerald)
Brennan Miller instructs a group of ROTC students on how to tie a proper knot for rappelling. The University’s U.S. Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program leads an introduction to rappelling for cadets at Hayward Field on Thursday, Nov. 14. (Ryan Kang/Emerald)