AAU national qualifier weekend concludes

The final chapter of the 2008 Amateur Athletic Union National Qualifier ended with 70 swimmers vying for their chance to go to nationals at the Margaret M. Aquatic Center on Sunday morning.

And with the help of Miguel Gonzalez, a certified USA swimming official being pool side, the participants were also eligible to qualify for Texas Age Group Standards and South Texas Age Group Standards championships depending on swimmers time.

"At the end of the day it's all about providing all swimmers an opportunity to swim," Gonzalez said. "We don't have a lot of meets so whatever we can do to help these swimmers get a chance to qualify for more competition; we'll do what it takes."

A beneficiary of the STAGS times was 13-year-old McAllen swimmer Sidney Webber. She qualified in the 200-meter backstroke under the STAGS time of 3:04.99 for a trip to San Antonio later this summer.

Assistant swim coach for the McAllen swim club Lynn Webber, mother of Sidney, said it was nice to have such an event so close to home and not having to endure the costs of traveling upstate.

"It gives us an opportunity to participate when we couldn't else-wise," Webber said. "It's a wonderful event."

Aquatic center Administrator Monica Rosales said the two-day event went smoothly and is eager to see next year's turn out.

"The fact that this was the first time we hosted this event I think it went really well," Rosales said. "We have kids that qualified for the national meet that are planning on going and that's a new thing for the Valley so that's exciting.

Talking to Debra Bray, who is one of the main officials for AAU we are trying to get people from Raymondville, other small communities to join and I see a lot of potential for the meet next year."

With the 2008 national qualifier in the books South Texas Director of AAU LaBruce Bray said he enjoyed having the events in Brownsville and is looking forward to 2009.

"This weekend has been totally awesome," Bray said. "The people of Brownsville have bent over backwards to help, they make us want to come back at full strength and will we be back. In August we are going to start planning for next year and all I have to say is everyone should come out because it's going to be awesome."