BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER
PHARR — An unfamiliar team is making a name for itself during the early going of the swim season. Through just three meets, the boys and girls of PSJA Southwest have combined for 31 medals, including 22 gold finishes.
But just four years ago, the Javelinas swim team was nonexistent. Since their inaugural season in 2013, however, Southwest has morphed from an upstart into a contender for a district title thanks to budding in-house talent and the transfer of two skilled brothers.
“I grew up in the area,” Joshua Velasquez said of his hometown, Pharr. “So the transition was pretty easy for me. I’m used to my teammates, it’s like I get to hang out with all of my old friends.”
Velasquez, a junior, and younger brother Joseph, a sophomore, moved to Southwest from McAllen Memorial during the summer. The pair advanced to thestate swim meet a season ago, and brings with it speed and swimming know-how.
“We liked a lot of things that the coaching staff were doing,” Joshua said. “Everyone was working hard, but having a lot of fun while doing it.
Joshua specializes in the breaststroke and the butterfly, and won gold in both events at last week’s the PSJA ISD Fall Kickoff Invitational in Pharr. Joseph claimed first place in the 100-yatd backstroke and 500 freestyle at the same meet.
But it’s not the quantity of golds that’s impressive, it’s the quality. Each is posting some of the best individual times in the Valley in their respective events.
“We have a lot of younger swimmers on the team who are just now learning the ropes,” assistant coach Ben Waddell said. “With the brothers on the team, they help coach up some of those kids, but they also challenge some of our faster swimmers, too. They push everybody.”
One swimmer is Juan Meija, a sophomore who swims with the brothers in the 200-yard freestyle relay. Last season, Meija was an impressive freshman, but lacked an adequate sparring partner during practice to push him to better times.
“We were good last year,” Meija said. “Better than a lot of people thought we would be, but now we’ve got Josh and Joseph, and they’re helping everyone get faster.”
Other swimmers who have won medals for Southwest this season are Bets Hinojosa (silver in the boys 200-meter freestyle) and Lourdes Wisby, (gold in girls 100-yard backstroke)
FIRST GOLD
Edinburg Vela freshman Justice Rivera claimed his first career gold last week at the PSJA ISD Fall Kickoff Invitational. Rivera won the boys 200 freestyle in 2:01.18, more than three seconds better than the runner-up.
“I’m happy with first, but it’s not my (personal record),” Rivera said. “I swam a 1:57 back in the summer. I just have to get in shape and do what it takes to help out my team. I want to get better for the relays and be able to help them win.”
UP NEXT
Valley swimmers are back in the pool at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday at the Weslaco Aquatic Center.
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