HENRY MILLER | SPECIAL TO THE MONITOR
McALLEN — Everybody who talked about McAllen Memorial swimmer Jorge Vazquez on Wednesday mentioned his “plan.”
“He knew what he wanted,” his McAllen Swim Club coach, Alex Lerma, said. “He had a plan, and it involved his schooling, his athletics — all of it. He knew what he was doing.”
In front of hundreds of classmates, teammates and teachers as well as his mom, dad, brother, sister and grandparents, Vazquez signed his national letter of intent to swim for Division I University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio. His scholarship was a combination between athletics and academics.
“I’ve been nervous all week,” said Vazquez, the two-time District 30-6A champion in the 100-meter breaststroke and school record holder in that event. “This is something I’ve been looking forward to and working hard for. I can’t believe it’s finally here.”
Vazquez’s dad, Rafael Vazquez, began swimming when he was 8 and competed until he was 15. At 16, he found out he was going to be a young father and turned his attention to his family.
“When Jorge got older, we asked him what he wanted to do as far as sports,” the elder Vazquez said in Spanish. “He said swimming. He wanted to do the same sport I did, and we put him in at 8 years old.
“I’m very proud. I gave it up at a young age, and I’m so happy he took it up and has worked so hard. He made a plan and stuck to it.”
During his first year swimming for the McAllen Swim Club, Jorge Vazquez qualified for the South Texas Age Group championships, passing by others who had been swimming and competing for years.
“It was an honor and just amazing to be there,” he said.
A year later, he qualified for the Texas Age Group Swimming Championships in all three of his events — the 50-, 100- and 200-yard breaststroke, finishing in the top eight in all three.
“Jorge has a really good work ethic, and he’s a natural talent,” Lerma said. “He also has that ability to find the things that he needs. As soon as he entered high school, he just exploded his first year.”
Lerma said the sky is the limit for Vazquez because of the talent and coaching that will surround him.
“He hasn’t swam as much his senior year, but he knows what he’s doing,” Lerma said. “He’s planned it out very thoroughly and carefully.”
“I’ve worked hard and had good teammates and coaches and family support,” Jorge Vazquez said. “I just can’t wait to start this new chapter in my life. I’ve waited for this moment.”