The more than two dozen members of the Hays Heat Swim Team and many of their coaches take a breather from practice before the swim meet they’ll host this Saturday at the Hays YMCA in Buda. (Photo by Jim Cullen)
by JIM CULLEN
The Hays Heat-hosted swim meet kicks off with opening ceremonies at 8:35 a.m. Saturday at YMCA Hays County in the Buda Sportsplex. Expected to draw a large crowd, the free event is the first Special Olympics competition in the area this school year.
Competition starts at 9:15 a.m. and runs through 11:15 a.m. The afternoon session starts at noon and runs to 3 p.m., Hays Heat coach Jennifer Welma said.
Hays CISD started its Hays Heat team under the direction of Michelle McGehee and the team has grown in popularity since its birth. Today, Adaptive Physical Education (APE) teacher Welma and APE assistant Ronnie Bracht travel the district for those services, coach Special Olympics and assist with the Young Athletes Program, another effort at bringing sports to students with disabilities.
The full roster of Heat competitors includes Angel Castillo, Zoey Cunningham, J.T. Madden and Shelly Spencer from Tobias Elementary, Gabby Fisher and Dean Swearingen from Negley Elementary and Aaron Rojas from Fuentes Elementary. Middle school team members are William Amman, Stephen Erickson and Osvaldo Garcia from Wallace, Joseph Beaver, Donovan Pardo and Chris Segura from Simon and D.J. DeLeon and Johnny Garcia from Barton.
Also, Lehman High School’s Tristan Bourgeous, Justine Dorris, Alex Parra and Weston Pekar and Hays High School’s Langdon Cook, Mac Goodwin, Travis Hallman, Seth Harris, Elijah Peyton and J.C. Vargas complete the team.
