The Pine Bluff Aquatics Center held its first Junior National Qualifier Arkansas AAU Swim State Championships earlier during the month of June with over 14 teams and approximately 150 participants. Deltaplex spoke with Troy DeBill who is the assistant swim coach of the Pine Bluff Shark Swim team alongside the head coach and Aquatics Center director Farrin Cain on Thursday, July 8 about how they managed that meet and its benefits.
DeBill also said in order for participants to qualify for nationals, they were required to have the qualified time or placed 1st, 2nd, or 3rd, depending on the events.
The Shark Swim Team not only won the meet overall but also had 14 swimmers to qualify for the Junior National Olympics this year, which takes place in Houston, TX from July 27 until August 1. The team was recognized and congratulated for this at the most recent City Council meeting by Mayor Shirley Washington.
According to Cain, the meet averages over 20,000 people with various sports other than swimming such as basketball, track & field, and wrestling to name a few.
The Aquatics Center is also hosting another big meet later this month, the SASA Championships, and the team is encouraging the community to come out and support on July 23-24.
