Visions of parking nightmares, complete gridlock and bad weather
never came true as the Far Western Short Course Championship swim
meet concluded its four-day run Sunday with only a few
problems.
Visions of parking nightmares, complete gridlock and bad weather never came true as the Far Western Short Course Championship swim meet concluded its four-day run Sunday with only a few problems.
While the skies were gray and the wind blew Saturday and Sunday, no rain fell until the meet was already over and cleanup crews were nearly finished.
In fact, the meet went so well, Pacific Swim officials indicated Morgan Hill will receive the nod to host next year’s event if local organizers submit a bid. And that is likely.
“The head referee said he would recommend the meet be held here next year,” said co-event coordinator Denise Melroy. “When he says that, we’re pretty much guaranteed to host it again, unless other teams object.”
The 1,000-plus visitors to the community also packed restaurants and filled motels, giving the local economy a financial boost.
Melroy said the teams she spoke to said they would love to come to Morgan Hill again.
“Everything is run so smoothly,” said Bill Humby, coach for Canada’s Team Alberta. “Having the motels right across from the pools worked out so well.”
Coronado Navy Swim Association coach Carlos Gonzalez loved Morgan Hill’s small-town atmosphere that helped keep his swimmers in line.
“The kids can’t get distracted,” said Gonzalez. “They stay focused on their swimming instead.”
While few knew where Morgan Hill was before they arrived, competitors soon fell in love with the city.
Nathan Demchuk, a swimmer from Alberta who drove through Morgan Hill two years ago, said he loved the scenery.
He wasn’t the only one.
“This is beautiful,” said Leigh Robbins from Richmond, Va. “It’s absolutely gorgeous.
Robbins, along with the Nova of Virginia Aquatics team, made the cross-country trip because the Far Western swim meet is the only event in the country that was a higher level of competition than state meets but not as high as nationals.
Team Alberta, Coronado and Nova were just three of 74 teams from across the western United States and Canada bringing with them more than 1,100 swimmers, not to mention coaches, parents and other family members.
Motel rooms across from the center were sold out and most of the remaining motel rooms in Morgan Hill were filled as well.
“The Aquatics Center is doing exactly what it was designed to do: bring money to the community,” said Aaron Himelson, recreation supervisor for the city’s Aquatics Center.
Bob Martin, director of marketing/economic development for the Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce, said initial feedback from the community has been good.
“The anecdotal reaction I’ve received has been positive,” Martin said. “The restaurants have been full, but there haven’t been long lines out the door. The city has absorbed this really well and I haven’t heard any complaints.”
While the city has benefited from the weekend of events, Mayor Dennis Kennedy said the swim meet would also bring more money to the Aquatics Center along with the local swim clubs.
“Our goal (for the Aquatics Center) for the first year is to break even,” Kennedy said. “With the event, we will probably do better than break even.”
One of the major concerns for the weekend was traffic and parking.
While the swim meet was taking place, the Northern California State Cup youth soccer tournament was held next door at the soccer complex Saturday and Sunday.
Sunday, the Japanese Haru Matsuri spring festival took place at the Buddhist Community Center just east of the soccer complex.
Despite the concerns, the weekend’s traffic was moderate. Condit Road was packed with motorists on their way to the Aquatics Center and Soccer Complex throughout the weekend.
Parking at the Aquatics Center was eased thanks to the lack of rain during the week, allowing a vacant lot south of the Aquatic Center to be used for overflow.
Cheeto Barrera is an intern at the Morgan Hill Times. He can be reached at cb******@mo*************.com.
