By Tamas Mondovics
Hard work and commitment paid off this summer for members of Tampa Bay Aquatics’ Brandon Team (TBAY), which includes three young swimmers, Celi Guzman, Christin Rockway and Wes McGovern.
Coached by Dave Gesacion, the talented aquatic trio trained year-round at the River Hills Country Club in Valrico, and now enjoy the spotlight after earning a couple of sizable, prestigious accomplishments.
In July, Rockway was named to the 2014-2015 National Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association (NISCA) All-American Team (200 IM and 500 free). Rockway also qualified for the Olympic trials, but was not alone in earning the chance to compete as teammate McGovern, (now a Purdue University student) also qualified in the 100 meter backstroke.
Adding to TBAY’s recent success, Guzman also shined this summer including a great showing at the 2015 FINA World Junior Championships in Singapore, where she competed as a member of the Puerto Rican Junior National Team.
Guzman finished her meet with three new best times in 50 and 100 meter butterfly and, a new Puerto Rico National Record in 50 meter backstroke.
Guzman’s strong showing came after another great performance earlier this summer as she helped lead the Puerto Rico National Age Group Team to the High Point Award at the 2015 CCCAN Championships by winning both the 13-14 Girls 100 back, with a new meet record of 1:05.11, and 200 back.
The entire program counts on Gesacion’s expertise as a 15 time NAIA All-American, 8-time NCAA Division II All-American, NAIA National Champion in the 200 Butterfly, 4-time team MVP, and a CoSIDA Academic All-American. Gesacion was a 2006 Speedo Long Course Junior National Champions associate head coach, the recipient of the ASCA Award of Excellence in 2007 and a 2008 inductee into the Westminster College Hall of Fame.
TBAY Brandon is a parent founded organization managed and operated as a 501(c)(3) organization. For more information, visit www.tbaybrandon.org.
