PREP SWIMMING: BROOKS IS A.V.'S LONE HOPE SENIOR SWIMMING FOR BREAKTHROUGH.Byline: Nevin Barich Nevin Barich (born August 6, 1979) is a former American sports journalist now working as the Senior Editor of The National Notary, a trade magazine based in Los Angeles with a circulation of more than 300,000 nationwide. Staff Writer For the Antelope Valley This article is about the Los Angeles County region. For the census-designated place in Wyoming, see Antelope Valley-Crestview, Wyoming. The Antelope Valley High boys' swim team, Marcus Brooks is it. Brooks is the lone shining star for the Antelopes, competing in the 50 freestyle The code name for the MCE version of Windows. See Media Center Edition. in an attempt to become Antelope antelope, name applied to a large number of hoofed, ruminant mammals of the cattle family (Bovidae), which also includes the sheep and goats. The North American pronghorn is sometimes called an antelope, but belongs to a separate, related family (Antilocapridae). Valley's first swimmer to qualify for Southern Section in at least 30 years. Antelope Valley doesn't have a history of a strong swim program, as evidenced not only by its long postseason drought but also by the fact the team has only five swimmers on varsity this year. So boy's coach Jacob Gregory, along with girls' coach Jonathan Paris, is focusing his efforts on trying to get Brooks to swim well enough to advance to Southern Section. ``We've been giving him different workouts and having him alternate some things in his regimen regimen /reg·i·men/ (rej´i-men) a strictly regulated scheme of diet, exercise, or other activity designed to achieve certain ends. reg·i·men n. 1. ,'' Gregory said. ``He's adjusting to it pretty well. Basically, we're doing everything we can to get him to compete.'' For Brooks, a senior, qualifying for Southern Section is especially important since he came so close to doing so last year. In 2001, Brooks missed consideration time by a hundredth of a second. So far this season, his best time has been three-hundredths of a second off consideration time. ``Qualifying has definitely been my main goal this year,'' Brooks said. ``I had been looking forward to the season for quite a while because I really want to qualify after coming so close last year.'' Brooks is an unlikely candidate to be a Southern Section-qualifying swimmer. He didn't even take up the sport until two years ago, playing volleyball volleyball, outdoor or indoor ball and net game played on a level court. An upright net, 3 ft (or 1 m) high, the top of which stands 8 ft (2.43 m) from the ground for men, 7 ft 4 1/8 in (2. his freshman year. After deciding to give up volleyball, however, he took a friend's advice to try swimming and soon after he was hooked hooked adverb Addicted . Brooks' progression was swift. He joined the Oasis Club Team in Antelope Valley and showed such potential that last January he took a job as one of the team's assistant coaches. ``I have my own little group of kids I work with who are much less advanced than some of the other swimmers,'' Brooks said, ``but a lot of times I work with some of the more-accomplished swimmers.'' Gregory said Brooks' success is in large part because of his work ethic work ethic n. A set of values based on the moral virtues of hard work and diligence. work ethic Noun a belief in the moral value of work . ``He's an extremely hard worker,'' Gregory said. ``He knows a lot about the sport, he understands it, he coaches it and he knows the technique.'' Paris also thinks highly of Brooks' skills but knows there are things he must work on.'' ``Marcus is a good swimmer, a swimmer with a lot of potential,'' Paris said. ``However, he does need some maturity in his training. He's got the height and the build to be a top sprinter, but there are just a few things he needs to work on in his technique. Whether or not he can qualify depends on how hard he works on being a top sprinter.'' Next year, Brooks hopes to be at West Point in New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of to continue his family's military tradition. Both of Brooks' older sisters went through the academy and his grandfather was a first lieutenant in World War II. West Point's academic standards are high, but Brooks should have the grades for it. He has a 4.3 grade-point average and will be the valedictorian of his senior class. ``If I go to West Point,'' Brooks said, ``my schooling will be taken care of and there will be a job waiting for me when I come out. It's a good deal.'' BROOKS FILE Who: Marcus Brooks Year: Senior What: 50 freestyle sprinter, Antelope Valley boys' swim team Quote: ``Three years ago, Marcus basically couldn't even swim. Because of a lot of practice and a tough work ethic, he's become a great freestyler and a possible CIF (1) (Common Intermediate Format) A standard video format used in videoconferencing. CIF formats are defined by their resolution, and standards both above and below the original resolution have been established. The original CIF is also known as Full CIF (FCIF). qualifier qual·i·fi·er n. 1. One that qualifies, especially one that has or fulfills all appropriate qualifications, as for a position, office, or task. 2. .'' - Antelope Valley coach Jacob Gregory CAPTION(S): photo, box Photo: Competing in the 50 freestyle, Marcus Brooks is trying to become Antelope Valley's first swimmer to qualify for Southern Section in at least 30 years. Gene Blevins/Special to the Daily News Box: BROOKS FILE (see text) |
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