The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Kris Kubik on Aaron Peirsol
10.14.2016 | Men's Swimming and Diving
Former UT associate head coach Kris Kubik shares his thoughts on Texas Swimming's newest inductee into the UT Athletics Men's Hall of Honor, Aaron Peirsol.
Aaron was the ultimate competitor. His freshman year we were in a dual meet at SMU. During warmup Eddie saw Aaron staring at the record board and told Aaron, "There's no way you can go that fast in the 200 back at this time of the year.". As soon as he touched the wall and saw that his time was indeed a new pool record, Aaron looked straight at Eddie and put up his Hook 'em Horns sign.
He has a love for the water like few I have ever seen. As a kid growing up in Newport Beach, California, Aaron would go to morning swimming practice, then go to the beach to body surf or ride on a board, then go back to afternoon swimming practice and sometimes head back to the ocean for one more wave before sundown. After residing in Austin for a decade, he returned to Newport Beach where he continues to body surf, surf, paddle board, and sail as well as advocate for maintaining or establishing clean ocean water and coastlines for future generations to enjoy.
Aaron gets along with everyone he meets from every walk of life imaginable. He is as comfortable talking with Board Members of the International Olympic Committee as he is chatting it up with someone who is down and out living under the Pier on Balboa Island. If you spend more than five minutes with him, you will have a friend for life.
There really is no one else quite like Aaron. He truly is "one of a kind." He is a tremendous ambassador for the sport of swimming at all levels from learn-to-swim through high school swimming all the way to the Olympics. He is caring, compassionate, supportive, and genuine. Aaron represented and continues to represent the University of Texas in an exemplary fashion. We are all incredibly proud that he has been selected into the Longhorn Hall of Honor.
He has a love for the water like few I have ever seen. As a kid growing up in Newport Beach, California, Aaron would go to morning swimming practice, then go to the beach to body surf or ride on a board, then go back to afternoon swimming practice and sometimes head back to the ocean for one more wave before sundown. After residing in Austin for a decade, he returned to Newport Beach where he continues to body surf, surf, paddle board, and sail as well as advocate for maintaining or establishing clean ocean water and coastlines for future generations to enjoy.
Aaron gets along with everyone he meets from every walk of life imaginable. He is as comfortable talking with Board Members of the International Olympic Committee as he is chatting it up with someone who is down and out living under the Pier on Balboa Island. If you spend more than five minutes with him, you will have a friend for life.
There really is no one else quite like Aaron. He truly is "one of a kind." He is a tremendous ambassador for the sport of swimming at all levels from learn-to-swim through high school swimming all the way to the Olympics. He is caring, compassionate, supportive, and genuine. Aaron represented and continues to represent the University of Texas in an exemplary fashion. We are all incredibly proud that he has been selected into the Longhorn Hall of Honor.