Marble Falls’ Brashers are headed to AAU Junior Olympics
CAPTION: Josie and Everett Brasher will represent Marble Falls and Burnet County in the Amateur Athletic Union’s Junior Olympics. Courtesy photo
Two Marble Falls Independent School District children are competing at the Junior Olympics of the Amateur Athletic Union July 29-Aug. 5.
They are 11-year-old Everett Brasher, a Marble Falls Middle School sixth-grader, and 10-year-old Josie Brasher, a Colt Elementary School fifth-grader.
The two are members of the North Shore Stars Track Club under the direction of coach Cedric Griffin.
“I started coaching them last fall,” he said. “They’re baseball and softball kids. Their mom (Shelley) is always trying to get them into different sports. I started doing speed training. I also let them know I had a track team. She likes that I have a team of kids around the same age that do track events.”
Everett will compete in the pentathlon (80-meter hurdles, shot put, high jump, long jump and 1,500 meters) at 8:15 a.m. while Josie is slated for the triathlon (high jump, shot put, 200 meters) at 9:30 a.m., both Sunday, July 30.
The two also will run in the 800 meters at 9:15 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 2, and the 1,500 meters at 8 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 3.
The Brashers finished in the top six at a regional meet in their respective events to qualify for the Junior Olympics. Everett was first in the 1,500 meters and third in the 800 meters, while Josie took gold in the 1,500 meters and silver in the 800 meters.
The Brashers have competed in the long jump, high jump, 80-meter hurdles, 200 meters, 800 meters and 1,500 meters. Everett’s personal best in the 800 meters is 2 minutes and 39.62 seconds and 5:20.81 in the 1,500 meters. Josie’s best time in the 800 meters is 2:51.26 and 5:48.60 in the 1,500 meters.
“I put them in all the events so they can have that experience,” the coach said. “They’re young. They try hard in each event. I don’t like to put kids into something they may not like. When you start winning, it gives you confidence. I want to give kids confidence in everything, not just sports.”
What makes the two siblings great, Griffin said, is their approach to sports.
“They don’t miss practices,” he said. “They work hard, and you don’t have to push them. They came in wanting to fix their form and wanting to learn how to run and gain athleticism.”
Though track is a secondary sport for both, Griffin said he has witnessed “a lot of growth this season.”
“Competition breeds excellence,” he said. “Other kids push you. I think they’re going to continue to compete and get better. Track is a super transparent sport. What you see is what you get. You can’t do that if you don’t put in the work.”
The North Shore Stars Track Club is conducting a fundraiser. Click here for information.
Watch videos on Highland Lakes sports by going to Fierro’s YouTube channel and searching for The Broad Podcaster. Please like, subscribe and share.
