Parade for Peirsol planned in Newport

Danette Goulet

NEWPORT BEACH - First they gave him his own day, now the city has

issued a rare parade permit for Olympic swimming silver medalist Aaron

Peirsol.

Come 11:30 a.m. Saturday -- otherwise known as Aaron Peirsol Day in

the city -- the main drag of Balboa Peninsula will be cleared of traffic

to make way for a parade honoring the 17-year-old Newport Harbor High

School junior.

“This is going to be fun,” Peirsol said. “It’s really going to be

sweet.”

Perhaps not as sweet as when he won the silver medal at the summer

games in Sydney in the 200-meter backstroke, just behind world champion

Lenny Krayzelburg of the U.S., but sweet none the less.

Leading the proud parade pack will be the Newport Harbor band,

followed by the day’s namesake riding in a vintage 1910 Rambler

convertible.

“It’ll be cool to see who’s there,” Peirsol said.

For starters there will be a Newport Beach Fire Department truck,

followed by such local dignitaries as City Council members, City Manager

Homer Bludau and Newport Beach Police Chief Bob McDonell, said Jerry

Murphy, staff commodore of American Legion Post 291, which is sponsoring

the day’s events.

Next in line will be the girls in green. Two troupes of Girl Scouts

from Newport Heights Elementary School and one from Mariners Elementary

will march the mile-long route. They will be followed by their younger

counterparts, the Brownies, who will travel via Razor scooters.

And bringing up the rear will be Peirsol’s aquatic buddies, the

Newport Harbor High’s CIF Southern Section Division I championship water

polo team. The recently victorious team will, like Peirsol, be carried in

a motorcade of vintage cars.

The parade will begin at the Balboa Pier and end with a barbecue bash

at the American Legion Hall, 215 15th St.

Although the barbecue is free, individuals wishing to feast with the

famous folk at the event must call Newport Harbor’s Associate Student

Body office to get tickets.

Despite the honor, Peirsol remains, as always, humble.

Although a trip to Washington, D.C., this week with his fellow

Olympians to meet President Clinton -- not to mention his hometown’s

ongoing desire to honor him -- keeps his 200-meter backstroke victory

fresh in his mind, Peirsol has already started training for his next

victory.

After a five-week hiatus, Peirsol dove back in the water in

mid-October, he said Thursday, to prepare for the nationals in March.

Qualifying at the nationals would allow him to swim in competition for

the World Cup.

Peirsol is already guaranteed a spot at a competition in Paris in

January based on his world ranking.

If he can get his schoolwork done over winter break, Peirsol said, he

plans to travel to Paris to compete.

“I’ve learned if you don’t get it all done before you go -- you don’t

get it done,” he said.

FYI

The free tickets for the barbecue that follows the Aaron Peirsol Day

parade are available through the Newport Harbor High School Associate

Student Body office at (949) 515-6306.