This is a work in progress.  We want to make sure we properly honor Alex Row, his family, and the recipients of the memorial award that bears Alex' name.  We will begin with what we know, and ask your assistance in helping us complete the project with any additional information you can share, including past recipients and the years in which they won the award.

Recipients page

Each year, the Vista Del Norte Barracudas pay respect to a former neighbor and Barracuda, Alex Row, by selecting a male and female swimmer that each embodies the spirit of fun, competitive swimming, and team spirit and encouragement.

The Row family lived in Vista Del Norte and started the Barracudas swim team in 1983.  Their son Alex swam as a Barracuda.  He swam well each summer throughout his eligibility for summer swim league, improving his swim skills, but more importantly, being an encouraging and participating team mate on his Barracuda teams.

Alex became a high school swimmer at Churchill.  Coach Marks’ enduring memory of Alex was when he asked Alex, a senior, his preference of events, 3 relay and 1 individual, or 2 relay and 2 individual.  Alex’s response was, “whatever helps the team the most”.  This was an outstanding swimmer in his senior year of high school that was not as concerned with his own individual accolades as much as the team’s success.

Alex then went to swim on scholarship at Trinity University and was integral to the men’s team’s competiveness his freshman year and the fall season of his sophomore year. But tragically, Alex did not complete his sophomore year.

As stated in the Trinity University Swimming archives, 1998-1999 season, “After a very successful competitive campaign in the fall semester, T.U. swimmers and divers experienced the heartbreaking accidental death of sophomore Alex Row in mid-December (1998).  A popular and inspirational member of the team, Row loved to compete and was remembered by all who were close to the team as a swimmer who would race with abandon whenever the opportunity availed itself. In the 1998 SCAC Invitational Championships he had captured 2nd place from an outside lane and earned the title of "outside smoker" for his daring "go for it" spirit. In the midst of mourning his loss, his teammates dedicated the rest of their season to his memory.”

And so, we in Vista Del Norte each year remember Alex Row and his participation with the Barracudas.