BYUH students and alumni emerge victorious after winning first place in the World Freshwater Spearfishing Championship held in Arizona
BYU–Hawaii students, alumni and their close friends won the World Freshwater Spearfishing Championship because they were a crew of believers, said Darvil McBride, an alumnus from California who studied international business. According to him, their hard work, dedication and trust in God made them champions in the latest World Freshwater Spearfishing Championship. The contribution of everyone on the boat, he added, made it possible for them to apply the skills learned from their training for the tournament.
Writing history
Darvil McBride said he had his first spearfishing experience when he came to BYUH. His uncle, Jonah McBride, also an alumnus from BYUH, introduced him to spearfishing. He in turn introduced it to his younger brothers, Hunter and Tanner. Darvil McBride said he came to BYUH because the area had easy access to the sea, giving him opportunities to learn to spearfish, which he loved. He said he learned the basics and little by little improved his skills as spearfishing became a hobby and leisure activity for him and his friends.
Darvil McBride said Garrett Kerr, an alumnus who also studied international business and his college friend, became his fishing buddy. Eventually, Kerr also became a part of his championship team in 2023, said Darvil McBride. He explained that the variety and abundance of fish in Hawaii make spearfishing more competitive in Hawaii than anywhere else.
Kerr said while going to school, spearfishing helped him make friends, and the guidance of others helped him learn spearfishing quickly.
Kerr said their newfound spearfishing hobby made them aware of the state rules on what types of fish to catch and not to catch. He said this ultimately gave them momentum to elevate their skills after graduation and helped them protect nature as they spearfished. On occasion, Kerr said they were able to feed themselves with the fish they caught and save money because of it.
After graduating in 2009, Darvil McBride said he moved back to California to continue with his life. He said he did not originally know spearfishing competitions existed. He became acquainted with groups and people who knew more about upcoming spearfishing tournaments, Darvil McBride said, and first joined the OC Classic in Orange County, California. He then said he competed in many more competitions afterward. The connections Darvil McBride made among the people he met led him to compete in his first-ever spearfishing tournament in 2010, he said.
Tanner McBride, a senior majoring in biochemistry from California, said his older brother Darvil McBride introduced him and his other brother, Hunter McBride, to spearfishing. He said their older brother became a mentor for them to learn the basics of the sport.
Throughout the years, Darvil McBride said evolved in his craft and skills in spearfishing while teaching his brothers. He said his brothers are also attending BYUH to gain their education and be in an environment where they can learn the craft of spearfishing.
Darvil McBride said his preparations and spearfishing practice led him and his previous crew to join the 2021 National Freshwater Spearfishing Championship. He said they earned a score of 263 points in the championship. Although they failed to defend their title in 2022, the points they had accumulated allowed them to still qualify to compete for the World Freshwater Spearfishing Championship in 2023.
Global stage
Hunter McBride, a senior majoring in biochemistry from California, said when he and his brother heard their older brother would represent the United States for the World Freshwater Spearfishing Championship, they immediately planned their training process for the event. He said they took a semester off from BYUH just to prepare themselves physically and mentally for the championship.
Darvil McBride said the event was in their favor this year because of the location it was held in. He said the location for this year’s tournament should have been in Ukraine, but because of the ongoing war, it was moved to Lake Powell, which is along the Utah and Arizona border. He said the change made it easier for them to visit the lake and practice beforehand.
Darvil McBride said 13 countries joined the event, plus a team led by Justin Lee, a Hawaiian who was last year’s national freshwater spearfishing champion. He said the competition has different brackets for young and old participants, with all of the events happening in the same lake.
Darvil McBride said Tanner and Hunter McBride were the deckhands, or boat captains, for the competition. He said they had the responsibility to lure the fish near their boat, scout the fish, make sure the gear and equipment were ready and get to the fish as fast as possible. He said they contributed a lot during the tournament.
Training and preparation
Having the correct team with skilled individuals helps a lot in tournaments, said Darvil McBride. He said each person greatly contributed to every aspect of preparation, from driving to a perfect spot to getting fish loaded up to scouting places to fish and more.
Tanner McBride said besides taking a semester off to improve their skills, his team came early to the location of the tournament and continued with their preparations. He said they collaborated as a team to plan things out around the lake and familiarize themselves with the lake’s terrain.
Besides preparing mentally and physically, Tanner said they also prepared themselves financially because taking competitions like this is expensive. He said it was a challenge because although they had sponsors, they still had to fundraise to keep up with their expenses, such as gas, food and a place to stay.
In an article released by FreshWater World’s website, the crew says they were nervous and excited to compete against top-caliber participants from around the world. The article states, “Since the United States had never won the world championship, it weighed heavily on [the team’s] minds.” The article also says the crew arrived a few days early as a team to come up with “a master plan.”
According to the article, the previous rain and melting snowpack contributed to a continual 1.5-foot water level rise every day. The condition of the weather and environment iss described in the article as a natural phenomenon, causing sporadic fish behavior, poor visibility, unpredictable changes in water temperatures and constant movement of the fish around the lake.
Tournament ready
Darvil McBride said their first day did not go as planned. He said the visibility became worse prior to their scouting days. Because of several factors like the sun and random moving particles, he said it became very murky for them to see fish. He said they tried relocating from cove to cove only to find little to no fish at all. Their spot on day one was completely barren, Darvil McBride said.
After several attempts to find fish, he said only caught a couple, which put them in last place on the first day with an 82-point deficit from the leading team. He said they were all frustrated, tired and convinced they had zero chance of bouncing back. He said although the crew shared mixed emotions on day one, it did not stop them from thinking about making a comeback the next day. “We were all feeling discouraged, but we all decided to regroup and replan for the next day. As much as it was hard to stay focused and motivated for the next day, they all did their best to get their energies pumped up the second day,” Darvil McBride said.