Women’s swimming and diving team will compete in Jordan

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    By Julie Murdock

    In the final scenes of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Indy saves the day in the ancient city of Petra, Jordan.

    Right before Indy runs the gauntlet in the mountain temple, his sidekick Donovan, asks him “Ready to go down in history?”

    Just like Indy, the women”s swimming and diving team will make their own moment in history this spring when they visit Jordan.

    The Cougars will be in the Middle East to compete in the Jordan Invitational May 1 and 2.

    NCAA rules allow collegiate teams to travel to foreign countries to compete in exhibition every four years said head coach Stan Crump.

    Crump said the BYU women”s swim team received an invitation to travel to Jordan after participating in a coach”s conference there last year.

    In addition to competing against swimmers from the Jordan area, the team will have the opportunity to visit many historical sites.

    “There”s lots of culture and history, both Christian and Muslim, in the area,” said Crump.

    This is the same area that Moses and the children of Israel stayed during their 40 years in the desert, he said.

    “We”ll try to get clearance to go to Jerusalem but may not get to go for obvious reasons,” he said.

    The Cougars personal tour guide on the trip will be Hana Majaj, a freshman swimmer from Amman, Jordan.

    Majaj said she came to BYU because she thinks it is a good school with a good swim team. She also wanted to be with her older sister.

    “I”m excited to show them the culture, how we think, what we think is right and wrong,” said Majaj. “Jordan is something precious for the people here because of it”s culture and history.”

    Team captain, senior Melissa Thompson, said that Majaj has worked so hard at getting to know American culture and the whole team is excited to learn more about her life.

    Thompson said it”s also a good chance for the team to be together and have fun.

    “We”re all such good friends, it”s just fun to be together,” she said.

    Majaj said she is excited to show her friends around the ancient sites of Jordan like Petra, Jerash and Aqaba and introduce the team to her family.

    “My mom is planning on having a dinner for the team,” she said.

    Although proselyting is not allowed in Jordan, Crump said the team is interested in meeting with members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

    “We will work with the branch there and do whatever we can for them, maybe some firesides,” he said.

    Thompson said that the team will be meeting with President Bateman to discuss their responsibilities as representatives of the United States and the Church of Jesus Christ.

    “People still know who you are and where you”re from,” Thompson said. “They like our standards.”

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