Parents & Students Brave Cold To Score WPIAL Swim Championship Tickets

OAKLAND (KDKA) -- It has been said that you have to be a little different to become a competitive swimmer, and the same can be said for their parents.

Hundreds spent Wednesday night braving the cold in Oakland, waiting for tickets for the WPIAL's swimming championships to go on sale.

"We got here about 10:30 last night. We spend tonight freezing, but it's what we do for our kids," said Eric Chalus from Bethel Park.

The tickets went on sale at 9 a.m. at Trees Pool on the Pitt University Campus.

Join The Conversation On The KDKA Facebook Page
Stay Up To Date, Follow KDKA On Twitter

"It was a pretty cold night. Not as bad as it has been in the past. My boy is a senior down here so this is my fourth year down here, and it's the best one yet," said Ed Cercone.

Some chose to do more than just bundle up. There were tents and space heaters around to help people keep warm.

While their kids are competing against each other in the pool, there is a strong sense of comraderie among the hearty parents and fans.

"I think we have about 16 kids here and we had about 6 or 8 or us here today staying out all night, and we are just going to get some tickets for some of the other people. That way we don't have to suffer out in the cold here," said one parent.

The 20 degree weather wasn't pleasant, but it was a far cry from the single digit chill from last year.