Fishing Legacy

HARLINGEN — Fishing started early in the Magouirk family.

Alison Magouirk’s great grandfather owned a local commercial fisherman’s camp along the South Texas coastline.

Her great grandfather shared his knowledge and love for fishing and the outdoors with her grandfather, who then passed along that passion to her father.

For someone who has been fishing their entire life, it was no surprise when Alison, 22, was named the 2017 Texas International Fishing Tournament Hostess.

The 78th annual TIFT will be held Aug. 3-6.

“Growing up, I have considered family and fishing my whole life. Some of my earliest memories are summer weekends, waking up at 5 in the morning to go fishing with my siblings,” Alison said.

Alison has been involved in TIFT for many years. She fished in the tournament for 15 years and has been volunteering for the past nine years.

She enjoys volunteering, whether it is unloading trophies at the convention center, setting up for registration, filling registration bags, selling raffle tickets, setting up and working play day, carrying the fish during dock crew, or participating in the dirtiest T-shirt contest.

As a young girl, Alison always thought of the TIFT hostess as somewhat of a role model.

“I have always dreamed of, hopefully, being able to achieve this position and to be a role model to the little girls, just like me, years ago,” Alison said.

“Now, having seen some of my earliest friends become the TIFT hostess, it makes me that much more excited to be given this extraordinary opportunity.”

Alison is the daughter of Mark and Sandy Magouirk of Harlingen. She is currently a senior at Texas A&M University in College Station, majoring in allied health. She also has been a TIFT scholarship recipient every year since the 2013-2014 school year.

She is a member of the Delta Zeta Sorority through which she actively volunteers and fundraises for their two philanthropic organizations, Starkey’s Hearing Foundation and Isaiah’s Place, which support local and national speech and hearing organizations.

She is also a part of the Collegiate National Honor Society and the Public Relations Student Society of America.

Outside of school, Alison actively volunteers at Project Unity, which is a nonprofit organization that provides services and activities to help locals in the Brazos Valley make positive changes in their lives.

Because of her selection as the hostess, Alison will receive a $2,000 scholarship toward her studies at the university.

Alison has been involved in numerous fishing tournaments throughout her life. But she said what sets TIFT apart from any other tournament is how family oriented it has always been.

“My family and I look forward to the first week of August every year,” she said.