Four of the most accomplished swimming programs in Southern California have embarked on a dual meet series. The teams, which include the Mission Viejo Nadadores, Irvine Novaquatics, Rose Bowl Aquatics and Canyons Aquatic Club, wanted to give their swimmers and parents the fun of a college style dual meet.
NOVA ended up taking the victory in this particular competition, although the results show that both teams fought back and forth.
The meets are designed to get the entire team involved, from the youngest to the oldest. Each team is allowed to bring ten swimmers per age-group, per gender. The age groups are 5-10, 11-12, 13-14 and 15-18. Then they have to fill a lineup.
This gives the rare experience in big club teams of having swimmers of all ages competing together at the same meet. Another advantage is that the meet takes place over a relatively compact level of time. This means that more parents can attend and see the whole competition.
Each event may not have more than four swimmers from a given team, and each individual swimmer cannot compete in more than three events. The events are loosely based around the standard college 13 event order, without diving. The coaches agree to a mutual tweaking of what will be offered in a given meet.
The series will ultimately culminate in a Star League Championship, to be hosted by Rose Bowl on February 6th. The league records feature some names you might recognize: Abbey Weitzel and Katie McLaughlin (among others). It should be an exciting meet and an exciting initiative by these elite teams.
cool idea. In Michigan Club Wolverine proposed an bi-annual (SCY and LCM) meet with the Oakland Live Y’ers called the Vaderkaay Cup since each of the Vanderkaay’s swam for each club. The idea would be a traveling trophy. Unfortunately the OLY head coach wants nothing to do with it.
Courtney Mykkanen. That family name radiates talent. Just saying.