
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, June 29, 1990                   TAG: 9006290711
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: SCOTT BLANCHARD SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

STATE'S TOP SWIMMERS SHOULD MAKE WAVES

For Sandy Brinser, persuading swimmers to participate in the Virginia CorEast State Games was almost like trying to get a schoolkid to take a summer vacation.

It was not a hard sell.

"We have everyone I wanted," she said, amending the proclamation only slightly to note that some top swimmers will be on vacation July 5-8 and won't be in Roanoke for the State Games.

"A lot of it was perseverance," said Brinser, State Games swimming director. "We had certain kids we wanted. We presented them the facts, sent brochures to their parents . . . "

And, she said, ended up with a field that includes many junior and senior national-level swimmers. To showcase the state's top talent, Brinser and other swimming organizers created an All-Star division, which will feature the fastest 15 boys and 15 girls in four age-groups. They will be split into two teams of 60 swimmers each that will compete against each other.

The swimming competition also will feature a level ABC meet that is open to any swimmer in age groups 10-and-under, 11-12, 13-14 and 15-18. Brinser said about 400 swimmers representing 15 teams will compete in the ABC meet.

The All-Star meet is at Fallon Park Pool and is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. July 6, 4 p.m. July 7 and 1 p.m. July 8. The ABC meet is July 6 and 7 at Countryside pool, with a morning session for 12-and-under swimmers at 8:45 each day and an afternoon session for the other divisions at 1:45.

The State Games will include a synchronized swimming event at Hollins College pool. All registered synchronized swimmers in Virginia were invited to participate.

Among the top swimmers expected in the All-Star meet are Ryan Bradley, 16, of Richmond, who Brinser said is excellent in the butterfly; Roanoke County's Dan Summerlin, who set a state record when he won the 400-meter individual medley at this year's YMCA national swimming meet; Richmonders Chad Linville and Eddie Zerkle, both of whom will attend Virginia Tech; Lauren Stinett, a 10-year-old from Northern Virginia whom Brinser calls "outstanding," and Richmonders Mary Chester, Ann Howard and Stephanie Munson, who have earned scholarships from Arizona State, Louisiana State and Michigan, respectively.

"This is the best we have in the state of Virginia," Brinser said of the All-Star participants.

by CNB