THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, August 13, 1995 TAG: 9508130273
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 12 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: BY JULIE GOODRICH CLIPPER SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines
ONE OF THE more conspicious competitors at the 18th annual Virginia Beach Swim League All-Stars competition Aug. 5 was a tanned, blond young man, maybe 13 or 14, with what he hoped would be a prophetic phrase written on his back.
The kid's skin declared ``I'm a big stud and you're not.''
He was wrong.
All of the swimmers at the VBSL All-Stars are among the area's elite, earning a place in the competition based on their times at the four divisional meets. Some swim year round and are on the fast track to success, while others take to the pool only in the summer.
This year, All-Stars was held at the Little Neck Swim & Racquet Club. Close to 500 swimmers from Chesapeake, Norfolk and Virginia Beach competed, more than usual, according to meet director Janet Law.
``There's more kids (qualifying) in just one or two events, instead of four or five. They're spread out more evenly,'' Law said. ``We've got 2,500 kids in the league now, with increased interest due to year-round swimming, high school swimming, and better coaching.''
The competition kicked off at 8:30 a.m. under an already blazing sun, and it took little time for the first league record to be broken.
In the ninth event, the boys 8-under 25 free, Greenbrier Country Club's top-seeded Geoff Parrish notched a new record by his fingertips, besting the old mark of 16.66 by a mere .05 second.
``I like the competition and stuff,'' said Geoff, who turned 8 three days before the meet. ``I also like it 'cause it's fun.''
Four events later, Club Brittany's Bryan Rudolph sliced .19 second off the boys 8-under 50 free record. The Trantwood Elementary student, who also won the 25 breast event, attributed the victory to ``keeping my stroke long and kicking hard.''
Not to be outdone, female swimmers got into the record-breaking act in events 16 and 18.
Carolanne Farm's Tiffany Pearsall claimed her first of three events in the 10-under division with a 50 free time of 32.58, bettering the record held by teammate Morgan Gerek.
``I was real nervous before (the event), because I knew I was close to the time and I just got uncomfortable,'' said Tiffany.
Pembroke Meadows' Hayley Brooks, another three-event winner, skimmed .20 second off the girls 12-under 50 free record with a time of 30.05.
Two relay teams also broke existing VBSL records. The Great Bridge Piranhas' boys 10-under team clocked in with a time of 1:05.74 in the 100 free relay, beating the record by nearly a second.
The host Little Neck Tidal Waves boys 14-under squad continued to lower the standard in the 200 free relay. After turning in the first sub two-minute time in the Dolphin Division meet July 29, the crew broke their own record by over two seconds with a time of 1:57.01.
Other three-event winners were Matt Rudolph (Club Brittany) and Adam Chissler (Green Run).
Two-event winners included Jen Burgess (Pembroke Meadows), Gary Sharpe (Little Neck Tidal Waves), Stephanie Jones (Alanton-Baycliff), Alexander Smith (Alanton-Baycliff), Justin Culbert (Great Bridge), Lee Brittan (Great Bridge), Skylar Bates (Broad Bay), and Heather Land (Carolanne Farm). < ILLUSTRATION: Photos by L. TODD SPENCER
Shari Witham, swim coach for the Mallory Country Club of Norfolk,
urges on one of her competitors during the All-Stars meet.
Courtney LaLonde of the Timberlake swim team competed in the
freestyle relay. Close to 500 swimmers from Chesapeake, Norfolk and
Virginia Beach competed in the meet.
by CNB