THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, February 21, 1997 TAG: 9702211032
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BRIAN J. FRENCH, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 45 lines
For years, regional swim championships marked the end of the public high school season.
That changes today.
The Virginia High School League is holding the first-ever Group AAA swim meet this weekend at the Oak Marr Recreation Center in Oakton. The VHSL mandated the move last March, when the Eastern and Northern Regions had over half their schools offer swimming as a varsity sport in the 1996-97 school year.
The VHSL requires at least two of the state's four regions to have more than 50 percent of their schools offer a sport before sanctioning a state title.
``We're very excited to add swimming as a sport with a state title,'' said VHSL assistant director Claudia Dodson. ``We needed 54 schools to offer the sport this year, and we got 67 in both boys and girls.''
The Northwestern Region added swimming this season, leaving only the Central Region without varsity swimming.
Like wrestling and track, the team title is determined by individual performances.
Kempsville - winner of the boys Eastern Region title - leads a 20-team contingent from the region. And the Beach District leads the Eastern Region parade. Eight of the Beach District's ten teams will send swimmers to the state meet. ILLUSTRATION: Graphic
GROUP AAA SWIMMING
When: First-ever meet, today and Saturday
Where: Oak Marr Recreation Center, Oakton
Teams entered: 64 of the state's 67 Group AAA public school
varsity teams have entrants. Among the Eastern Region schools
sending participants: Bayside, Cox, Denbigh, First Colonial, Great
Bridge, Green Run, Hampton, Heritage, Indian River, Kecoughtan,
Kempsville, Lafayette, Lake Taylor, Maury, Menchville, Ocean Lakes,
Salem, Tallwood, Warwick, Woodside.
Schedule: Today's session begins at 4 p.m.; Saturday's session
begins at 8 a.m., with finals at 4 p.m.
Tickets: Adults $5 each day; programs $3.