Street & Smith's 2013 Gator Season Preview

After a strong 4-1 season in 2012 in Division 4 that was highlighted by winning the IM Individual Championship for the fourth time in five seasons, the Gators moved back up to Division 3, where MVP went 0-5 in 2011.

For background purposes, there are 102 teams in 17 divisions in the NVSL.  It claims to be the largest sports league in the country.  Teams are seeded by expected strength, so that mean the Gators are considered to be one of the top 18 teams in the league. 

This article will first the A Meet schedule, then cover the B Meet schedule.

 

Our A meet schedule kicks off June 22^nd near George Mason University, as the Gators take on the Fairfax Frogs.  Since MVP last swam Fairfax back in 2008, the Frogs have a new pool.  They went 0-5 in Division 2 last year, and scored 180 points at All-Star Relays (MVP tallied 234). 

On June 29^th, the Gators play host to Vienna Woods.  The Woods (that’s also their nickname) went 0-5 in the friendly confines of Division 1 last year.  The Woods whipped up on the Gators two years ago to go undefeated in Division 3.  They scored 62 points at All-Star Relays, but are picked by many observers to finish first in the division.

The final away A meet is July 6^th at Lee-Graham.  The Dolphins are a team this grizzled vet of Gator swim doesn’t remember facing off against in the prior 13 seasons, so while this may or may not be a first time, it’s certainly been a long time.  They finished 1-4 in Division 2 last season, and scored 160 All-Star Relay points.  The cleverly named team is located on Lee Highway at the corner of Graham. 

After that, it’s all home cooking on Saturdays (well, home concessions, which is like home cooking, except more profitable for the swim team).  On July 13^th, the Gators host the alluringly alliterative Wakefield Chapel Wahoos. 

The Wahoos are the stable ones in the NVSL relationship, as 2013 is their fifth straight season in Division 3, where they have gone 3-2, 3-2. 3-1-1, and 2-3 backward through 2009.  And yes, the Wahoos won in the Gator match-up two years ago.  Last season they scored 224 All-Star Relay points.  July 13^th is also Picture Day at MVP for Gator Nation.  Mark your calendars.

The final A meet is July 20^th against. . .boom, boom, boom DR – yes, Donaldson Run and their actually pretty cool drums.  The Thunderbolts went 1-3-1 in Division 3 last season, scoring 228 All-Star Relay points.  Like two other teams we swim this season, the T’bolts beat the Gators two years ago. This should be a good battle to end the regular season.

The mid-week fun kicks off with Divisional Relays at Wakefield Chapel on July 10^th, with All-Star Relays to follow on the 17^th at Lincolnia Park (not to be confused with “Linkin Park” or “Linked In”).  Divisionals is at Donaldson Run on the 27^th – it’s up the GW Parkway off Spout Run.

As always, the B Meet schedule kicks off with Waynewood.  This season, we travel to the rough and tumble neighborhood of the Dolphins this Monday the 17^th.  Besides that, we are home for all of the rest of the B meets, as we host Stratford on June 24th, Mansion House on July 8th, and Riverside Gardens on the 15^th of July.  The other home B meet is the intrasquad Green and White meet (the early Vegas line favors White, but heavy betting on Green is starting to swing the line) on July 1^st.  That meet is also famous for the free pizza for all team members who swim.
The 4^th Annual Gator Romp in the Swamp championship is July 24th.