Hey Now, You're An All-Star -- 27 of You!

The MVP Gators are sending a modern era record twelve relay teams featuring 27 different swimmers to All-Stars Wednesday night at Lincolnia Park.  That surpassing last year's high point of eleven teams, and is 33% better than the next best after that -- nine, both in 2011 and 2009.

For your musical interlude re All-Stars:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_jWHffIx5E

First, The Background 
There are 103 teams in the 17 divisions in the NVSL.  The First Division has the fastest and best teams that actually even recruit, and Division 17 has the smallest and, um, not so best teams.  Teams move up and down divisions based on some complex formula divined with frogs, magic hats, and secret sauce at a place in Scotland called "Hogwarts."

Every year, on the Wednesday after the third A meet, there is a meet consisting of all six teams in the division swimming 22 different relays mixed age, medley, and freestyle across the different age groups and genders (don t worry, things haven t changed since you were younger, there are still only two genders). Results from across the 17 divisions are compared, and the top 18 teams in each age/gender group make it the following Wednesday to a huge meet called All-Star Relays, along with one alternate.

All-Stars is like Woodstock for swimming -- the best from the biggest summer swim league in the country -- a total of 396 relays swim, which results in approximately 1,700-1,800 swimmers.

In 2006, the Gators sent seven relay teams to All-Stars. In 2007, the number dropped to three (although they put on a show). In 2008, the number bounced back up to seven. Then, in 2009, the Gators hit a new high of nine relay teams going to All-Stars.  That "dropped" to eight in 2010, although there were some powerhouse relays, before bouncing back to nine last year.  With another eleven this year, the team has averaged 10 relay teams in the past four seasons, whatever the heck that means!

Now, the Details
The All-Star teams are seeded, from one to 18, and swim in three heats, with the slowest heat going first, and the fast six teams in the final heat. Teams can move up -- we've had Gator teams in the slow heat finish in the top six overall. (Of course, they can also go the other way).

Eight girls teams and four boys teams qualified for All-Stars.  Both 9-10 boys relays are top seeds, and we have six other single digit seeds -- much better than last year's seeds.

 Here are your 2013 Gator All-Star relays:

• Girls Mixed Age -- 4th Seed (Emma Jones, Juliana Skopp-Cardillo, Cassidy Bayer, Sara Bertram
• Girls 9-10 Medley -- 8th Seed (Emily Makin, Olivia Blondin, Abigail Dittman, and Juliana)
• Boys 9-10 Medley -- 1st Seed (Andrei Zaitsev, Parker Blondin, Charlie Ruppe, and Clark Bayer)
• Girls 11-12 Medley -- 1st Alternate (Mac Brotherton, Sheridan Phalen, Emma, and Claudia Theriot)
• Boys 11-12 Medley -- 14th Seed (Collin Sundsted, Sean Jansen, Cole Miller, and Nick Dupuis)
• Girls 13-14 Medley -- 9th Seed (Jessie Bricker, Kaila Stein, Cassidy, and Elaina Phalen)
• Girls 15-18 Medley -- 13th Seed (Torie Bolger, Jayne Orleans, Sara, and Maddy Bolger)
• Girls 9-10 Free -- 3rd Seed (Emily, Olivia, Abigail, and Juliana)
• Boys 9-10 Free -- 1st Seed (Andrei, Parker, Andrew Baker, and Clark)
• Boys 11-12 Free -- 6th Seed (Sean, Collin, Jack Brunton, and Nick)
• Girls 13-14 Free -- 7th Seed (Jessie, Kaila, Elaina, and Cassidy)
• Girls 15-18 Free -- 11th Seed (Maddy, Anna Fracasso, Torie, and Sara)

The 11-12 girls medley were just 0.09 seconds away from being 18th seed instead of Alternates.  Very close! 

Congrats to our All-Stars!