Hey Now, You're An All-Star: Nine Gator Relays Qualify for All-Stars

The MVP Gators are sending nine relay teams featuring 21 different swimmers to All-Stars Wednesday night at Hunt Valley.  

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

First, The Background  
There are 102 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 (or Thursday if weather is an issue, like this year) 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 team.

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 in 2011.  Since then, it's been double digits of 11, 12, and 11 last year.  

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).

Four girls teams and five boys teams qualified for All-Stars.  This is the first year in the 15 seasons I've been involved in A meets that the boys sent more teams than the girls!

And so, without further ado, here are your 2015 Gator All-Star relays:

• Boys 8 & Under medley relay: Matthew Makin, Alexander North, Tyler Swartz, and George Schulte
• Girls 11-12 medley relay: Emily Makin, Juliana Skopp-Cardillo, Olivia Blondin, and Gabrielle Greszler
• Boys 11-12 medley relay: Andrei Zaitsev, TJ Heck, Andrew Baker, and Clark Bayer
• Boys 13-14 medley relay: Collin Sundsted, Sean Jansen, Cole Miller, and Nick Dupuis
• Girls 15-18 medley relay: Parker Fulghum, Cassidy Bayer, Jessie Bricker, and Elaina Phalen
• Girls 11-12 free relay: Juliana Skopp-Cardillo, Abigail Dittman, Emily Makin, and Gabrielle Greszler
• Boys 11-12 free relay: Same as medley relay for the age group.
• Boys 13-14 free relay: Same as medley relay for the age group.
• Girls 15-18 free relay: Same as medley relay for the age group.

Congrats to our All-Star Gators!