Story and Photos
by Mike Maddock

Rockbridge's Matt Robins wins the boys 13 & 14 age group for the butterfly event. Pay attention or you might miss something. It doesn't matter if you are a swimmer, a coach, or a fan, everything moves fast in the Columbia Swimming League.

It's highly organized chaos. League officials and a host of volunteers move two teams, around 60 competitors (not counting the six-year-olds), and six age groups from six to 18 for both boys and girls through six lanes and 60 events in about 2.5 hours.

There is an announcer/ starter, two time-keepers and someone to record times at each lane. The recorders pass the times to a runner who delivers the information to a table of scorekeepers. The scorekeepers then determine winners, enter the information into a computer, tally scores, and create ribbons.

In the meantime, parents and volunteers like Noelle Gebel round up the kids and line them up for their respective events. Gebel says she is affectionately known as the "cowgirl."

On Thursday, June 15, 2006, league members from the Columbia Parks and Recreation (CPRC) and Rockbridge teams got together at Rockbridge Country Club for a duel meet. As the sun set on the event, CPRC came away with a 334 to 222 victory. CPRC moves to 2-0 while Rockbridge falls to 0-2.

Columbia Parks & Recreation's Tamsyn Brasier wins the girls 11 & 12 age group for the backstroke event. Visit www.swimleague.com for more information.