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Since its inception in 1971, the Walden Glen Wahoos Swim Team has always been a very strong and active team known for its determination and spirit. As the start of our 37th season approaches, the team philosophy remains the same—have fun, show your team spirit and work hard to achieve your Personal Best! Fun and friends are what makes being a Wahoo so much fun, so whether you're a returning veteran or in your first year, we look forward to seeing you in 2009.
Walden Glen is swimming in Division 9 again this season, along with Canterbury Woods, Forest Hollow, Poplar Heights, Poplar Tree and Shouse Village. Dermot Cashman and Maria Dewing are be returning as the Team Reps for 2009. Contact Dermot at (703) 913-6045 if you have any questions about the swim team.
The best coach in the NVSL, Scott Darwin, is back again as our Head Coach. It's his 6th year at Walden Glen and he is now also a college swim team coach! Assisting Scott will be Logan Lamons, Grant Kenny, Cory Chamberlain and Alex Watt. The Super Team Coach will be Cody Cashman.
If you are interested in signing up for the team, download the 2009 Swim Team Registration Form and/or the 2009 Super Team Registration Form, as appropriate, and turn it in to Dermot Cashman, along with your payment.
2009 Meet Results
| 6/20 | Poplar Heights 180.0 @ Walden Glen 221.0 (times) |
| 6/27 | Walden Glen 184.0 @ Forest Hollow 218.0 (times) |
| 2009 Swim Team Schedule |
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| 5/26 | First Day of Practice |
| 6/13 | Time Trials @ WG |
| 6/20 | 'A' Meet – Poplar Heights @ WG |
| 6/22 | 'B' Meet – WG @ Daventry |
| 6/27 | 'A' Meet – WG @ Forest Hollow |
| 6/29 | 'B' Meet – Rolling Hills @ WG |
| 7/4 | 'A' Meet – Canterbury Woods @ WG |
| 7/6 | 'B' Meet – WG @ Old Keene Mill |
| 7/8 | Division 9 Relay Carnival @ Poplar Tree |
| 7/11 | 'A' Meet – Poplar Tree @ WG |
| 7/13 | 'B' Meet – Rolling Forest @ WG |
| 7/15 | NVSL All-Star Relays @ Springboard |
| 7/18 | 'A' Meet – WG @ Shouse Village |
| 7/25 | Division 9 Championships @ Forest Hollow |
| 8/1 | NVSL Swim Individual All-Stars @ TBD |
The Northern Virginia Swimming League (NVSL) is the largest summer league in the United States with 104 teams competing in 18 five-or-six-team divisions. The teams are seeded by overall "speed" rather than by size or location, with the fastest teams in Division I and the slowest in Division XVIII. The League reseeds the teams each year to keep each Division as competitive as possible.
Swimmers are grouped for competition by gender and by age (8 & under, 9-10, 11-12, 13-14, and 15-18). They compete at the age they are on the day of the meet. Swimmers compete in four individual strokes (freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly) and in relays. At certain designated meets, they also can compete in Individual Medley (IM) events. 8 & under events are 25 meters (one length of the pool) and 9 & up events are 50 meters (two lengths).
The NVSL web site contains lots of league information as well as all meet results, standings and times for swims from Dual ('A') Meets, Relays, Divisionals and Individual All-Stars.
Team Membership
Any Walden Glen member's child, age 18 or younger, who can swim across the diving well of the pool, is welcomed and encouraged to join the Swim Team. Swimmers who can only swim across the diving well of the pool (about 10 meters) are placed on our Super Team. Swimmers who can swim a full length of the pool (25 meters) participate in our regular practices.
Having vacations, camps, summer school, etc., scheduled during the summer (June 1-August 1) does not prevent joining the team. We will miss your children while they are gone, and their progress will probably slow while they are not practicing, but we will get them right back into the flow of team activities as soon as they return.
The Wahoos have a team suit and a T-shirt. While these are nice, they are not required. The children may swim in any suit they have. We also sell team swim caps that add to team spirit and help identify our swimmers in the water and goggles which most children use to protect their eyes from the chlorine.
Our team colors are ROYAL BLUE and bright ORANGE.
Super Team
BE A WAHOO!!! This is a special program for children who can swim but are not yet comfortable going the whole length of the pool. It is a great introduction to the Swim Team for novice swimmers. The swimmers are part of the team and are encouraged to participate in all of the team activities. The Coaches are able to give more attention to these swimmers and have been very successful in fostering confidence and improving skills.
Team Practices
Practices are conducted weekdays starting the Tuesday following Memorial Day through the end of July (with the exception of Super Team) for approximately 1 hour. Afternoon practices are held until school is out, then morning practices are held for the remainder of the season.
COMPETITION EVENTS
'A' Meets (Dual Meets)
All 'A' Meets are swum on Saturday mornings, beginning promptly at 9am. Each team fields three swimmers per age and gender group in the four individual strokes. Relays are swum in each age group plus one with mixed ages. A swimmer may swim two individual events plus one relay with the exception that the swimmers who do the mixed age relay are allowed to swim two relays.
'A' Meets are scored on a point system for each of the 38 individual events (5, 3, 1 points for each 1st, 2nd, 3rd place), and 12 relay events (5, 0 points for 1st & 2nd). The team with the highest total wins the meet.
The outcome of these meets determines a team's division standing. Naturally, the fastest swimmers on the team compete in these meets. The Coach announces every Friday at practice who will swim in Saturday's meet. This varies from week to week, depending on who is fastest and who is available to swim. Swimmers who do not swim in an 'A' Meet, or do not place in the top three in an 'A' Meet event, are eligible to swim Monday evenings at the 'B' Meets. All swimmers may participate in at least one meet per week.
'B' Meets (Developmental Meets)
All 'B' Meets are held Monday evenings at 6:30pm. These meets are held to provide competition for our swimmers who did not swim or place in the top three at the Saturday morning meet.
'B' Meets allow all swimmers on the team to get their times (very important to show the swimmers their improvement and prepare them for 'A' Meets). The 'B' Meets are not scored, and they are meant to be fun and to encourage the swimmers. Ribbons are awarded to all official entrants.
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