Differences between NVSL divisions

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For anyone whose kids swims for a lower division team, try to watch your kid swim in relay all stars and you'll notice half of the D1 parents just camping in the stands even though their kids aren't actually swimming

My kid doesn't swim in all star relays but couldn't this because their pool has teams in nearly every relay and they know the kids and are cheering for them? Is the seating so limited everyone is supposed to cycle in and out for every race? I've never been.

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Yes, the seating is limited for individual and all star relays so you are supposed to cycle out so the parents/fans of the next event can cheer but that doesn't end up happening.

This. My pool usually has three or four teams, but the coach is strict that you watch your kid, not the pool's other teams, and leave. Meanwhile, D1 teams have coolers and sections and everyone else has to crowd in an hope there's space to see their own kid

So for All Star meets they not set up D1 bleachers (they are not called that, but that is what they are). You can put a towel down and save that much space for the whole meet. The D1 teams have kids sit and wait in line hours before the meet opens and they reserve all of the bleachers. The other viewing is for everyone else. It is single event viewing - you come in, have a place you can stand and watch and leave after the event.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Chesterbrook and Tuckahoe parents got in a fight with parking at attendants when Orange Hunt hosted All-Stars.

NVSL called the police on the D1 teams that did not listen to the directive about not setting up their encampment before the appointed time. That was kind of awesome.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For anyone whose kids swims for a lower division team, try to watch your kid swim in relay all stars and you'll notice half of the D1 parents just camping in the stands even though their kids aren't actually swimming

My kid doesn't swim in all star relays but couldn't this because their pool has teams in nearly every relay and they know the kids and are cheering for them? Is the seating so limited everyone is supposed to cycle in and out for every race? I've never been.

.

Yes, the seating is limited for individual and all star relays so you are supposed to cycle out so the parents/fans of the next event can cheer but that doesn't end up happening.

This. My pool usually has three or four teams, but the coach is strict that you watch your kid, not the pool's other teams, and leave. Meanwhile, D1 teams have coolers and sections and everyone else has to crowd in an hope there's space to see their own kid

I am on a (non-Big 3) D1 team and I missed my own child’s first relay last year because the O, T, and CB parents would not move from the bleachers and, at Hamlet, there was nowhere else to go once you were in line at the front of the bleachers. RUTHERFORD: Take note and do not let this happen this year.

This happened to me as well. We sent almost 20 relays and yet a parent from one of those teams, when asked to stop blocking people from viewing, literally said to me that she was a D1 parent and therefore deserved to view at the expense of other parents.

I think they should give priority viewing to whichever team provides the most volunteers for the meet. You want priority parking? Provide the most parking volunteers. You want the best viewing? Provide the most marshals.

Our team has three relay teams going and was asked to provide three volunteers. No way the D1 teams are ponying up a proportional number.

D1 has to provide 15. Each team in D1 is responsible for 2-3 a piece.

D1 only provide 15? How is that possible? Each team has a relay in every event. They should provide a lot more.

Even Div 4 has to provide 8 volunteers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Chesterbrook and Tuckahoe parents got in a fight with parking at attendants when Orange Hunt hosted All-Stars.

NVSL called the police on the D1 teams that did not listen to the directive about not setting up their encampment before the appointed time. That was kind of awesome.

What? I want to hear the whole story. I have never been to all stars. What's an encampment? What are the rules?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Chesterbrook and Tuckahoe parents got in a fight with parking at attendants when Orange Hunt hosted All-Stars.

NVSL called the police on the D1 teams that did not listen to the directive about not setting up their encampment before the appointed time. That was kind of awesome.

What? I want to hear the whole story. I have never been to all stars. What's an encampment? What are the rules?

I didn't know the whole story behind the incident involving the police. The league and the All Stars host routinely establish no earlier than team area entry times and assign team areas to larger teams in an attempt to prevent (a) people from camping out overnight to claim all the best real estate and (b) a mad dash when the gates open.

Last year the Orange Hunt provided the following guidance:

Anyone near or on OH pool property before 7AM will be considered to be trespassing and local authorities will be notified. Team areas may be set up in the Orange Hunt Pool parking lot NO EARLIER THAN 7 AM on Saturday morning.

Tents that are set up prior to 7AM on meet day will be removed. Teams will access the lot through the OH pool property entrance to set up Team Areas. There will be a volunteer onsite to welcome teams and take them to the next available Team Area. Teams may set up in designated areas as marked on the parking lot. We encourage all teams to bring chairs, blankets, etc. since the parking lot is the team area.

PLEASE NOTE:
● The NVSL and Orange Hunt will assign locations for Division 1 pools to avoid the rush to choose a spot and set up tents from those teams with the most participants.
● For teams sending 1-2 swimmer, Orange Hunt will provide a “Single Swimmers” tented area and a covered pavilion near the tennis courts. Due to space limitations, there will not be locations assigned for these teams. Please bring chairs.
● Teams from one division are welcome to reach out and organize a Team Area, under one tent, for their Division.

For others, tents and awnings are strongly encouraged. Grills, generators, and fires are NOT allowed in the team areas.

No access to bath house changing rooms or bathrooms will be permitted for participants or spectators. Portable restrooms will be in the pool parking lot/team areas.

As always, Coaches are responsible for ensuring that their swimmers report to the Clerk-of-Course on time.

[Anonymous]

The info docs for this year speak to early arrival being trespassing and that authorities may be called - I figured there must be something driving that...

"Team areas may be set up in the field at Rutherford Park adjacent to Rutherford Pool as marked, after 12p on the meet day. Anyone on or near the Rutherford Park and/or Rutherford property before 12p will be considered trespassers and the authorities may be called."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Chesterbrook and Tuckahoe parents got in a fight with parking at attendants when Orange Hunt hosted All-Stars.

NVSL called the police on the D1 teams that did not listen to the directive about not setting up their encampment before the appointed time. That was kind of awesome.

Right. There were two separate incidents. The encampment was on FCPS property and police (perhaps FCPS security?) dealt with that. The one at Orange Hunt All-Stars was between the parents and the parking attendant. That was FCPD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Chesterbrook is TERRIBLE. Think dark, skulls, mean messaging to the opposing team, etc. Just ask anyone from OKM what they walked into week 1…it was disgusting



You should have seen what they did the week of the Highlands meet that involved CHAINS and a GAS MASK! It was disgusting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Chesterbrook is TERRIBLE. Think dark, skulls, mean messaging to the opposing team, etc. Just ask anyone from OKM what they walked into week 1…it was disgusting

You should have seen what they did the week of the Highlands meet that involved CHAINS and a GAS MASK! It was disgusting.

Different meet, but I found their "scary" vibe to be kind of icky, especially for the younger kids on their own team - I don't think our kids noticed, they were occupied with their own cheering and having fun in goofy costumes vs. CB dressing like skeletons (??). Their parents were also pretty obnoxious and the team was disrespectful to officials, needing to be quieted repeatedly for the starts, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Chesterbrook is TERRIBLE. Think dark, skulls, mean messaging to the opposing team, etc. Just ask anyone from OKM what they walked into week 1…it was disgusting

You should have seen what they did the week of the Highlands meet that involved CHAINS and a GAS MASK! It was disgusting.

I missed this one but was it more or less traumatizing than the turtle decapitation of 2021/2022? My kid still talks about that. Not a real turtle, BTW.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I’d love to get out of D1, I can tell you that much. A couple of the teams are toxic to a degree that is hard to believe until you see it.

Agreed. Let the 3 who have parity with each other form D1 and just rotate who swims each other twice. Let the rest of us go down.

I’d be happy with that solution! DR and Highlands are both great teams with strong communities and terrific swimmers but it does get tiring. Tuckahoe already tried to recruit one of our top swimmers 🙄.

How does that work with a 10 year wait list? 😉

It’s the Tuckahoe winter swim loophole.

yes this is it. Tuckahoe uses a loophole where they bump people up on their list if you do winter swim. I don't go to Overlee, but have known the person who runs the list for years and a couple board members and Overlee doesn't have one of these loopholes. They stick to the list though with other teams doing this I think there have been discussions, but for now that is not the practice. It is one reason they haven't been winning in recent years I would suspect. Chesterbrook and Tuckahoe both have ways to get off the list quicker.

I'm sorry to hear there is bad behavior from the "big three" now, I did grow up going to Overlee and had a lot of fun. Happy to be at a more middle Division with my kids though as I didn't want year round swim to be a pre-req for summer fun (and also, the list is 10-11 years!)

At a non big 3 D1 pool…..

There is no bad behavior from OLV….just a ton of team spirit which can sometimes be a bit over the top

Tuckahoe can be smug and the slapping of the water obnoxious

Chesterbrook is TERRIBLE. Think dark, skulls, mean messaging to the opposing team, etc. Just ask anyone from OKM what they walked into week 1…it was disgusting

Tuckahoe has them beat in that contest this year and last. Bad enough that the Div 1 coordinator has had to babysit them and an entire contingent of league officials will attend their final regular meet to “encourage decorum.” It’s truly bizarre.

They care about winning so much that the officials just have to dock points once and they'll learn. Send one of those 3 teams to D3 or 4 and they'll all fall into line

[Anonymous]

Wow, my kids are slow so this is all fascinating to me LOL. So there is some mad rush every year to set up canopies in some kind of designated area every year? Is there a lack of space? Like what difference does it make where your canopy is put up in a random parking lot?

I'm picturing the OK Land Rush scene in that bad move with Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise.

[Anonymous]

I’d love to hear from an OKM parent on their thoughts about being in D1 for the first time….the good, the bad, and the ugly….

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’d love to hear from an OKM parent on their thoughts about being in D1 for the first time….the good, the bad, and the ugly….

The only thing I really thought was weird was the chains / gas mask thing at our first meet referenced above. And I mentioned in another post that I felt like a rube yesterday at Highlands when I didn’t realize until then that a summer pool could have an indoor snack bar with seating area and chairs

Nice pools, farther away - lots of deep talent in every age group that was pretty impressive.

Otherwise I don’t have too much else to say. My kids had fun and I don’t think many care about our record this season. I’ve had kids in a variety of youth sports in this area since 2013. Nothing majorly new / earth shattering.

[Anonymous]

I meant to say indoor snack bar with AC.