Parkview, Berkmar Swimmers Dive in

For high school swimmers overshadowed by their teams' more prominent, year-round club competitors, the Clody Invitational Friday and Saturday is an opportunity to shine.

The event, named for late community swim team organizer and Gwinnett Swim League vice president Bill Clody, is chiefly for Gwinnett schools' second-echelon competitors, whose club-level counterparts are off competing in this weekend's United States Swimming's state championships at Georgia Tech.

Featuring nearly 1,000 swimmers and divers at two venues, the decades-old event, previously called the Gwinnett intracounty meet, isn't even scored, freeing coaches and competitors to try different events.

Competitors at Lilburn public schools Parkview and Berkmar are psyched at the opportunity.

"There are so many kids, the atmosphere is really electric and exciting," said Parkview coach Jack Gayle. "We do cheers... and it gets loud. It's a long meet, but really fun."

Sponsored by the Gwinnett Swim and Dive Booster Club, diving competition begins at 2:30 p.m. Friday at Lilburn's Mountain Park Aquatic Center. Swimming begins at 9 a.m. there Saturday, as well as at the West Gwinnett Aquatic Center in Norcross.

An estimated 450 swimmers from nine Region 8-AAAAA schools are set to compete at Mountain Park, with about 500 from Region 7-AAAAA schools set to duel at West Gwinnett.

For Gwinnett Swim and Dive Booster Club Coordinator Susan Moody, a teacher at Trickum Middle, it's a massive undertaking. She's orchestrating 150 volunteers at both sites, as well as both pools' officials.

"I'll have lots of support," she confessed, though. "If I tell the Parkview rep I need 10 workers, I get them, or he gets a nasty e-mail from me.

"It's a community effort county-wide -- from athletic directors to parents," she added. "Everybody chips in to make something like this work."

Competition should be fast and furious, as swimmers attempt to achieve county meet and state meet qualifying times, often in events they might not otherwise have opportunity to swim. With schools' top club swimmers elsewhere, and coaches not concerned with jockeying entrants for score, it's an ideal time to swim new events in an invitational nearly on par with the GHSA state meet.

For example, Berkmar's Justin Spencer, best known as a diver, is scheduled to swim the 500-yard freestyle with teammate Armando Tejada. Likewise, Berkmar's Janica Santiago, typically a 100 breaststroker, is revved up for the 100 freestyle as well.

Parkview's Chris Rollins, who's already qualified for state in the 50 freestyle (23.24) and 100 freestyle (51.68), plans to swim both those events at Clody. Teammate Lauren Franklin comes in having clocked 30.09 and 1:05.79 in those races, the latter having already qualified her for the county meet.

"A meet like this is definitely a showcase swim for us," Rollins said. "It's not so much about winning. ... It's an opportunity to get faster and set an example."

Gayle said competitiveness at Clody creates pride.

"These swimmers feel a sense of responsibility when they're thrust into the limelight and asked to carry the Parkview torch," he said. "It's not just their moment to shine, it's their moment to shine for Parkview."