European Forces Swim League
The European Forces Swim League (abbreviated as EFSL) is a swim league designed to provide an organized competitive swimming program for the children of military and civilian members stationed in Europe ages 6-19. It is not meant to be competitive with or draw participants from European competitive swimming programs. The League has steadily increased in membership to 18 teams located in Germany, Belgium, Italy, Portugal, Spain, England and The Netherlands, where American and NATO communities are represented.::[1]
History
The EFSL was formed in 1975 in response to a recognized need to provide an organized competitive swimming program for the youth of military and civilian members stationed in Europe. The original teams of the EFSL were Berlin, Heidelberg, Lahr, Mannheim, Stuttgart and SHAPE[2], all in Germany and Belgium. The first annual EFSL Championship Meet was held on 16 April 1977, and has taken place in late February or early March every year since (excluding 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic).
Divisions
As of April 2022, the EFSL is comprised of three subordinate divisions[3]
- BENELUX Division: teams in The Netherlands, Belgium, England, and northwestern Germany
- Rhineland Division: teams in Germany
- Southern Division: teams in Portugal, Spain, and Italy
Each of these divisions holds a division championship, open to all swimmers from teams of that division, in late January or early February. For the 2021-2022 season, the following teams hosted each division championship[4]
- BENLUX Divisional's: ESB Brussels
- Rhineland Divisional's: Wiesbaden Wahoos
- Southern Divisional's: Lisbon Bullsharks (teams based in Italy competing in Naples, Italy due to the coronavirus pandemic and travel complications.)
Teams
The EFSL is currently comprised of 18 active teams[5], all based on US/NATO military bases or supported by US/NATO communities in Europe:
- BENELUX Division:
- Brussels Octopus - team of the European Schools of Brussels[6] in Belgium
- Eifel Sharks - supporting the Spangdahlem and Bitburg military communities [7] in Germany
- Geilenkirchen Orcas - supporting the NATO mission at Geilenkirchen, JFC HQ Brunssum and Schinnen Garrison, or students at AFNORTH International School are eligible. By EFSL rules, the Orcas may also contain a limited percentage of host country (German) children and/or Dutch children[8]
- Lakenheath Barracudas - based on RAF Lakenheath, England
- NATO Marlins - open to the NATO and expatriate community of Brussels, Belgium[9]
- SHAPE Seals - students and children of military and civilian personnel and their dependents located at SHAPE and bases nearby.[10]
- Rhineland Division:
- Berlin Bear-A-Cudas - operated by the Sports Club of the John F. Kennedy School (SCJFKS) in Berlin-Zehlendorf[11]
- Kaiserslautern Kingfish - supports the Kaiserslautern Military Community[12] in Germany
- Stuttgart Piranhas - open to swimmers in the Stuttgart area, representing the United States and the Stuttgart Military Community[13] in Germany
- Vilseck-Grafenwoehr Sea Vipers - supports the USAG Bavaria and Grafenwoehr military community in Germany
- Wiesbaden Wahoos - open to any family member of the Wiesbaden military community and surrounding areas [14] in Germany
- Southern Division:
- Aviano Sea Dragons - based on the Aviano Air Base in Northern Italy
- Lisbon Bullsharks - Locally affiliated with Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO, and the Joint Analysis and Lessons Learned Center, two NATO organizations headquartered in Lisbon, Portugal[15]
- Naples Tiger Sharks - Supports the US Naval Support Activity Naples and JFC Naples in southern Italy
- Rota Tiburones - Supports the Naval Station Rota, Spain[16]
- Sigonella Swordfish - Supports the Sigonella Naval Air Station in Sicily
- Vicenza Mako Sharks - Supports the Vicenza Military Community (Caserma Ederle) and Northern Italian NATO community
Championship Meets
The EFSL hosts two annual Championship meets (not including the division championships), those being a Short Distance and Long Distance Championship meet, which can only be attended on a qualification basis using USA Swimming Age Group motivational times. [17] Since 2016, the Short Distance Championships, including events between 50 and 400 meters, have been hosted at the National Swimming Center the Tongelreep in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, with the exception of the 2018 SD Championships in London, England. The Long Distance Championships, including events between 400 and 1500 meters, were hosted in Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy, in 2016-2018, and in Brugge, Belgium, from 2019-2021. These meets are hosted on a rotational basis per team, regardless of the location. In 2022, the EFSL SD Championships were held in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, but were hosted by the Naples Tiger Sharks.
References
- ↑ "EFSL History". European Forces Swim League. TeamUnify. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
- ↑ "EFSL History". European Forces Swim League. TeamUnify. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
- ↑ "EFSL Divisions". European Forces Swim League. TeamUnify. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
- ↑ "EFSL Divisions". European Forces Swim League. TeamUnify. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
- ↑ "EFSL Teams". European Forces Swim League. TeamUnify. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
- ↑ "Brussels Octopus". Brussels Octopus. barboradesign.cz. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
- ↑ "Eifel Sharks prepare for new season, members". Spangdahlem Air Base. Retrieved 2022-04-10.
- ↑ "Geilenkirchen Orcas Home". www.teamunify.com. Retrieved 2022-04-10.
- ↑ "NATO Marlins Swim Team - Swim Groups". www.teamunify.com. Retrieved 2022-04-10.
- ↑ "SHAPE Seals - About". www.teamunify.com. Retrieved 2022-04-10.
- ↑ "About Us". www.berlin-bearacudas.de. Retrieved 2022-04-10.
- ↑ "Kaiserslautern Kingfish Swim Team Home". www.teamunify.com. Retrieved 2022-04-10.
- ↑ "Stuttgart Piranhas Home". www.teamunify.com. Retrieved 2022-04-10.
- ↑ "WIESBADEN WAHOOS SWIM TEAM". WIESBADEN WAHOOS SWIM TEAM. Retrieved 2022-04-10.
- ↑ "Lisbon Bullsharks Swim - About". www.teamunify.com. Retrieved 2022-04-10.
- ↑ "Rota Tiburones Swim Club Home". www.teamunify.com. Retrieved 2022-04-10.
- ↑ "European Forces Swim League - Championship Meet Results". www.teamunify.com. Retrieved 2022-04-21.
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