By a unanimous vote, the Valley Swim League has voted to approve a merger with the ABE Suburban Swim League.  We are very excited at the prospect of broadening the level of competition for our swimmers and divers.  We will continue to post news on the merger as it becomes available.

Please see below for the open letter from ABE League President Ted Brennan about our merger with the ABE league:

Dear families, parents and swimmers of the Valley Swim League,

I am writing an open letter to welcome you to the ABE Suburban Swim League for the 2017 Summer swim season. We, the ABE league, are very excited for your arrival and truly believe that this expansion will be a great thing for both of our leagues, summer swimming and for the greater swimming community in the Lehigh Valley far into the future!

I am also writing to let you know what we have done thus far to prepare for the expansion and all the work that will need to be done prior to the start of the 2017 Summer season. This is what has been agreed upon thus far. First, Alburtis, Kaybrook, Orchard View and Northampton Swim Clubs will join the ABE Suburban Swim League for the 2017 Summer season. Second, scoring of dual meets will be scored as they always have been in the ABE League. That is scoring by 5 age groups, diving and relays as separate parts of each meet. This scoring is a 2 points scoring system. 2 points for a win, 1 for a tie and 0 for a loss within an age group, diving or relays. At the end of a dual meet the final score will be some combination equaling a total of 14 points. Third, all dual meets will use team and meet manager to run, score and organize the meets throughout the season. Fourth, Championships will be held at Stonecrest in 2017. The order for hosting Championships after that will be an ABE league team followed by a VSL team followed by 2 ABE teams followed by a VSL team etc. etc. If you have heard anything more about the expanded league than what I just stated, they are just rumors. We have not determined things like schedules, rules etc.

The two leagues are very similar and will complement each nicely. As we expand the league and combine rules and regulations we want to get rules right the first time. All decisions will be made in the interest of encouraging excellence in the fundamentals of both swimming and diving and good sportsmanship. With that spirit in mind, all the team representatives met last week to determine how the league constitution and league rules will be amended, added or removed. The constitution being the foundation of the league will take a vote of 10 of the 12 teams to amend the constitution. To change league rules will require a vote of 2/3 plus 1. To change these two documents will take more than just team representatives so please volunteer to help!

Good luck to all the swimmers and divers as the season quickly moves toward Championships! There are great swims and dives yet to be completed, focus on that! When the 2016 season ends, if you would like to be part of the future of the ABE Suburban League, built upon the great history's of both the Valley and ABE Suburban Swim Leagues please reach out to your league representatives. There is much work to be done! The future looks bright, competitive, fast and fun! Let's make next summer the best yet!

Sincerely,

Ted Brennan
ABE League President