Summer, it would seem, is about the tried and true: baseball, the beach, burgers on the grill; efficiency of effort allows for few detours and no diverting from the age-old recipes.

So when it comes to the recipe for a successful Chapel Hill Summer Swim League Championship Meet, not much has been changed since the meet's first incarnation in 1975. If Saturday's meet at UNC's Koury Natatorium is any example, organizers need simply begin with well over 1,000 young athletes, about as many fans, pour in exuberant coaches dressed as anything from Hogwarts' Wizards to Ninja Turtles ... stir together briskly, and just add water.

"The talent level is great this year, and the coaches have done such a great job," said meet director Susan Wood from the hosting Farm/YMCA Meadowmont Swim Team.

"We have swimmers in the 6-and-under category that are as young as three or four, and it runs all the way up to 18," Wood said of the marathon meet, which ran from 8 a.m. until around dinnertime.

"The Chapel Hill Summer Swim League has something for every swimmer, no matter what their skill level," meet referee Steve Matson said. "It's fun to participate, and it's fun to watch. It's the coaches and the parents who come out here every year to make sure that we're serving the needs of a broad range of kids."

The meet was the culmination of the 2009 season for the seven-member league. Teams include the Farm/YMCA-Meadowmont, the Hollow Rock Swim Team, the Exchange Pool/Sunset Creek, Heritage Hills/Community Center, the Chapel Hill Tennis Club/Stoneridge, the Chapel Hill Country Club/Ridgewood, and Southern Village/Governor's Club.

After a 22-year drought, the Exchange Pool/Sunset Creek (2,353 points) has now posted two championships in a row; the squad followed up last year's team championship victory with another on Saturday.

Finishing in second place was the Farm/YMCA-Meadowmont team (2,180), and rounding out the top three was Heritage Hills/Community Center (1,991).

"The Exchange Pool is really solid this year, and last year they won," Farm/YMCA-Meadowmont coach Lindsay Lang said. "They were definitely a favorite, and the Tennis Club is also really solid."

The Chapel Hill Tennis Club/Stoneridge (1,929) finished fourth, with the Southern Village/Governor's Club (1,830), Chapel Hill Country Club/Ridgewood (1,500), and Hollow Rock (1,109) finishing just off the pace.

"We've done really well," said Exchange Pool/Sunset Creek coach Michaela Henry, who wore Ninja Turtle garb. "Our girls' team went undefeated. Overall we were 5-1, and that one loss was determined by four points. We've done so well swimming, and in terms of fundraising we helped to raise over $11,000 for Swim for Smiles."

Tennis Club/Stroneridge swimmers claimed three new meet records. Zack Cairns broke two -- the 25 freestyle and 25 backstroke for 6-and-under boys -- and Christopher Gunnels broke the 100 IM record for 15-18 boys.

"That (25-meter freestyle) record had been around since 1992," Tennis Club/Stoneridge coach Amanda Gunnels said. "It was a fast record, and Zachary beat the freestyle record by like two whole seconds. He's amazing."

While the general recipe for the league and its championship meet have changed little, its size has increased. Although a number of swimmers were absent because of a conflicting Junior Olympics event, some 1,200 swimmers were on hand for the Summer Swim League meet.

"There are at least three teams with over 200 participants," Wood said. "But even with that many kids, the dual meet season really went off without a hitch. Everything ran smoothly."

There was room for accomplishment among smaller teams as well.

"We have a smaller team this year," Hollow Rock coach Meredith Robinson said, "so it's been a little hard. We only have about 130 swimmers, and at today's meet we have about 80. But we just won the sportsmanship award, which was really great for us."

Gunnels said she was also missing many of the squad's swimmers on Saturday, but she was pleased with her Tennis Club/Stoneridge team's dual meet season.

"We lost the first two meets, which were really close," she said, "and we actually didn't finish the second one because it was rained out. I'd say our strengths were the 11's: the 11-12 boys. I think we're missing about half of our really key swimmers, but we're doing well."

Britton Banning-Arndt said her Heritage Hills/Community Center team was team was grooming a strong influx of youth.

"Our guys were undefeated...and the girls still did well," Banning-Arndt said. "I think our older kids are a bit stronger, but we've also had a lot of new young kids join the team."

While the meet contested 75 events and relays on Saturday, several swimmers distinguished themselves with multiple wins.

Posting a trifecta was Zsombor Gyongyosi of the Southern Village/Governors Club team, who posted victories in the 8-and-under boys' 25-meter backstroke (20.38), the 25-meter freestyle (16.85) and the 25-meter breaststroke (23.22).

Exchange/Sunset Creek girls 13-14 swimmer Kaitlin Jones collected three gold medals in the 50-meter freestyle (29.32) the 100-meter IM (1:12.23), and the 50-meter breaststroke (36.78).

Tennis Club/Stoneridge competitor Christopher Gunnels took the 15-18 boys' 100-meter IM (1:00.87), the 50-meter butterfly (26.76) and the 50-meter backstroke (27.77).

Double winners included Tennis Club/Stoneridge's 6-and-under standout Zack Cairns, who posted records in the 25-meter freestyle (17.80) and the 25-meter backstroke (23.13). Teammate Jacob Werden won in both the 9-10 boys' 25-meter freestyle (15.57) and in the 25-meter breaststroke (20.78).

The Farm/YMCA-Meadowmont's Meredith Riegler carved out two victories in the girls' 7-8 bracket, winning the 25-meter freestyle (17.52) and the 25-meter backstroke (20.38).

Siblings and Exchange/Sunset Creek teammates Josh and Sarah Taekman accounted for four wins: Among 11-12 boys, Josh won the 50-meter freestyle (29.64) and the 50-meter backstroke (34.04), and his sister Sarah took the 25-meter breaststroke (19.95) and the 25-meter freestyle (15.93).

Girls' 10-and-under competitor Leah Abrams earned the Southern Village/Governors Club victories in the 50-meter freestyle (33.23) and the 25-meter butterfly (15.87). Teammate Jack Dozier notched wins in the boy's 10-and under 50-meter freestyle (33.18) and the 50-meter backstroke (38.06), and Audrey Costley also earned gold medals in the girls' 8-and-under 25-meter breaststroke (23.22) and 25-meter butterfly (19.69).

Earning two victories apiece for the Farm/YMCA-Meadowmont squad were Connor Sept (9-10 boys' 25-meter backstroke in 18.97 and 25-meter butterfly in 17.53) and Marissa Creatore (11-12 girls' 50-meter freestyle in 30.65 and 50-meter breaststroke in 38.05).

Swimming well for Heritage Hills/Community Center was Emily Tysinger, who stood atop the medal stand in both the girls' 15-18 50-meter freestyle (28.29) and 50-meter backstroke (32.96).

Wood was pleased with the meet, with the understanding that the magic was all in the preparation.

"There are a lot of details that we have to make sure happen," she said on Saturday. "It's sort of like a wedding -- there have been a few glitches, but it's still happening: it's running."

And the way it ran was due to a time-tested recipe that pleased most everyone's tastes.