The Greater Richmond Aquatic League (GRAL) is an organization of swimmers, coaches, and parents whose aim is to promote and participate in the sport of summer swimming.  GRAL provides an opportunity for young people to compete against each others of similar ability in an atmosphere of fair play, good sportsmanship, and safety.

GRAL consists of 28 area teams, divided into 4 divisions.  Canterbury competes in Division 1. Annually, GRAL reviews the divisions and determines the meet schedule. 

GRAL has 5 classifications of swimmers, based on times achieved at a GRAL meet.  These qualifications do not apply to the swimmer "as a whole" and instead apply to the swimmer in combination with the event they are swimming (meaning a swimmer can be a Novice swimmer in one event and a Junior Varsity in another).  Those classifications are summarized below: 

• Novice (N) - A Novice swimmer is any swimmer with no time in a given event or who has not achieved a valid Advanced, Junior Varsity, Varsity, or Senior Varsity time in that event in the age group in which the swimmer is competing. 
• Advanced (ADV) - An Advanced swimmer is any swimmer who has achieved a valid Advanced time and has not achieved a valid Junior, Varsity, or Senior Varsity time in that event in the age group in which the swimmer is competing. 
• Junior Varsity (JV) -  A Junior Varsity swimmer is any swimmer who has achieved a valid Junior Varsity time and has not achieved a valid Varsity or Senior Varsity time in that event in the age group in which the swimmer is competing.
• Varsity (V) - A Varsity swimmer is any swimmer who has achieved a valid  Varsity time and has not achieved a valid Senior Varsity time in that event in the age group in which the swimmer is competing.
• Senior Varsity (SV) - A Senior Varsity swimmer is any swimmer who has achieved a Senior Varsity time in that event in the age group in which the swimmer is competing.