I am from the Prairies; a total land lover. I took swimming lessons as a child, but hated to get my face wet. The best I could do was dog paddle. Fast forward 25 years. I am the mother of my beautiful daughter, Natalie. Despite my own shortcomings in the water, I realize swimming is a “life skill”. So I took my daughter to mom and infant swim classes.
The instructor told us to swiftly dunk our babies under the water. This would teach them how to hold their breath and get them used to having their faces wet. I shuddered at the thought. Natalie came up sputtering, but smiling. She didn’t mind it one bit.
Natalie learned how to swim at the age of four. At that time she was passionate about mermaids. She swam across the pool by holding her breath and swimming underwater “just like a mermaid”. Natalie has always vibrated with excitement whenever she was near water. In the deep pool next to where she took swimming lessons, a group of girls performed synchronized swimming. After her lessons, we would sit and watch them. It wasn’t long before she asked if she could do it too.
I signed her up for a pre-competitive synchronized swimming program at the age of six. Four years later, she is still loving it. What was this uncommon sport that was calling to this very young child? According to Wikipedia, Synchronized swimming is a hybrid form of swimming, dance and gymnastics, consisting of swimmers… performing a synchronized routine of elaborate moves in the water, accompanied by music. Synchronized swimming demands advanced water skills, and requires great strength, endurance, flexibility, grace, artistry and precise timing, as well as exceptional breath control when upside down underwater.
Besides keeping my daughter physically active, this sport has taught her more life skills than just how to swim. It’s taught her how to be a good team member, that hard work and persistence pay off, how to lose (and win) with grace, how to accept constructive criticism and, most importantly, to believe in herself.
The sport is developing a quiet level of confidence in Natalie, which will serve her well throughout her life. I once asked her why she liked it so much? “It is fun. I like my teammates and I am good at it.” That last statement is powerful from a child of 10. She knows that she is good at something and that builds her confidence. The year before she’d told me, “I like swimming, mom. When I have a difficult day at school, going swimming makes me happy. I am happier in the pool.” I know a lot of 40 year olds who’d like to know where their “happy place” is. How incredibly wonderful that my daughter has found it at such a young age.
Calgary’s synchronized swimming community is a powerhouse in Western Canada and nationally, producing Olympic athletes and world-class synchronized swimmers. The city has three public clubs and one private club that offer synchronized swimming; Calgary Aquabelles (www.aquabelles.com), Calgary Elite (www.calgaryelitesynchro.com), Killarney Synchro (www.killarneysynchro.com) and the Sea Sprites who swim at the Calgary Winter Club.
Each club offers great summer camps; a pre-competitive and a competitive program all geared for different age groups and skill levels. If you are looking for something different for your daughter to try as an activity this Fall, from one parent to another, I cannot encourage you enough to have your daughter try this amazing sport. She will make lifelong friends, learn important life skills, get to wear a glitzy bathing suit and perform in front of an audience. But most importantly, she will have fun!
Sandra is the Marketing and Special Events Manager at Heritage Park, native Calgarian and mother of two. Three people in her family have found their life’s passion but her son’s is still a mystery (although he is only six).
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