SYNCHRONIZED SWIMMING

'Synchronized swimming' is a hybrid of swimming, gymnastics, and dance. It involves competitors' (either individuals, duets, trios or teams) combining strength, endurance, flexibility, grace and artistry with exceptional breath control while upside down underwater. Developed in the early 1900s in Canada, it is a sport performed almost exclusively by women.
An Olympic sport first demonstrated in 1952 and an official event since 1984. Olympic and World Championship competition is not open to men, but other international and National competitions allow male competitors. Both USA Synchro and Synchro Canada allow men to compete with women.
Competitors point to the strength, flexibility, and aerobic endurance required to perform difficult routines. Swimmers perform two routines for the judges, one technical and one free.
Synchronized Swimming is governed internationally by FINA (Federation Internationale de Natation Amateur).

Contents

History

Preparation

Levels of competition

Basic Skills

Sculls

Positions

Routine

High school synchronized swimming

External links

History

While there is evidence of swimmers performing ballet-like maneuvers in the water in ancient times, the origin of synchronized swimming as an organized, competitive sport dates to the early twentieth century.
In 1890 and 1891 we find the first competitions in Berlin and in 1892 in London. At that time, only men could start at those competitions. The first mention of women participating in a competition is 1907. The names range from artistic, ornamental, figure or pattern swimming to scientific swimming.
In the 1920s, a group of Canadian women, led by water polo player and diver Margaret Sellers, developed what they called 'ornamental swimming' from life saving and swimming techniques.
In 1907, Australian, Annette Kellerman, performing in a glass tank, had attracted national attention at the New York Hippodrome as the first underwater ballerina. Katherine Curtis, a student at the University of Wisconsin, experimented with diving actions and stunts in the water in 1915. Curtis started a water ballet club at the University of Chicago, called the Modern Mermaids, in 1923 and later performed in the lagoon at the Century of Progress World's Fair in Chicago. The display at the 1934 Chicago World's Fair drew extraordinary reviews.
Kellerman was an inspiration to a woman who would become a Hollywood phenomenon: Esther Williams, US freestyle champion and Olympic contender, portrayed Kellerman's life in the musical ''Million Dollar Mermaid''. She also performed in a string of MGM "aqua musicals" in the 1940s and '50s, which inspired young girls everywhere to begin learning synchronized swimming. In the 1970s and 80s, Ft. Lauderdale swimming champion Charkie Phillips revived water ballet on television in "The Brady Bunch Variety Hour", "The Big Show", and then on screen with Miss Piggy in "The Great Muppet Caper".
Over the next twenty years the sport grew, became very technical and athletic, music was added to the routines, and the name changed to "synchronized swimming". In 1960, after a world tour, U.S. swimmers demonstrated the sport at the Olympic Games in Rome. Synchronized swimming became an Olympic Sport in 1984 with solo and duet competition. Only duets (two swimmers) and teams (eight swimmers) currently compete at the Olympic Games. The US is the only country that competes trios (three swimmers) at a national level.

Preparation

When performing routines, competitors will typically wear a noseclip. This is done to keep water from entering competitors' noses. Hair is worn in a bun on the head and flavourless gelatin is used to keep hair in place. Goggles are not worn because they are considered distracting and take away from the artistic beauty of the routine. Competitors also wear custom swimsuits and headpieces, usually elaborately decorated, to reflect the type of music to which they are swimming. The costume and music are not judged directly, but factor into the overall performance and artistic impression. Heavy eye makeup is often worn to help portray the emotions involved with the routine, but it is not necessary. Underwater speakers ensure that swimmers can hear the music at all times.

Levels of competition

In the United States the competitions are divided into the following age groups: Collegiate, Age Group, Juniors, Seniors, and Masters. Within each competition there are different levels determined by age, point score or affiliation (for example, novice, intermediate, age group, junior (14 and up), senior, varsity, club, master, etc. Individual swimmers may compete in up to three events, solo, duet, trio, and team. A team consists of four to eight swimmers, with a quarter point being added for each additional swimmer over four. Swimmers also compete in individual figures and technical elements, which in some levels of competition are sometimes factored in with routine scores. Also, competition rules may limit the number of events that each team can participate in.
In Canada synchronized swimming has a skill-based Tier Structure system with Tiers 1-7 as well as competition at the Masters and University levels. Tiers 6 and 7 are national stream athletes that fall in line with international age groups - Tier 6 is 15 and Under and Tier 7 is Junior (15-18) and Senior (18+) level athletes. There are also tiers 8 & 9 which are for the disabled.

Basic Skills

Sculls are the basic elements of synchronized swimming and they are combined with one or more positions to form a figure, or complete movement. Figures can be combined with transition elements, such as above the water arm movements, and set to music, to form a routine. For more information about figures, USSS (United States Synchronized Swimming) publishes yearly a handbook of all the figures, including explanations and step-by-step drawings, that are recognized in the United States. It is available from their website.

Sculls

Sculls, or movements used to propell the body, are the most essential part to synchronized swimming. Commonly used sculls include head-first, foot-first, torpedo, reverse torpedo, split, barrel and canoe sculls. The support scull is used to support the body when a swimmer is completing a movement upside-down and underwater. Support scull is performed by holding the upper arms against the sides of the body and the lower arms at 90-degree angles to the body. The lower arms are then moved back and forth while maintaining the right angle.
Eggbeater is another important skill of synchronized swimming. It is a form of treading water that allows for stability and height above the water while leaving the hands free to perform.

Positions

There are hundreds of different regular positions and infinite combinations of positions. These are a few basic and commonly used ones:
'Vertical position:' Achieved by holding the body upside down and perpendicular to the surface of the water. The legs are held together above the water with toes pointed.
'Crane position:' While holding a vertical body position, the legs are held at a 90-degree angle with one parallel to the water and the other perpendicular.
'Vertical bent knee:' Similar to the vertical position, but one knee is bent as much ast possible with the toe touching the inside of the vertical leg.
'Ballet Leg:' Beginning in a back layout, one leg is extended and held perpendicular to the body, while the other is held straight along the surface of the water. A stationary scull under the hips is used to support the leg.
'Split position:' Holding the body in a vertical position, the legs are extended in opposite directions along the surface of the water and held as flat as possible while keeping the hips straight.
Further descriptions of technical positions can be found on the International Olympic Commitee website

Routine

Routines are composed of "hybrids", figures, and arm sections. They often incorporate lifts or throws, an impressive move in which a group of swimmers lift or throw another swimmer out of the water. Swimmers are synchronized both to each other and to the music. During a routine swimmers can never use the bottom of the pool for support, but rather depend on sculling motions with the arms, and eggbeater kick to keep afloat. After the performance, the swimmers are judged and scored on their performance based on technical merit and artistic impression. Technical skill, patterns, expression, and synchronization are all critical to achieving a high score.
'Technical Vs. Free Routines:'
Depending on the competition level, the swimmers will perform a free routine - no specific choreography requirement - and either a technical routine with predetermined elements or technical elements - a sequence of positions performed individually in from on a panel of judges.
'Length of Routines:'
The type of routine and competition level determines the length of routines. Routines typically last two and a half to five minutes long, the shortest being solos, with length added as the number of swimmers are increased (duets, trios and teams).
In technical competitions, solo swimmers have only two minutes to perform their routine. In free routines solos are three minutes, duets three and a half minutes and teams four minutes.
'Scoring:'
Routines are scored on a scale of 100, with points for both artistic impression and technical merit. The artistic mark is worth 60% of the total and the technical mark is worth 40%.
'Combination (Combo) Routine:'
A new category has recently been incorporated into international Synchronized Swimming called the Combination Routine. In this event, up to ten swimmers compete a single continuous routine with two segments of team, two segments of duet and two segments of solo. During parts of the routing when some swimmers are not performing, they tread water alongside without touching the side or bottom of the pool. It is up to the discretion of the coach to determine the combinations of swimmers who will swim. The degree of involvement for any specific swimmmer may vary. For example, a single swimmer may compete in both duet segments with two different partners or a swimmer may only perform in a single solo segment of the routine. This event is new but is gaining popularity with teams and audiences on an international level.

High school synchronized swimming

While there are hundreds of clubs around the United States, few states support Synchronized Swimming as an official high school sport. Each program structure may vary from place to place.
'Minnesota' has an extensive high school program which includes around 15 different high schools. The competition is divided into short, long and extended. The competition group is based on skill level of the swimmers and scores from the previous years competition. Free routines - solos, duets, trios and teams - and technical elements are performed at dual meets throughout the season culminating in a 2-day state championship at the end of the year.
'Michigan' also has a high school varsity program. Its structure is similar to the USSS Age Group program with free and technical team, duet, and trio routines. Figures are also performed at competition and are divided into four levels (A-D), depending on the ability of the swimmer.

External links

★ 'Go Synchro!' -Further information on synchronized swimming, including pictures. Also has the history of the sport in Australia and includes contact details for Australian clubs

★ [1] Synchronized Swimming BC (British Columbia, Canada]

★ "Sync or Swim" Documentary film being made about synchronized swimming

★ [2] Synchronized Swimming Canada (Canada)

★ USA Synchro -United States Synchronized Swimming (USSS)

★ 'PLC Synchro Club' -Based in Melbourne, AUSTRALIA

★ University of Minnesota Synchronized Swimming Team

★ University of Richmond Synchronized Swimming Team

★ University of Michigan Synchronized Swimming Team

★ Pictures of Synchronized Swimming

★ Reject the Koolaid is an eclectic Blog that looks at the lighter side of Synchro from time to time

★ [3] Synchro Alberta (Canada)

★ [4] Mississauga Synchro (Ontario)