By Lisa Schott
Synchro Canada President

I recently had an opportunity to attend a NAG Trials & the Canadian University Synchronized Swimming League Westerns Competition.

As I watched the competition I was reminded of what a great professor the sport of synchronized swimming is for our young girls.  Athletes learn valuable skills, how to work with a team, and how to make friends. Synchro provides an opportunity to stay active for life, a chance for people to get out and be involved in their local community, meet some new and old friends, and learn a little about a great sport.

Synchronized Swimmers are learning some basic ethical principles while striving for excellence on their teams. They are learning respect principles, sharing principles and consideration principles combined with the challenges a judge sport brings.

I watched the Synchro fans in the stands I could see that there was an excitement, an energy for the sport. Everyone enjoyed watching the competition. Their daughters also valued competing.  Many of the younger athletes ran up to the stands in excitement to debrief with their parents. . Their faces were animated as they shared their feelings of their personal successes and challenges of the competition.  For many parents’ they put their daughters in sport because it is important for them to get their children out and have fun in an activity.

Perhaps the greatest legacy we can leave our athletes is how to be a successful member of a team sport. They are learning how to work with a team. A group of girls who didn’t know each other a few short months ago is now able to work collaboratively together to achieve common goals. Each competition presents a new challenge for the athletes.  Athletes automatically learn about taking turns and sharing.  Whether their team wins or looses it really is about how each team swims that day at that competition and how” they played the game.”

In closing as this country prepares to host the Olympics in Canada. Our Synchro Community can affirm that sport is an enjoyable part of our Canadian Culture.  The Olympics join our country together. We are not West and. East, nor are we Conservatives verse Liberals. We feel a bond with one another as Candians, Just as our young athletes do with their teammates, coaches and clubs. We are proud Canadians and I know the Synchro Family will be watching with great enthusiasm as they cheer our winter Olympians on.

Believe!

Sincerely,

Lisa Schott
Synchro Canada President

By Catherine Gosselin-Després
Synchro Canada Chief Operating Officer

Happy New Year to the entire Canadian synchronized swimming community! Good luck to everyone as we lead into the Nationals competition season!

Upon their return in January, all of the Synchro Canada staff and volunteers quickly went back to work after a well-deserved break. The work that was begun for the end of the 2009-2010 year nonetheless continued to progress, while we undertook planning and budget preparation activities as well as the funding request for the 2010-2011 year, which is fast approaching.

We certainly haven’t been idle following our very busy autumn, which was filled with successes and incredible opportunities. It’s time to ride the wave and continue to progress!

At the start of 2010, I got right back to work myself to prepare for the Board of Directors meeting that was held in Toronto the first weekend of January. The following weekend I went to the annual general meeting of the Canada Commonwealth Games. Meetings were extremely informative and filled with the flavours of India, in preparation for Delhi 2010 in October.

The first telephone meeting between the Chief Operations Officer/Domestic Technical Director and the executive directors was held, and I think it was a good first step in sharing ideas and information. The next meeting is scheduled for February 24.

Since returning to work, everyone has also been tackling the multiple ongoing priorities that must be completed before March 31:

• Prepare logistics for the Eastern and Western Divisionals;
• Prepare and organize junior development camps; 
• Prepare and plan logistics for the last activities of the National A and AA teams; 
• Complete the FINA World Trophy financial and government reports; 
• Complete planning for the 2010-11 national and international competition season;
• Prepare new policies and review existing policies;
• Complete NCCP activities related to developing the Competition – Development;
• Follow up with the support program for high-performance clubs and the Club Excellence program;
• Hiring process for coaches of the national junior team and 13-15 national team.

Thank you to all the volunteers who provide support to staff to ensure that all our projects and initiatives are completed on time!

All the clubs, coaches, officials and administrators are certainly also extremely busy now with the season under way. Keep up the good work. We are available to support you in all our areas of expertise so that we can maximize our cooperation and build and develop our sport for the future.

I look forward to seeing you this winter and in the spring!

Catherine Gosselin-Després
Synchro Canada Chief Operating Officer