From Synchronized to Artistic Swimming: A Brief History

Sacramento Synchronized Swim Team is Changing Names

Our team sport is the art of synchronizing swimming moves to music. The sport has gone through a few name changes over the years. Water ballet is the original term for what we do. It began in the early 1900s with performances in England and the United States. Then the first water ballet club was established at the University of Chicago in 1923.

More people were introduced to it in 1934 with a performance at the Chicago's World Fair. The team name was the Modern Mermaids, and an announcer described the performance as synchronized swimming. More clubs started forming. In the 1940s, it became more popular with exposure at the San Francisco World's Fair and was featured in several movies. American synchronised swimmers demonstrated the sport at the Olympic Games in Rome in 1960, and by 1984, the Olympics welcomed it as a sport in 1984.

In 2017, the International Swimming Federation (FINA) renamed the sport Artistic Swimming. (They have since renamed themselves World Aquatics.) Our team has been known as Sacramento Synchronized Swim Team since it was founded. Sometimes we call ourselves Sac Synchro. Times have changed and now we are moving ourselves toward a new name: Sacramento Artistic Swim Team.

SSST Shoe Drive

Sacramento Synchronized Swim Team is collecting used, new, and clean shoes to fundraise for our new underwater sound system. You can help by cleaning your closets, posting on neighborhood pages, asking local businesses if they will be a collection site, and getting in touch with SSST to schedule a pick-up.

If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to reach out on social media or send an email to sacsynchroswimteam@gmail.com

Update 4/7/23: NOTE: Shoe deadline extended into April. Keep collecting those shoes!

Donate shoes to help us swim!

Sac Synchro Scores Heavy Metal at California State Games

Competing at California’s premier statewide amateur all-sports event, California State Games on July 14, 2019, Sac Synchro placed among the best in the state in several synchronized swimming events. The State Games are statewide sporting events featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which athletes from around the state participate in a variety of competitions. Sac Synchro’s accomplishments at the 2019 State Games include:

Age Group 13-15 Solo Finals

Gold medalist: Jersualem Temple

Bronze medalist: Blythe Powell

4th Place: Lily Magee

Age Group 13-15 Team FInals

Silver medalists: Bethany Bell, Lily Magee, Kate Malloy, Blythe Powell, Jerusalem Temple

Age Group 9-10 Trio Finals

Silver medalists: Kate Hwang, Payton Poulsen, Thea Wartanyan

Novice 11-12 Solo Finals

Bronze medalist: Olivia Esperas

Novice 9-10 Solo Finals

8th place: Seneca Mitchell

State Games.png

Sac Synchro Places Among Nation's Best at Junior Olympics 2019

Competing at Junior Olympics in Tonawanda, New York, Sac Synchro Sac Synchro athletes Juna Park and Dyeon Maeng scored in the top 10 in the country, taking 9th out of 40 of the nation’s best duets. In addition, Sac Synchro’s junior combo team routine placed an impressive 13th among 31 of the country’s top teams competing. Combo team members competing for Sac Synchro were Tara Batt, Lilianna Brovelli, Phoenix Carvill, Anastasia Ishenko, Dyeon Maeng, Erin Maeng, Tennille Marcelino, Angelina Nodora, Juna Park and MJ Schoel. The athletes were coached by Coaches Heather Wartanyan and Kaitlin Staines.

Juna Park gives her teammates a pep talk.

Juna Park gives her teammates a pep talk.

Sacramento Invitational Hosts Athletes From Around Northern California

Last weekend’s Sacramento Invitational and Novice Championships, held in Sacramento at Rio Americano High School, saw teams competing from around Northern California, including Sacramento, Walnut Creek, San Francisco, Cypress, Marin, the Bay Area, and Cypress (Monterey).

The meet was a great success, with a great time had by all. Medal awards and results will be forthcoming.

Sac Synchro Age Group Team competed an entertaining combo routine.

Sac Synchro Age Group Team competed an entertaining combo routine.

SacInvitational-26.jpg

Sac Synchro to Host Pacific & Central Cal Ass’ns Novice Championships and Synchro Invitational, June 1st & 2nd

This weekend, on Saturday, June 1st and Sunday, June 2nd, Sacramento Synchronized Swim Team (“Sac Synchro”) will host the 2019 Pacific Association and Central California Association Novice Championships and Intermediate and Age Group Invitational.

On Saturday, age-group competitive teams from around Northern and Central California will compete at an invitational, and Sunday will feature a championship meet for novice teams and invitational meet for intermediate athletes.

Teams competing will hail from locales including San Francisco, Santa Clara, Walnut Creek, Davis, Aquamarin and Cypress (Monterey/Seaside).

The meet presents a great opportunity to see some of the region’s younger and novice synchro athletes compete, though routines that recently qualified for the Junior Olympics in New York this summer are not eligible for this weekend’s meet.

The meet will take place at Rio Americano High School in the Sierra Oaks area. Sac Synchro’s home pool is nearby at Arden Hills Club. The meet begins at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, and 9 a.m. on Sunday, and continuing through both days

Sac Synchro is a California non-profit and 501(c)(3) organization.

Two Sac Synchro novice athletes warm up before Novice Championships in 2018 (Santa Clara, CA).

Two Sac Synchro novice athletes warm up before Novice Championships in 2018 (Santa Clara, CA).

Sac Synchro Qualifies Ten Athletes to Junior Olympics at Region B Championships

Sac Synchro is proud to announce that it has qualified 10 athletes to the US Junior Olympics to be held in New York this summer. At Region B Championships in Walnut Creek over the weekend, Sac Synchro athlete MJ Schoel took gold in 16-17 age group solo, and our combination routine team (ages 12-16!) took gold as well, in age group 16-17 combination routine. Our combination team athletes are Tara Batt, Lilianna Brovelli, Phoenix Carvill, Anastasia Ischenko, Dyeon Maeng, Erin Maeng, Tennille Marcelino, Angelina Nodora, Juna Park, and MJ Schoel. Dyeon Maeng and Juna Park will also compete their 13-15 age group duet at Junior Olympics.

Juna Park also took home a bronze for her 13-15 solo!

Our athletes also enjoyed watching the US National Team and Duet perform, and our intermediate team also entertained the crowd with a well done pre-swim!

Congratulations to these athletes! Red and Black attacked.

60723376_1382527815205472_1446756920454021120_o.jpg

Sac Synchro Scores Heavy Metal at Intermediate Championships!

Sac Synchro scored HEAVY METAL at the Intermediate Championships over the weekend! Go Sac!

_______________________________

**AGE GROUP 13-15**

Figures: Our athletes swept 1st through 5th place!

~1st- Anastasia

~2nd- Tara

~3rd-Phoenix

~4th-Liliana

~5th-Tennille

Solos: Our athletes swept 1st through 4th place!

~1st-Tara

~2nd-Anastasia

~3rd-Phoenix

~4th-Tennille

________________________________

**AGE GROUP 10 and under**

Duet (3rd): Diana and Thea

Trio (1st): Vivian, Thea and Diana

_________________________________

**INTERMEDIATE**

Team Routine (2nd place): ~Lily, Jerusalem, Amyann, Bethany, Kate, Lillian

Figures (8th): Jerusalem

Solos:

~3rd: Jerusalem

~6th: Lily

Duet (1st): Liliana and Phoenix

__________________________________

**NOVICE 13-15**

Figures: ~1st: Stephanie~2nd: Olivia~10th: Pali

Trio (1st): Pali, Olivia, Stephanie

_____________________________________

**NOVICE 9-10**

Figures (3rd): Seneca

Solo (1st): Seneca