Layna Hope
Ormstown Elementary School
What most people think of when they hear synchronized swimming is nose plugs and holding your breath for a long time; but to me, it’s much more than that.
It’s fun, and difficult. It is something that not many people choose to do. Also, the sport is not very well known in this area, and there are not many pools that offer the opportunity to do synchronized swimming. For example, I have to travel to an indoor pool in Dollard in the winter to practice and an outdoor pool for the summer in Pointe Claire.
I have been doing synchro for over three years, and I have been swimming from the age of four. My mom, Angela Greevy Hope, got me into synchro because when she was a kid, she had done synchro, and she was a really good swimmer. Now she encourages me to try my best.
You need to be able to swim well, you need to be flexible, you need to have a good memory and you also must have a good sense of timing for the music. You also need to be pretty dedicated.
One of my favourite things to do are figures, which is when you go upside down underwater and do an action with your legs above water, like the splits or vertical spinning down. We are always doing something with our hands to bring our bodies up or to make them go down.
We do synchro sometimes in duets, trios, and solos, but most of the time it is as part of a team with eight or so people. I have made lots of friends because of synchro.
I am coached by Abby Woods-Adams at the Dollard pool. She has been coaching for three years. “I chose to start coaching because of my love for the sport and for the positive and fun environment. Prior to coaching, I did synchro for 10 years at the provincial and national level,” says Woods-Adams.
Someday I hope to be like my coach and get to the national level and be good enough to get a scholarship after high school.