#usasynchro

[artisticswimming]

[novaphoto]

I was introduced to synchronized swimming when 1984 Olympic Gold Medalist Tracy Ruiz-Conforto came to the Gardens to perform in the new Aquacade show. Skiers, swimmers, divers, snow flyers, skaters, athletes all, were amazed at her athletic ability – started her routine swimming hard underwater for more than a minute. – Have to admit, I felt a kinship with the synchro swimmers, after all, I was an expert at treading water (you know, waiting for the boat to come back after falls). They returned the kinship, named one of their figures the "Nova" for me... #synchronizedswimming #usasynchro #waterskiing #showskiing #aquacade #cypressgardens ##olympicchampion #lifeonthewater #lifeinthewater (at Cypress Gardens, Florida) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bzk1eh9B8az/?igshid=ddb6bx3iymya

[marzart]

Found all my medals and ribbons from my competitive synchro days.

36 first place

27 second place

27 third place

13 fourth place, 12 fifth place, 10 sixth place, 6 seventh place, 3 eighth, 1 tenth, 1 eleventh, 1 participant

[usaseniornt-blog-blog-blog]

Who Do You Perform For? Poem by Claire Barton.

Who Do You Perform For?

The clapping subsides.

Boom…boom…boom goes my heart.

We step up to the line.

Cough…sniff.

I look them in the eyes,

we’re ready.

I stand,

with a boiling vat of nerves,

waiting.

Then it comes,

the words that make everything

worth it…and now the United States of America.

She counts,

5,6,7,8…and we go.

The lightheaded nausea diminishes.

The fear of failure rages on.

One step at a time,

up the stage we go.

Whistle. Dive. Splash.

The water engulfs my body.

And I let it for a second,

that priceless moment.

In a blink of an eye,

its over. No more fear.

No more nerves, pure joy,

for we swim for our country.

[usaseniornt-blog-blog-blog]

Group shot after our Technical Team swim at Nationals