The Seattle Synchronized Swim Team, based out of the Northwest Center-run pool at St. Edward State Park, has surfaced victorious from the U.S. Opens in Orlando with eight national champions. The team has stamped an exclamation point at the end of another phenomenal year.
The highly prestigious event features competitors from around the world and required a qualifying score at a championship meet or zone (there are four zones in the United States) level meet during the year.
The Pacific Northwest Association, to which the Seattle club belongs, holds several meets each season, from January through April. The season culminates with the association championships where the top three competitors in each age group event category advance to the regional competition meet. The association's region includes Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Alaska and Montana.
This year the regional championship was in Bozeman, Mont. The top four swimmers for solo, duet, trio and team advanced to the age group nationals which was held in Federal Way in July.
Then it's on to the US Opens, which was in Orlando in mid-July. The girls who competed were: Keely Craig (Federal Way), Leigh Haldeman (Kenmore), Emilie Kaufman (Kirkland); Katie LaBounty (Auburn), Jenna Lee (Seattle), Liane Lovitt (Kenmore), Heide Luong (Gig Harbor), Shelby McDaniel (Langley).
This year, Liane and Katie both performed solos; Liane and Leigh as well as Jenna and Emily competed in duet; Leigh, Katie and Jenna have a trio and then all the girls have a team routine. In addition, all of the girls must do four compulsory figures.
Seattle Synchro consistently grabs high scores at the Opens. Rightfully so. The team has Olympic gold running through its veins - Tracy Ruiz-Conforto and Candy Costie-Burk were part of the 1984 United States Olympic gold medal team.
Here's a bit of history:
2003: The duet team of Leigh and Liane placed ninth. The team also placed ninth. Leigh and Liane were 11 at the time.
2004: Liane won eighth place in the solo competition; Leigh and Liane placed sixth place in duet. The team placed fifth.
2005: The trio of Jenna/Katie/Leigh placed fifth place trio; Liane placed fifth for solo; and the duet of Leigh and LIane placed fourth place. The team placed fifth.
2006: Solo: Liane, eleventh place
Duet: Leigh and Liane, seventh
Trio: Jenna/Katie/Leigh, seventh
Team: seventh
"The fact that we've been nationally placed since 1998 is a big draw," says Michele Lovitt, team board member and parent. She notes that the team's mission statement says that they are a highly competitive team and not recreational (except for the introductory sea stars program). "Swimmers can follow a less competitive track but they won't participate in championships," she says. Then she adds, "We are proud of all of our girls."
When it comes to competition, the girls have to be in a particular age or, as is the case with up-and-comer Miranda Sage, they can qualify up. Miranda is 10 and competing with 12-13 year olds. Two others who did this are Olga Ostash, 10, from Kenmore and Emily Drew, also 10, from Poulsbo.
Another girl on the fast track is 14-year-old Liane Lovitt, who is in her seventh year on the team. Her mother says Liane's goal is to swim for Stanford and be on the U.S. National Junior team, which requires four qualifying stages. She already has one under her belt and will try for the second next year.
Liane and Leigh are both in the honors program at Northshore Junior High School, and according to Lovitt, are "highly successful and focused - they're not just neurotic synchro people; they're also very engaged in the community. From a parent's point of view, these girls are not totally sports driven. They're very broad in their interests."
The team is holding weekly camps in August for beginners and advanced swimmers. Then on Sept. 5 the competitive season starts anew, with the first meet in November. For more information, see www.seattlesynchro.com.tem[[In-content Ad]]
