Miss Synchronized Swimmer, '83-'84

See that scrawny little kid in the red suit? That's me in '83 at a Synchro Swim Meet. I was the youngest member of the team, as a 3rd grader. I played Soccer, T-Ball and tried Ballet, but this was the first sport I was really good at. Swimming is STILL the only sport I'm ANY good at, but I'm too weak to do the Synchro "Moves".

I competed in a Trio at another meet that year, with Marcie W. and Heather S, I'm still the skinny kid. We performed choreographed numbers set to music. There were special speakers that played UNDER the water, so we could swim and keep the rhythm. When I hear a certain Disney Song we performed, it takes me back 25 years and I can remember how the song sounded through the water. It's so weird how odd details stick with you.

Another thing I remember was always being cold. I must have had 0% body fat! My coach, Gail, would tell me to make sure and eat all the fat on my meat at dinner, so I could beef up. That was weird advice, that I never took, since Moose Meat has no fat! We swam in the High School Pool and it was basically unheated.

My coach, Gail, and I, displaying some ribbons I won. What I don't remember is if everyone "Won" ribbons, or if I actually excelled at this sport?! And did we really compete with anyone or just against our own team? We were 6 hours from the nearest town by car, so I doubt any other teams would drive to our pool to compete . . . I'll go read my old "journals" and see if I can't find out more info.

This was taken a year later, when I was in 4th grade, at a BIG competition in Anchorage. I know we competed with other teams at this meet. I stayed all weekend in the "big city" with my friend Heather and her family (My family couldn't come.) I remember going to a music concert in a big hall (my first) and eating an Asian Pear for the first time, but I have no memory of the meet!

My family went on a trip to Hawaii in '84 and my Grandpa had me "perform" my Synchronized Swim Skills. I don't have other photos actually DOING Synchronized Swim because the lighting wasn't good in the Valdez Pool. I'd better forward this to my old pilates instructor, Magui. She always told me I had a dancer's foot, but I think it was really a Synchro Foot!

My mom called a few days ago and found some videos we inherited, at my grandfather's death. Apparently, there is some footage of this Synchro Performance. My mom's going to pay someone to turn them into DVD's and if they're any good, I'll post them. Hey, if you're reading this, you MUST BE INTERESTED!!

Grandpa filmed another exciting event, I found out! We were at Sunset Beach, Oahu, which is known for it's strong undertow. Dad was out surfing. Mom (who couldn't swim, at the time) and Grandpa were watching the 5 children, on the beach. My 5 year old sister, Briana was sucked out with the surf and I ran in to save her. Now, I was a strong swimmer, but probably only weighed 75 lbs. at the most. I was only 9 years old, for goodness sake! I wasn't strong enough and was pulled under, also. My mom ran to save Briana and another woman on the beach ran to save me. When the ordeal was over, Grandpa said, "Don't worry, I got it all on video tape!" HA! I bet my mom wanted to strangle him! I guess she never asked him for the tape!