Swimmers interested in joining can fill out our contact form to receive updates about the 2025 season!
2025 Upcoming Synchro Info Session on February 5th, 6:30pm-7:15pm, Jefferson Cafeteria. Interested swimmers and their parents are welcome to come and meet the coaches as well as current swimmers. Ask about reduced fees for first year swimmers.
Aquettes practices are daily, Monday - Friday after school at the Olson Middle School Pool at 3:00pm until 6:00pm.
Who can join?
The Bloomington Aquettes synchronized swimming team is offered every spring for students in grades 7-12. Practice begins in early March. NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY! We welcome swimmers of all abilities.
Equipment
Swimmers need a one-piece swimsuit, swim cap, goggles, and nose clips. Each swimmer will need a black one-piece swimsuit and a white swim cap for competitions. Routine suits and headpieces will also be needed for the show, sections, and state. Routines will be determined once the season is underway.
What is synchronized swimming?
Synchronized swimming (also called artistic swimming) consists of both routines and figures. Routines are what is commonly associated with synchro - where swimmers coordinate arm and leg movements to the music. There are solos (1 swimmer), duets (2 swimmers), trios (3 swimmers), and teams (4-8 swimmers). New swimmers will typically be placed into one routine for their first year and are not required to participate in tryouts their first year. Figures are technical elements that are performed with control and precise timing. It is like performing one dance move. Routine scores and figures scores both contribute equally to the overall score. At practice, we spend time working on both figures and routines!
In high school synchronized swimming, there are 3 divisions - short, long, and extended. Swimmers will start out in the short division and have the chance to advance to the long and extended divisions by placing in the top 7 at the state meet.
Helpful Links
Registration (Jefferson High School)
https://jhs.bloomington.k12.mn.us/node/3116904
Registration (Kennedy High School)
Minnesota State High School League Website - Synchro
http://www.mshsl.org/mshsl/activitypage.asp?actnum=430
Elsmore Aquatic - website for equipment, has everything you'll need!
Stretching videos:
Dawn split stretching https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZTGgEWPbLk
Lower body stretching https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMZmzwr6Fxg
Order suits online:
Elsmore Aquatics http://www.elsmoreswim.com/
The Swim Outlet http://www.swimoutlet.com/
Splish.com http://www.splish.com/products
General Synchro Information:
Off-Season Synchronized Swimming Clubs:
If you are interested in doing club synchro outside of the high school season, please reach out! Below are the links for the two local club synchronized swimming teams:
Gelling Tips
Supplies: Knox Unflavored Gelatin, Bobby Pins, Hair Net, Old Towel, Boiling Water, Fork, Paint Brush*, and Comb or Brush.
Pull hair back into a high tight ponytail. Try not to leave any large bumps.
Wrap hair into a bun using just enough bobby pins (2 - 4) to secure the bun before wrapping it with the hair net.
Wrap bun in a hair net.
Smooth any flyaway hairs with wet hands.
Wrap shoulders in towel.
Empty 4 packets of Knox into a wider bowl, a Cool Whip sized bowl works good.
Pour 1/3 cup of boiling water over Knox.
Stir quickly with a fork until all lumps are gone.
Gel should be the consistancy of warm syrup. If it is too thick the gel turns white and comes off in clumps. It needs to be able to saturate the hair. If it is too think add more water. If too thin a another packet.
Starting at the front hair line, use the paint brush to spread a thin layer of gel from the hair line to the bun base. Work your way quickly around the head instructing the swimmer to tilt their head accordingly. Once around, give the bun a thin gel coat as well. Pick clumps off the head as you go and don't worry about full coverage at this point - the second coat will get the holes.
In a separate bowl, place the paint brush in a bit of the boiling water to keep it soft between coats. Squeeze out the excess water with a paper towel before using it on the next layer.
Sit. While you wait, empty the next 4 packets into the gel bowl - no need to rinse between batches.
When the first layer starts to get hard, add the water to the next batch.
The second layer should be thin as well but this time, try to get closer to the hairline edge and fill in any holes from the first layer.
*Note on the paint brush: The cheap, thin, short bristle brush works best (2" wide, 1.5" bristles). It's not a heavy, sharp edged, paint brush that would work well for painting a wall.