Rachel Anscher

How is your involvement with synchronized swimming valuable to your undergraduate experience?

I think it gives me a way to escape from my regular life. I get to be with a whole group of girls that are really different from the people I normally hang out with. It has really been a great experience to meet such new and wonderful people.

How do you balance your studies and the time you spend practicing and competing?

Sometimes I canít. Iím co-captain this year so my schedule is busy. Managing this team is kinda like running a small business. I spend a lot of time organizing and preparing things for the team, which can be very time consuming. Unfortunately for my academia, synchro can, and a lot of times does come first. I try to make myself a regimented schedule, but as most people know sometimes that just doesnít work.

Would you say that synchronized swimming is more athletic or more artistic?

Itís really a combination of both. Especially since I did dance in high school I see a lot of the same elements in synchro. Itís a combo of dancing and swimmingÖdance in the water. Iíd say itís a lot more elegant than regular swimming and there is a lot of beauty like modern dance. As far as the athletic side is concerned, it involves a lot of strength, especially to stay afloat.

If you believe there is an artistic side to synchronized swimming, what elements of art do you feel there are?

Well sometimes we get to choreograph our own routines, so that element is expressive. It allows you to show yourself. Also, like I said, itís very similar to dance and gymnastics, which I think are both artistic forms of movement. Also, I feel like there truly is an art behind synchro that you have to work with and work on. Not everyone can do it. It takes a lot of practice, desire and drive.

When you are performing in competitions do you feel like more of an athlete or more of an artist?

Honestly, probably athletic.

How long have you been doing synchronized swimming and what makes you continue with it?

I swam and danced in high school back home; but I wasnít really ever given the opportunity to do synchro then. I donít think I really ever knew it was so bigÖitís definitely more popular in the Midwest than it was in New York. So last year at Festifall, I saw the booth for the synchro team and decided to sign up. I missed swimming and dancing, and now that Iíve been doing synchronized swimming Iíve really gotten sucked in. I love being part of this little community.

Have you ever won any awards for synchro?

Well we mostly win awards as a team. And we also have little, fun awards that we give to each other in the team. For this I was given ěBest Deck-Workî for choreographing the first ten seconds of the routine while we are still on the deck. But really the biggest award for me was when I was moved up to co-captain this year. It makes me feel like Iím making a difference which, to me, is better than any words attached to an award.

What are some of your other pastimes or hobbies aside from synchro and studying?

I make earrings and do photography for my major. I always find myself at ěArts Breakî. I just love to make things; art is such a big part of me.

Do you have any ultimate, long-term goals with the sport/art of synchronized swimming?

I personally donít; but thatís mostly because Iím a little preoccupied with my major and my art. There are other girls though on the team who are training to be judges and middle and high school coaches. I might later join a Masterís team, but if I do that Iíll have to take a few years off, which I donít really mind. I mean overall itís just such a treasure to say that Iíve been a part to this small community of synchronized swimmers. Itís not as big as all the other sports out there, so to be a part of it is really a gift.