Synchronised swimming

[avidenjoyer]

DD is 5 and a half and a reasonably good swimmer for her age- she is currently working towards stage 5 and has a lesson with a private swim school and also with the local swim club on a Friday evening.

Her teacher pulled me aside this afternoon and suggested that she takes up synchronised swimming - I think this stems from the fact that she seems to be pretty good at the forward roll/backward roll stuff and is quite agile in the water!

This isn't an activity I've ever thought about or know anything about. If anyone's child does this can you answer a few questions for me?
Is 5 too young?
Should she already be doing gym or dance to be good at this?
Is it competitive or just for fun?

Thank you!

Hi
My daughter started synchro just after her 9th birthday. She'd been with a swimming club since age 5 and moving up the squads, but just wasn't 'into' doing competitive swimming. She was also doing gymnastics and Dance (and still does as they all complement each other) so I suggested she try synchro as she much preferred swimming underwater/doing handstands/somersaults etc. too- but that's rather frowned on in a swimming club!

She went for a trial lesson and loved it and progressed really quickly, competing with the club's 12 and under team at Nationals a few months later!

Our club takes swimmers into their Aquafun group from age 7/8. Not sure if other clubs take younger ages. They need to be strong swimmers, min 50m in 3 main strokes and comfortable in deep water and good flexibility - so gym and dance go well alongside it.

There are various clubs around, some really super competitive where you'd fight for a place on the team, but most will have a recreational strand too, so everyone gets to be part of a team and compete at some level.

Go on the Swim England website or swimming. org and there's lots of info there.

It's a fabulous sport though,hard work but fun and they are super-fit athletes!
More fun to watch too than when she just used to swim up and down a lane!

Thank you that is super helpful! I'm from an entirely non-swimming background so I'm just impressed that she can swim well to be honest never mind synchro!

I'll fire an email to the swim club and see what they suggest. Sounds like a great activity if they're good at it though - def more interesting to watch!

I always wanted to go synchronised swimming as a kid. Hope your girls really enjoy it.

Where we are it is for ages 7+ with a minimum of ASA level 5.