Synchronized
Swimming
Competitive Track Structure
Competitive Track Structure
The ANA YMCA Synchers' youth team - comprised of the Novice Team, Intermediate Team, and Age Group Team - will compete in meets at all 5 levels, from Novice to Senior.
A brief description of each track is found below.
Novice:
This track is for athletes who have just started to learn synchro. Their figures have the lowest degree of difficulty of all the groups. Their routines are pre-written at the Association level and showcase certain required skills. Athletes compete only at the Association level. In this track, ANA offers opportunities for young athletes to learn synchro basics in a low-key competition environment.
Intermediate:
This track is for athletes who are new to synchro or have only a few years of experience. Their figures are more difficult than novice figures. For routines, each team may select their own music and write their own choreography, which must include certain required skills, called technical elements. Athletes compete at the Association level and can qualify to compete at the Regional and Zone level. The qualification to progress to the next level is determined by final placement in the competition. At this track, the focus is on the development of basic skills, teamwork, and on introduction to competition.
Age Group:
This track is mainly for athletes who have significant prior synchro experience, although new athletes can on occasion compete in the Age Group track when they demonstrate the ability to perform at this level. The Age Group program is designed to build upon basic skills and teamwork, and offers swimmers a path through progressively more advanced skills and competitions.
Age Group figures are more difficult than Intermediate figures, and older Age Group swimmers perform more complex figures than younger Age Group swimmers. Routines for swimmers in the 12-and-under age groups feature technical elements, while 13-and-over groups swim free routines with no required movements. Athletes compete at the Association level and can qualify to compete at the Regional, Zone, and National level. Qualification to progress to the next level is by placement.
Junior:
This track is only for athletes aged 13 to 18 and over who have significant synchro experience. Figures are challenging, and routines have no required elements. Athletes compete at the Association level, and can qualify by score to compete at Zone levels. National junior level competition is only for athletes aged 15 to 18. Athletes in ANA's 13 and over Age Group track may also compete in the Junior track, by placement of the coaches, and with appropriate required scores and age ranges for each competition.
Senior:
This is the most advanced track of synchro competition. Athletes must be 13 or over and have significant synchro experience. Senior figures are the most challenging of all figure groups, and routines have no required elements. Athletes compete at the Association level, and can qualify by score to compete at Zone and National levels. National senior level competition is only for athletes aged 15 and over. Athletes in ANA's 13 and over Age Group program may also compete in the Senior track, by placement of the coaches, and with appropriate required scores and age ranges for each competition.
Certain tracks of competition are mutually exclusive, while other tracks allow athletes to participate in more than one track during a season. There are very specific guidelines as to which tracks athletes may participate in; coaches will advise athletes as to which track they may enter. Coaches will take into account many factors when determining track placement for each athlete. These factors include, but are not limited to, athletes' age, synchro ability, number of years swimming, number of routines swimming, routine partners and their ages and abilities, likelihood of success in a particular track, challenge of a particular track, particular rules limiting competitors to certain tracks, overall ANA team composition, etc. Some athletes may compete in more than one track over the course of a season. Coaches will place athletes in tracks according to the best interests of athletes and of the entire team.
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Last updated October 26, 2008