By Carrie DebroneKitchener Citizen
October 6, 2017
A $3,000 grant from the Ontario government’s Senior’s Secretariat has allowed the City of Kitchener’s recreation department to dive into a new program staff has wanted to offer for some time – synchronized swimming for seniors.
And, apparently it is something that also greatly interests many local seniors. Twenty-three people 55 and older came to the open house SynchroFit class on September 27 at Lyle Hallman Pool in Kitchener.
Aquatics supervisor Janet Zomer helped develop the program using inspiration from a group of synchronized swimming seniors in New York called Harlem Honeys and Bears.
She noted that exercising in water is gentler on your body and, because of this, it is the ideal exercise for seniors.
“The buoyancy of the water allows older people to do a whole range of things they may not normally be able to do.”
“We wanted to bridge that gap of what the pool already does well. I thought this might be a good program for us,” Zomer said.
Because it is brand new, this initial nine-week program is free. It is open to both men and women.
“We want feedback so we can further develop the program,” Zomer said, adding that these first participants will help staff assess interest, see where the program may have to be tweaked to suit the needs of older adults and smooth out any organizational bumps.
If successful, SynchroFit for Seniors may be offered as a regular aquatic program at other city pools and would include registration fees.
The program runs Mondays and Wednesdays from 2:30 to 4pm. In addition to introducing seniors to fundamental syn-chronized swimming skills, Zomer said the goals of the program are to allow seniors to develop core strength by participating in aqua fitness training.
Using swimming drills it will allow seniors to increase their range of motion, improve flexibility and increase endurance. The seniors will learn a synchro sequence that they will perform to music by the end of the program.
The program also allows seniors time to socialize as each class concludes with refreshments and time to talk with each other.
Michelle Salt, who signed up for the new program, said she used to be a synchronized swimmer when she was much younger.
“I used to like doing underwater somersaults and seeing how long I could hold my breath under water. It’s good training for breath control and its fun,” she said, adding that the sport “looks lovely when you get a group doing it.”
“It’s just great exercise and the music helps too,” Salt said.
For more information about the program, email janet.zomer@kitchener.ca or call the City of Kitchener at 519-741-2670.
Kitchener’s new senior’s synchronized swimming program makes a big splash
Instructor Lori Stankiewicz conducts warmups at the start of the City of Kitchener’s new SynchroFit for Seniors class.