Synchronized Swimming

Synchronized swimming is a very complex sport with high level technical and coordination skills.  The sport has dramatically changed and evolved since the days of water ballet and even since the 1990s. Today synchronized swimming is much more dynamic requiring faster propulsions, difficult angles, increased flexibility strength, and greater height out of the water.  It is a multidisciplinary sport with several elements to master:  strength, flexibility, acrobatics, extension, grace and precise timing.  Since 1984, synchronized swimming has officially been an Olympic sport.

The Coach - Isla Crawford

Isla Crawford is a native conch born and raised in the Upper Florida Keys.  As a child, Isla’s first passions were gymnastics and classical ballet.  Being a Keys kid, her love for the water was innate, and deep down she knew her real dream was to be a mermaid.  At the age of 10, she discovered synchronized swimming.  Her mermaid dreams came true when she joined her first synchro team in Miami later that year.

After graduating from Coral Shores High School, Isla was recruited to swim for the Ohio State University’s national collegiate championship synchronized swimming team. Torn between her devotion to the sport and her love of the ocean, Isla left the land-locked state after two years and transferred to the University of Miami to complete her bachelor’s degree in the marine sciences.

Isla enjoyed pursuing her career in marine conservation, but eventually grew to miss her mermaid life and all the days spent choreographing routines and dancing in the water.  More than anything she wanted to introduce the joys of this great sport to her beloved island community.  It was time to fully embrace her passion – coaching synchronized swimming!