Try it, with a smile on your face, and you’ll see just how challenging it is for the elite group of young athletes that comprise the four synchronized swim teams in the Milwaukee area.

"A lot of people aren’t aware of synchronized swimming," admits Jill Gretenhart of the New Berlin Synquettes. "It’s the ultimate team sport; not only is everyone required to perform, but the girls have to perform identically. They all have to be on their game during a performance."

Solid swimming skills are a given for girls interested in synchronized swimming.

"We definitely encourage new girls to seek out the sport," says Elizabeth Watson, coach of the Elmbrook Synchro Storm. "In my opinion, synchronized swimming is growing in Wisconsin, and it takes the dedication of good coaches and interested swimmers to keep the momentum going."

Considering the sport? Dive in with one of the teams that makes our area proud.

Menomonee Falls Dolphinettes

Now in its fifth decade, the Menomonee Falls Dolphinettes is one of the larger and most established teams in the area. "Our swimmers come from the Menomonee Falls area as well as further north, including Germantown, Jackson and Mequon," says MFD Head Coach Linda Loehndorf

Synchronized swimming got its start in Menomonee Falls in the early 1960s, where it was a club activity at the Menomonee Falls high schools. The MFD became a competitive team in 1982. The team is now an independent organization, but is an affiliate of the Menomonee Falls Recreation Department.

They’ve been Wisconsin State Champions for the past 18 years and the regional champions for the past 17 years, and annually travel to meets across the country. Throughout its history, the group has also occasionally competed on the international level. For more information on the team, log on to www.mfdsynchroswim.org or contact Linda Loehndorf at loehndorf@charter.net.

Aqua Sprites of Wisconsin

The girls who belong to the Wauwatosa-based Aqua Sprites of Wisconsin do well in local, regional and national competitions, but also have fun. "That’s one of our main goals — that the girls enjoy what they’re doing and they have a good time," says head coach Meg Stahl.

The club was established in 1991, and is part of the Wauwatosa Recreation Department. Practices are held at Whitman Middle School.

"We never turn anyone away who is interested," says Stahl. "I think we’d all love to see more girls interested in the sport and more people aware of it. There’s a lack of knowledge that the teams are here."

Like other area clubs, girls on the Aqua Sprites of Wisconsin team range in age from 9 to 19. "We’re a very consistent club, and the girls do well in competition," says Stahl. "But it’s not just about the competition. If a girl is interested in trying out the sport and is not quite ready, she may not swim a routine her first year, but she will have the opportunity to get in the water, start learning the basics and build on it." For more information on the Aqua Sprites of Wisconsin, contact Coach Meg Stahl at (262) 798-1847.

New Berlin Synquettes

For more than 20 years, the girls of the New Berlin Synquettes have developed a true love for the sport, says the Synquette’s Jill Gretenhart.

"Yes, they go to nationals and get the experience, but the greater goal is that they really develop a love for the sport," she says. "I’m most proud of the kids who have gone on to swim at the master’s level and/or at college.

Currently, the club has about 20 swimmers ranging in age from 8 to 16. Not all Synquettes head straight to competition. The club also offers a program for beginners to get their feet wet in the sport. New swimmers are expected to have at least basic swimming skills.

Gretenhart says that the sport is often appealing to girls and their parents because it rolls dance, gymnastics and swimming into a single performing event. "The nice part of that is the girls don’t develop intense injuries because they are doing all of the activities in the water," she says.

"Not only are the girls learning to be team players, but the sport teaches them to think on the spot," she says. "If someone makes a mistake — and we all make them — they have to fix it immediately and keep going, as if nothing has happened. That’s an important skill to take into adulthood. For more information on the New Berlin Synquettes, call Jill Gretenhart at (262) 783-4299.

Elmbrook Wisconsin Synchro Storm

The newest synchronized swim team in our area is the Elmbrook Wisconsin Synchro Storm, which was founded in 2001. "We’re the newest club, but I think we do a very good job of taking care of our swimmers," says Coach Elizabeth Watson.

The 21 girls of the Elmbrook Synchro Storm are all from the Elm Grove-Brookfield area, and the group is affiliated with the Brookfield Park and Recreation Department. The team practices at Brookfield East High School. "We’re a creative team, but our girls are also very disciplined," says Watson. "We work a lot on team building."

Watson swam with the Menomonee Falls Dolphinettes as a girl, and understands the sport from the swimmer’s perspective. "I think synchronized swimming is still a growing sport in Wisconsin," she says. "It’s huge in other areas of the country, such as California and Ohio, and we have room to grow here."

Though the Synchro Storm is a relatively young team, its swimmers have and do qualify for prestigious meets, such as the Junior Nationals and the Age Group Nationals.

Like the other clubs in the area, the Synchro Storm offers the opportunity for new and young swimmers to try out the sport. The team’s recreational class is open to swimmers as young as 6 years old. For more information on the Elmbrook Wisconsin Synchro Storm, log on to the team’s Web site at www.wisconsinsynchrostorm.org.