If you’ve ever watched synchronized swimming and wondered if it is as hard as it looks, the captains of the Edina Girls Synchro Team can assure you that it is. With six years under each of their belts, senior captains Claire Carlson, Kiki Miller, Emily Olson and Bridget Werner will explain that the sport constantly presents a challenge when it’s time to get back into the swing of things and learn a new routine.

Although the sport isn’t as widely known as other sports at Edina High School, it features a strong and consistent roster of around 60 girls. This can be attributed to the fun environment which keeps athletes coming back to the program. “I think if [a student] starts synchronized swimming in seventh grade and they like it, they’ll continue through senior year. It’s such a cool sport and the community is so strong,” Werner said.

Having been a part of the program for so long, the captains are excited for their role in leading the team this season. “It’s really cool to have girls kind of look up to you, since you’re older and a captain,” Carlson said.

On top of the usual pressures captains of a high school team would face, the synchro captains are in charge of planning a successful 60th season for the team. At this year’s annual show–a showcase of the team’s talent that occurs in May and is typically considered the highlight of the team’s season–the captains plan to celebrate the team’s 60th anniversary by incorporating alumni into the event.

Although none of the captains will be able to continue with synchro after graduating due to the limited number of schools that offer it as a sport, they will all look back on their synchro career fondly. “It’s a little sad but I have so many good memories from it that I’ll just look back at all of the fun we had,” Werner said.