By Amanda Kalina, Girl Scouts - Mile Hi Council

On Saturday, Oct. 7, approximately 50 Girl Scouts dove into a sport foreign to many people - synchronized swimming. Members of the Rocky Mountain Splash Synchronized Swimming Team, based out of the Sheridan Recreation Center, spent the afternoon teaching the Girl Scouts about this Olympic sport they have grown to love.

The afternoon started by having the Girl Scouts learn the basics of the synchronized swimming sport. Members of the team did a demonstration and told the girls how they practice many hours during the week, as well as compete nationally. Then the team helped the Girl Scouts get ready for competition by helping them stretch, do water-proofed hairstyles and make-up, as well as design a swimming suit. The girls especially liked doing their hair, which required putting a pasty substance, Knox Gelatin, into their hair so their hair would stay in place in the water.

"It feels stiff," said one of the Girl Scouts, Alexis, 12, from Longmont. "It feels like they are putting a ton of gel on my hair."

After getting ready for competition, the girls split up into groups with some of the Rocky Mountain Splash team members to learn some synchronized swimming moves (called figures) in the pool. During this exercise, the girls experienced how synchronized swimmers have to perform their moves without touching the bottom of the pool. They also experienced how challenging synchronized swimming is, especially performing "in sync" in a team routine.

"This was fun, but a little hard," said Alanna, 11, from Troop 45 of Denver. "It was hard to listen underwater how to do the routine."

At the conclusion of the event, the Girl Scouts performed what they learned in their group in front of troop leaders and parents. They put some figures together into a short routine that they performed to music.

"It was complicated - so many moves and so little time to learn them," said Rosalyn, 10, of Troop 45 from Denver. "I want to try it again because it is really fun. I liked how we could hear the music (we performed to) below and above the water." (Synchronized swimming pools usually have a sound system below and above water.)

"It was fun to learn how to swim like that. I swim a lot, but not like that," said Elizabeth, 10, from Troop 71 of Littleton.

The Rocky Mountain Splash Synchronized Swimming Team is a nationally-recognized team for swimmers ages 7 to 18. The sport combines the fundamentals of gymnastics and ballet, but "you learn to perform holding your breath and upside down in the water," according to Rocky Mountain Splash. The Rocky Mountain Splash team is coached by internationally-recognized coaches and is currently the highest ranked team in Colorado. Some of the past members of Rocky Mountain Splash are now competing for the United States Olympic team.

Girl Scouts is committed to providing healthy living opportunities to girls. Events like this provide girls ways to learn new healthy living techniques. Girl Scouts hopes the results will be girls who strive to live healthy lives.

Girl Scouts - Mile Hi Council is where girls in Denver and 13 surrounding counties gain courage, confidence and character alongside a group of girls who will be their friends for life. It's a safe place for girls to explore their world, develop an understanding and empathy for others and take action to make the world a better place. Girls are guided by committed, caring adults who make learning fun. No other activity helps each girl achieve her personal leadership pathway like Girl Scouting. Girl Scouts has been the nation's leading expert on girls for nearly 100 years. For more information or to volunteer, visit us at www.girlscoutsmilehi.org or call 303-778-8774.