Ohio artistic swim team headed to PanAm Aquatics Games
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Synchronized swimming has captured the attention of many following Team USA taking home the silver medal.
There’s one group of young ladies who are striving to make their way to the Olympics one day.
The Mermaids are a competitive artistic swimming team made up of girls as young as 6 all the way to age 18.
“It is a combination of gymnastics, dance, cheerleading, we do stunts like cheerleaders, but all in the water without touching the bottom of the pool,” said Anne-Marie Lichter, Mermaids head coach.
The synchronized swim team started as a small program in Columbus and wanted to compete at the next level, becoming a registered USA team.
The team has come a long way and are very competitive, fiercely competing against some of the best in dozens of competitions throughout the years.
On Saturday, they leave for Peru to compete in the Pan-American Aquatics games, where they plan to give it their all to win.
“This team that is going to Peru, they’re in middle school, maybe some freshman in high school and that’s the age where you’re not doing a school sport so kids at school don’t understand why you’re so busy,” Lichter said.
The girls have plenty of talent, but so do their coaches.
Lichter was a synchronized swimmer at Ohio State University, coached by her now Mother-In-Law, at the National Level.
Lichter-Witter was there from 1995 to 2012 and also coached at the Olympic level.
“I’ve coached four age group teams in my life and I have never seen girls as close and as loving and dedicated as these kids they’re very special,” Lichter-Witter said.
The sport is starting to get more recognition, especially after the Olympics.
