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WArutuX) cumulus - Wednesday. December 26. 2012 . 21 Synchronized surge Multi sport . . . . ringer KW club back from the brmk m force afier nearly folding m 2009 . . 3‘10“)“ EN?" When it came to attracting new swung up ,, ‘ "T'fii'flii’flle J. ‘ - m- .‘ athletes. Klein, the club resident. and Lori Kowalski. the director of for canada n .i typical Wednesday programs and human resources. 0 night at the (Zamoron , ~ made sure they were everywhere Brio-mm Heights pool, try finding . ‘ ’5 .: . andvisible to the public. ______.Ch'°"““smfl space in lht' water during a KW . ‘ . . That meant holding free syn- , Synchronized Swim (Ilub practice. ,' '5' 1‘ . o _ .. chro days and trying to get kids to D anielle Duncan had a choice It is akin to finding a parking :1,“ .. . Sign up at public swims. That ‘0 makeearl‘ierthisyear: \pOl at the mall duringChristmas. ‘ a t ., meant setting up booths at local Would it be 5h" or would " be Not long ago. it was entirely the 3454;, ,. ' , malls. And when kids cocked an “1'8an? opposite. VIZ; ‘ ear and showed interest. it mm‘ So the 18-year-old Waterloo Sam Kowalski. who joined [he 5‘: .. . ‘ keeping them around with coach- native opted for the speed and club as a coach seven years ago, ”*5" es who were former MJMI ath- skill of ringette earlier this year remembers it well. With just eight _ letes and additional workshops on over the brawn. bruises and brisk kids on one team. there were times . ‘ , ‘ fl.» , , health and wellness. 9"me 0‘ WNW NEW in when the 23-year-old would have . . .. , it?" mg become like a fax-[lily now,” order to play in the world under- to lump in the pool and show stu- ‘e ' 3;? Rachel Kowalski. Sam's sister, said. 19 ““8““? WWW dents how to implement their mu» my! . , J; ‘ “We want to be inviting and it was a 800d choice. albeit a tine. .1 -‘ " encouraging we‘re very hands.on, difficult one, as the Waterloo But at least that was something 3 T"- ‘ loo. we'll come to you.” Wildfire belle-AA defender and ‘0 (10- ’ ., 1. Having Chase and Rachel National Ringette League alter- “It was pretty dead most of the . g 1 UL ‘ “was“ certainly helps. nate will suit up for Canada East time." She said. '1' was frustrating, ‘ :1 ' ' Chase twice competed in the with losslyn Denatedt, Samantha because the girls didn't have any . - ‘ Summer Olympic Games, helping N053] and P3189 N05“ 0f 5" role modes to base their experi- . ,, the Canadian team win bronze in Clements when the tournament ence on, no one to Show them ' ._ F 2000 in Sydney, Australia. and fin- staffs Dec. 28 Inlandomoiit. Whal ‘0 do. . 5 ’ w» ‘ ish fifth in 2004 in Athens. Greece. .My plan was '° 3° out for the "We “he coaches) were the -. . .. . Kowaiski. meanwhile. was a mem- University (of Waterloo rugby) ones getting in the water to show " . s . i her of the national junior and sen- team this year, ”but this whole them how it's done. Usually. it‘s the 7 . . ‘” ' . ‘ ~ v" . f ior teams and spent the last two wriggeciirfirli'ens:iir:?=r$;i older girls who get to do the ‘ ' ' .-’_, » ' . - ears at the S nchro Canada ' ' demos.” 1" . ' , L if. , E , ; if: . ; .,~ ‘- . , . , _ ' hational centre’of excellence in ”M “W “PM UniversL Nowadays. the only free time . . . . " y '3}. _ -3" ;, .?' '_'_ 3: 1.- Montreal. ty. Its a lot. too. its training and “"315“ can find 3‘ practice is '5 , ., it” a I“ ' “Arm ‘ ‘ . . ‘ F Last year. those connections stufl'. 1 WHY wouldlft be able minutes before the girls hit the he ’ ' h r g . -. ,' "‘ :5" E ‘ ‘ My helped them land a visit from ‘0 d0 ll. ‘0 balance it. l’dont water. And in this case. it‘s to talk to “I" . .1 . a . N. . {1 A . .5. . - . :. ‘ gy,‘ . national team head coach Meng ::;3:i.e:nlddbth€tn "tattle; (8}: are net. .m 7",. ' ~ ~ ’ Lu . .- 0 _ ' W“ Chen and a chance to visit and ' ml! 51 competitive SWimmm M . " “3"“? r, _ "$2. - 9;“. I 5",”- ‘ . . . swim with the national team in injured in rugby and not be able split between eight competitive ., ‘ g 5%; 23" M; .. fl"- ‘ ~ . Montreal. ‘0 play innworlds Soyougiveand and pre-compt-titive teams and up ‘ ' " w ‘ More importantly. though, is you take. , to 19 coaches patrolling the pool Emma 5l3'0n "it” out â€" 0' 3 "WOW " during KW Synchronized MM 005 that Chase and Rachel Kowalski 5° Duncan, who occastonally deck at a time. KW Synchro prac- Wad“ “We! "‘53 month f“ Cameron “039““ pool.an Va" “‘9' the have been able to bring their expe- suits “P for the NRL Wildfire “(as can gm pm”), intense with threat of folding, the club is bursting at the seams wtth over 120 athletes Hence back m Kw on a regular when her schedule permits, will music. coaches and two down gig- enrolled "“5 year. basis. pack her stick. skates and helmet gly IZ-antl-under girls to co~ordi~ mm" mm It has been an enjoyable transi~ to be mentored by NRL standouts nate. fact of life for the KW Synchro ational to competitive. tion for Rachel Kowalski. although Sharolyn Wouters and lackie That is just Kowzilski's job (Zlub. which three years ago was 'lt‘s unbelievable how far leaving the national team â€"-â€" which Gaudet 3831““ the likes 0‘ Cana- doscription. close to folding. they've come." Jessica Chase. the included transferring from politi- d“ West, Russm. France. Finland “ l hl‘ membership is so full lintcr (iatrint‘ Klein and Lori club's coach mentor and a former cal science at Concordia University andtheUnited Strata M)nlt'llnl(‘\ we don't have enough Kowalski. Sam's mom. who after Olympian, said. “One of the biggest to legal studies at the University of If all goes well. Canada East coaches to keep up.” the Wilfrid three years of canvassing people at reasons I make the trek every week Waterloo â€"â€" was hard at first. could be playing “P until in. 3- " laurir-r University sociology major malls or scrounging public pools (she lives in the Greater Toronto "i enjoy watching the progress when the f“ and bronze medal 5 said. “No ont-‘s allowed to get sick. for interested students. has seen Area) is the volunteer and parent the girls have made." she said. PM W“ be played “mini; at because we don't have enough girls membership mushroom to 128 commltrnent is so great here. “Seeing them at the beginning and l] a.m. at Western h" 599"" » tocover.” girls on l4 teams ~ from four» “They're dedicated to making it at the end. the progress they’ve Centtelninndon. That is not a complaint: inst a year-olds to masters, and were apositlve experience for the girls” made, it's enjoyable for me. too.” Continued onpegezs t!» ..., 3 ow ‘ I , . - / , ' . , ¢ & 2‘14, 1 , ,/ ," I g, ‘M t . . ’ r ,4. a m . 3' ,, , 1 00 ' *7 9 ' fi' " ,, - F/“r~ ,_ ‘ ““"mw - ' 7’ / - ' ~ v ~Gs & $‘0 .31» LCJ" _. ._...L.'»_J I I. “J 5* My eh ”1:: a“: I: ‘4 ““4 A. ._.A__.JL.1 U; w“ www.a|lsturwrngsundribts.corn - 446 Highland Ru. . W.. Kitchener - 51 9- 208-7000