Artistic Levels at a Glance
Synchro Levels at a Glance
Artistic (synchronized) Swimming is a unique and challenging sport. Our program is skill-based which means that all swimmers will be evaluated in the fall and placed on the appropriate team at that time. Please note that depending on the level of ability of the swimmer and/or number of swimmers, they may be placed on a higher or lower age-group team than their actual age. Artistic swimming is unlike a lot of sports in that it can take years to move up from level to level. Below, please find a short description of what skills are indicative of each level. It is also a great tool to help identify where your swimmer is at and what areas need improvement.
Beginning Novices
- Consistently attend 1-2 practices per week (1.5 hours each)
- eggbeater most of the time, with her face dry, but ears sometimes wet.
- does eggbeater jumps with their armpits getting dry, but doesn’t hold their chin high or maintain position as the jump sinks.
- does ballet legs with bent knees or leg farther than 15 degrees past vertical. Her face might sink, and sculling is not always consistent.
- knows what a vertical is, and can get themselves upside down with their legs in the air but may not be sculling, or able to hold for 10 seconds.
- can do splits upside down in the water, but doesn’t fully extend her knees, and legs make an angle between 90-120 degrees.
- can swim up to half a length underwater without stopping.
Advanced Novices
- Consistently attend 2-3 practices per week
- (1.5 hours each)
- eggbeaters, sometimes with tops of shoulders dry, but shoulders not pulled back and chin level with water.
- does eggbeater jumps with their waist getting dry, but doesn’t hold their chin high or maintain position as the jump sinks.
- does ballet legs with bent knees or leg farther than 15 degrees past vertical. Her face might stays dry, and sculling is mostly consistent.
- knows what a vertical is, and can get themselves upside down with their legs in the air holding for 10 seconds, but may not be sculling and knees not fully stretched.
- can do splits upside down in the water, but doesn’t fully extend her knees, and legs make an angle between 90-120 degrees.
- can swim up to half a length underwater without stopping.
Beginning Intermediates
- Consistently attend 2 or 3 practices per week
- (2 hours each)
- eggbeaters, with tops of shoulders always dry, but shoulders not pulled back and chin level with water.
- does eggbeater jumps with their waist getting dry holds their chin high and maintains position as the jump sinks.
- does ballet legs with soft knees and leg within 15 degrees of vertical. Her face stays dry, and sculling is consistent with water line between knee and mid thigh.
- can do a vertical hold for 10 seconds and legs are within 10 degrees of vertical and height below knee cap but above mid shin.
- can do splits with knees above surface, but doesn’t fully square her hips, and legs make an angle between 120-150 degrees.
- can swim up to ¾ of a length underwater without stopping.
Advanced Intermediates
- Consistently attend 3 practices per week
- (1.5 to 2 hours each)
- eggbeaters, sometimes with neckline of swimsuit dry (but not always armpits) with shoulders pulled back and chin slightly higher than level with water.
- does eggbeater jumps with top of their hip bones getting dry, holds their chin high and maintains position as the jump sinks.
- does ballet legs with soft knees and leg within 10 degrees of vertical. Her face stays dry, and sculling is consistent with water line is mid thigh or above.
- can do a vertical hold for 10 seconds and legs are within 10 degrees of vertical and height at knee cap.
- can do splits with knees above surface, but doesn’t fully square her hips, and legs make an angle between 120-150 degrees.
- can swim up one length underwater without stopping.
Age Grouper/Jr & Sr
- Consistently attend 3-4 practices per week
- (2-3 hours each)
- eggbeaters, sometimes with armpits dry, shoulders pulled back and chin lifted higher than level with water.
- does eggbeater jumps with middle of their hip bones getting dry, holds their chin high and maintains position as the jump sinks.
- does ballet legs with extended knees and leg within 5 degrees of vertical. Her face stays dry, and sculling is consistent with water line is mid thigh or above.
- can do a vertical hold for 10 seconds and legs are within 5 degrees of vertical and height at or above top of knee cap.
- can do splits with knees above surface, square hips, and legs make an angle above 150 degrees.
- can swim one full length underwater without stopping, and can repeat 3+ times in a row (with rest in between).
