The Occidental Swim Cadets is the new synchronized swimming club at Occidental. According to the club’s president and founder, Lily Fawcett-Dubow (sophomore), they are having their second informational meeting Oct. 12, and will begin practices shortly after.
According to the club’s treasurer, Josie Gordon (senior), the club intends to give students the opportunity to perform among a caring and inclusive group of people and foster a space that is welcoming for beginner synchronized swimmers. Gordon said she is new to synchronized swimming.
“The club is accessible to anyone who wants to participate in it,” Gordon said. “It’s about having fun with one another and having a loving community.”
Fawcett-Dubow said she was inspired by her high school’s 80-year-old student-led synchronized swimming club, The Cleveland Heights High Swim Cadets.
“I did it all four years and I just loved synchronized swimming so much,” Fawcett-Dubow said. “I wanted to bring that to Occidental.”
According to Fawcett-Dubow, she was highly involved in the choreographing aspect of her high school club performances.
“I did a routine my senior year to ‘Cool for the Summer’,” Fawcett-Dubow said. “I also wrote a routine to the songs ‘Rain on Me’ and ‘Natural’ by Imagine Dragons.”
Fawcett-Dubow said she is inspired by her former high school teammates, including Serenity Parker (sophomore) who attends Ohio University and said synchronized swimming has had a lasting impact on her.
“Swim Cadets made me discover my femininity, and it made me feel really powerful,” Parker said. “I’m just like a cute little glittery butterfly.”
Parker also said that perseverance matters in the early stages of learning synchronized swimming.
“In the beginning when you first start out, you’re not going to be great,” Parker said. “It’s nothing to beat yourself up over.”
Fawcett-Dubow said a difficulty facing the Occidental Swim Cadets is finding space to practice. Practicing during open swim at the De Mandel Aquatics Center is not preferable for the club. According to Gordon, the club is only allowed to use the pool during open swim hours, despite it not being the safest option.
Assistant Athletic Director of Operations Cori Vallembois said via email that there are many factors to consider when evaluating space requests. According to Vallembois, factors include the existing schedules of varsity teams, staffing requirements, life expectancy of specific spaces, special projects, associated costs and more.
According to Gordon, the Occidental Swim Cadets are in communication with local pools so they can start full-scale routines. Until then, the club will be doing small-scale practices during open swim.
Fawcett-Dubow said that a lot of people are unaware of how difficult it can be. According to the Los Angeles Times, elite synchronized swimmers can experience an imbalance of carbon dioxide and oxygen that leads to “shallow water blackout,” a condition where swimmers can fall under the illusion that they no longer need to breathe.
“Low-key, you have to be able to drown. People will get concussions, somebody will jump on someone,” Fawcett-Dubow said. “There’s a lot of underwater time, so it’s really important to be able to hold your breath.”
Fawcett-Dubow said that you also have to keep your eyes open underwater, which can lead to red or itchy eyes. It was so intense, she said, that she had to forgo her veganism for a remedy.
“I’m a vegan and I would pour cow’s milk in my eyes because that was the only thing that would help,” Fawcett-Dubow said.
Gordon and Fawcett-Dubow said that they will also have a performance by the end of the season that will involve make-up, costumes and a resourceful method for containing their hair involving Vaseline.
While preparing for the performance, Fawcett-Dubow said students will learn a unique sense of body awareness and how to move their body in ways they never thought possible, as the water makes capabilities unpredictable. According to Fawcett-Dubow, the movements she can achieve underwater surprise her.
“You learn movements, and then you put those movements together to form the routines,” Gordon said. “You have to have strong technique.”
According to Fawcett-Dubow, the club has the theme for the performance picked out and it will be a surprise.
“I’m really excited for people to experience it,” Fawcett-Dubow said. “It’s really magical.”
Contact Yanori Ferguson at yferguson@oxy.edu
