In sync at 250: we move as one

Whether in a swimming pool, a classroom, a workplace, or a neighborhood, we all have opportunities to move in sync with those around us. When we choose collaboration over competition, encouragement over criticism, and belonging over exclusion, we create something far more beautiful than any medal.

That feeling washed over me throughout the 2026 USA Artistic Swimming Junior Olympic Championships in Ypsilanti, Mich., near Ann Arbor. Even after a couple of tongue-twisting moments trying to pronounce the location before heading to the competition, I left with something much greater than memories of routines and rankings.

I left believing, once again, that water never discriminates.

The water doesn’t care where you come from, what language you speak, your abilities, or your background. Once the athletes dive in, they become part of something greater than themselves. Inclusion, diversity, teamwork, and trust all move together beneath the surface.

Artistic swimming is known for its graceful choreography and breathtaking synchronization, but the real magic often happens behind the scenes. It lives in the countless early morning practices, endless conditioning, and the determination to perfect every movement. It lives in coaches who never stop believing, parents making sure their athletes stay fueled through long competition days, and siblings who patiently wait between events while helping with glitter, hair gel, bobby pins, snacks, and endless encouragement.

Everyone has a role. That is what makes a team.

USA Artistic Swimming’s message, “We Are One Team,” echoed throughout the championship weekend.

While sitting in the bleachers for hours, I noticed another parent’s T-shirt that instantly made me smile. It read, “Some people wait their whole life to meet their favorite athlete. I’m raising mine.”

That message resonated with me more than they could have imagined.

Here’s a fun fact: this proud swim mom still needs a life jacket in a three-foot pool! Meanwhile, I’m proudly raising an athlete who wears chlorine as her perfume.

I still laugh remembering our Mommy and Me swim class when my daughter was just four months old. She happily splashed, made bubbles, and sang songs while I tried my best to keep a brave poker face. Before every class, I quietly asked the instructor, “Can you please keep an eye on me … just in case?”

Thankfully, my daughter inherited the love of water – not my fear of it.

Watching her now perform with complete confidence reminds me that courage isn’t always about being fearless. Sometimes it’s about encouraging someone else to dive into opportunities we never imagined for ourselves.

My daughter’s team performed a combination routine inspired by the jungle. At first, each swimmer represented animals staying alert, separated from predators and uncertainty. As the routine unfolded, they gradually came together, trusting one another completely while remaining perfectly synchronized beneath the water’s surface.

Watching them, I couldn’t help but think about the lesson hidden within their performance.
Life often encourages us to focus on our differences. Yet nature reminds us that survival – and flourishing – depends on working together. Imagine what our communities could become if we spent less energy competing against one another and more energy building trust, respecting differences, and creating spaces where everyone.

What a beautiful metaphor for life that felt familiar …

Instead of allowing our differences to divide us, we can choose to come together, work together, and create communities where everyone belongs.

On July 4, 2026 – America’s semiquincentennial celebrating 250 years of independence – my daughter’s team achieved a milestone of their own. Their combo routine earned 10th place in the nation, the club’s highest national finish since 2018.

That accomplishment wasn’t built in one performance. It was earned through an entire year of commitment, perseverance, teamwork, and believing in one another.

As the evening fireworks illuminated the Michigan sky after catching part of the local Fourth of July parade, I couldn’t help but reflect on the many ways we celebrate greatness.

Sometimes it comes with medals.

Sometimes it comes with memories.

And sometimes, it comes from watching a group of young athletes remind us that when we move together with trust, respect, and purpose, we all make a bigger splash.

Pooja Thakkar is working to build cultural connections. You can read her column each week in the pages of The Reporter.