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Read MoreBay Area Artistic
SwimTeam
for
Athletes with Disabilities
(AWD)
Our Team
WHO are we?
We are an artistic swimming team, previously known as 'synchronized swimming'. Established in 2015 in San Jose, California, we train youth with cognitive and physical disabilities in our sport. Operating as a private team during the school year, we currently coach up to 15 swimmers, subject to the availability of our coaching staff every season. We are a very small inclusive team. Sometimes, swimmers wait as long as 2 to 3yrs to join our team. We look forward to expanding in the future.
WHAT do we do?
Our team is dedicated to inclusivity, welcoming youth athletes aged 6 and older with cognitive or physical disabilities. We provide coaching for transition from basic swimming to artistic swimming, but do not offer initial swim instruction. Applicants must possess fundamental swimming skills, be comfortable in deep water, and have an understanding of pool safety. Additionally, they should not exhibit uncontrolled behavioral issues that could be hazardous in or around the pool. Our training focuses on advanced swimming techniques for artistic swimming competition. We offer a beginner program which caters to younger swimmers who are new to artistic swimming, serving as a pre-competition, preparatory transition. The beginner program does allow for those wishing to compete in local, national and even international competitions, when they are capable. We offer six levels (TIERS) of artistic swimming progression tailored for athletes with disabilities, with long-term training development designed to excel at advanced levels. Our objective is to empower our swimmers to fulfill their aspirations of competing at higher-level competitions, including regional, state, national, and international competitions. Participation in local novice/intermediate competitions is part of our coaching for all swimmers, while long-term aspirations guide the selection of swimmers who wish to continue with our team each season and progress through the levels (TIERS 1 through 6). We occasionally accept non-disabled swimmers who wish to swim in a duet (mixed ability) category at competitions. The non-disabled swimmers have experience from another team or swim team and must be willing to train with an athlete with a disability.
WHY we DO what we do...
Over the years, it has been observed that swimmers with disabilities and impairments have fewer opportunities with community swim teams and other mainstream sports. Athletes with disabilities/impairments often struggle to progress in sports unless they already possess advanced skills, such as speed swimming, water polo, etc. Our focus is on artistic swimming, and we have seen our long-term athletes successfully join high school and collegiate water polo and competitive swim teams, with some moving on to Paralympic Swimming. We are committed to helping young swimmers who wish to incorporate artistic swimming or other water sports into their lifelong physical activities. While not every swimmer will reach professional levels—approximately 5% of non-disabled athletes do, and even fewer athletes with disabilities achieve this—so we take pride in making a difference in the lives of young people with disabilities/impairments by teaching them with skills that benefit their daily lives through our team program. Currently, we do not provide masters training, but we do coach young adult swimmers with disabilities/impairments, with certain exceptions. Older adults with disabilities may find opportunities with artistic swim teams that offer Masters programs. For more information on Masters swimming, please visit the USA Artistic Swimming website at: www.usaartisticswim.org
Our Training Season
We are a school year seasonal team, sponsored by our organization, Artistic Swimming for Athletes with Disabilities. (Artistic Swim AWD).
We are an inclusive team specifically for athletes with disabilities (AWD). While we consider non disabled swimmers under certain circumstances, our program is designed for youths with disabilities/impairments. Swimmers with disabilities recieve priority enrollment into our team program as long they pass the assessement.
We operate October through May. During the Summer, we also extend our season training to CURRENT team swimmers for a special Summer Camp (mid June to end of July) in preparation for State, National and International summer competitions.
We accept new swimmer enrollment beginning (first come, first served) August 25th until November 1st. Acceptance will be based on free 'Try It' session where new swimmers will go through an assessment and acceptance offered if they pass the assessment. Part of the assessment will include seasonal commitment to practices/competitions, as well as a positive attitude for swimming/competiting and water safety.
Our program goals are long term athlete development for artistic swimming parasport competitions.
We have a strict capacity for our team and once team slots are full, there will be a wait list established and will expire on Nov 1st every year should there not be any vacancies for the season. Transfer (AWD) swimmers from another artistic swim team are accepted during the season.
We are an inclusive team specifically for athletes with disabilities (AWD). While we consider non disabled swimmers under certain circumstances, our program is designed for youths with disabilities/impairments. Swimmers with disabilities recieve priority enrollment into our team program as long they pass the assessement.
We operate October through May. During the Summer, we also extend our season training to CURRENT team swimmers for a special Summer Camp (mid June to end of July) in preparation for State, National and International summer competitions.
We accept new swimmer enrollment beginning (first come, first served) August 25th until November 1st. Acceptance will be based on free 'Try It' session where new swimmers will go through an assessment and acceptance offered if they pass the assessment. Part of the assessment will include seasonal commitment to practices/competitions, as well as a positive attitude for swimming/competiting and water safety.
Our program goals are long term athlete development for artistic swimming parasport competitions.
We have a strict capacity for our team and once team slots are full, there will be a wait list established and will expire on Nov 1st every year should there not be any vacancies for the season. Transfer (AWD) swimmers from another artistic swim team are accepted during the season.
TRAINING PROGRAMS
Beginner Novice Program (Pre-Comp & Tier1)
TIER1 Program (October through May every season) Our TIER1 beginner program is the perfect opportunity for swimmers ages 6 to 12, to learn and improve their swimming skills during the October through May season. They have the option to compete at local competitions and regional, national and international invitationals. PLEASE NOTE: This is NOT a 'learn to swim' session. Swimmers must have minimal swim skills from a previous certified swim lesson program within the past year and NOT be afraid of water and understand and able to demonstrate basic pool safety/drowning prevention. A free swim assessment will be conducted to ensure your swimmer is the correct fit & qualify for this program. This program capacity is 5 slots with one program coach and up to 3 coaching assistants.
Advanced Novice Program=Tiers 1 to 3
The Advanced Novice Tiers program is designed for swimmers who have a basic understanding and have demonstrated the skills needed to advance through the program Tiers Levels. Swimmer may be able to start in the Novice program, especially youths who are ages 12 and older with novice swim skills. This program has 4 athlete slots and is managed by one coach with up to 3 coaching assistants.
Advanced Intermediate & Juniors Program=Tiers 4-6
Swimmers in this team program have progressed through the Tiers, season after season. This program is for intermediate and advanced artistic swimmers. Most swimmers may remain in a TIER for 2+years. Swimmers who transfer from other artistic swim teams who are proficient and have the skills for advanced training, are assessed and placed in this program. The exception would be for athletes who are coming from a high-performance gymnastics/dance program with strong swim skills. The Tiers are designed for athletes with disabilities and are eligible to compete in the Tiers parasport categories at sanctioned USA Artistic Swim Competitions as well as some Int'l Competitions. This program has 6 slots and managed by 2 Coaches and up to 2 coaching assistants.
VOLUNTEER COACHING STAFF
Head Coach Tina
Intermediate/Advanced Tiers
Coach Tina is the Co-Founder of the team along with Coach Raquel, which they established in 2015. Coach Tina has been involved with coaching Artistic Swimming since 2009 and is a USA Artistic Swim and USA Paralympic Certified Swim Coach. Coach Tina is an Aquatics Therapy Assistant for injured veterans and is enrolled in the SJSU M.S. Graduate program for Kinesiology with a focus on sports & facilities management for people with impairments. Coach Tina is a strong advocate for long term athlete development and knows that the skills learned and earned by athletes with disabilities are lifelong in any career they chose. Coach Tina has been instrumental along with Coach Raquel in the national and global push to include artistic swimming as a future Paralympic sport. Coach Tina was successful in guiding the USA Artistic Swim Federation to include a category for athletes w/disabilities (AWD) to compete in locally, regionally, state and nationally. Coach Tina has been a guest speaker all over the world for the inclusion of artistic swimming as an adapted & Paralympic sport, in addition to engaging athletes with disabilities with the sport. Coach Tina has made a global impact not only as a Head Coach but as the President of her advocacy organization, Artistic Swim AWD. Her ultimate goals are long term athlete development for athletes with impairments, Paralympic inclusion and establishing a local aquatics facility for people with impairments. Her compassion, understanding and qualifications will result in the success of these goals.
Coach Raquel
Advanced Tiers
Coach Raquel is the Co-Founder of the Team and a USA Pioneer in evolving artistic swimming as a main stream sport with parasport categories (Tiers). Coach Raquel began the formal global movement to include athletes with disabilities in Artistic Swimming. Coach Raquel began her artistic swimming career in 2009 with two local teams and ultimately started the Bay Area Artistic Swim Team in 2015 to allow for athletes w/disabilities (AWD) to have full opportunities for high performance competitions. Coach Raquel continues to compete as an athlete in National and Int'l competitions. Coach Raquel believes in inclusivity in sports and has traveled all over the World to speak about the importance of inclusion and keeping our athletes with disabilities engaged and independent. Coach Raquel graduated from San Jose State University in 2022 with a degree in Political Science. She took a break to coach and to pursue the AWD global movement for inclusion in future Paralympic Games. She aspires to attend Law School in 2025 so that she can continue to advocate for the rights of our underserved populations. Coach Raquel as an AWD, is committed with strength and passion to lead AWD and non-AWD swimmers to success in the pool and in their lives.
Coach Tulisha
Pre-Comp/Tier1
Coach Tulisha has been a USA Artistic Swim Federation certified coach since 2018. Coach Tulisha was instrumental in the early beginning of this team to find success locally and with inclusivity at local pools. She has coached at local, regional, and Int'l competitions. She brings a wealth of experience with customer service and satisfaction while working as a senior customer service rep in internet and retail services. Coach Tulisha's experience and ability to coach up and coming athletes to enjoy what artistic swimming has to offer has led to numerous successes for athletes who would have very little opportunity to excel in other sports. Coach Tulisha gives every swimmer the opportunity to develop their skills while having fun. Coach Tulisha believes in long term athlete development and has the ability to encourage young swimmers to stay engaged and to fulfill their dreams of showcasing their acquired skills to the world. Coach Tulisha graduated from San Jose State University with a degree in public relations. Coach Tulisha is also a caregiver for her mom, who is visually impaired and knows the frustrations athletes w/disabilities face when it comes to equity and inclusion. Coach Tulisha believes coaching is a lifelong journey for her as it is with many of the athletes she coaches.
Coach Katie
Novice/Intermediate Tiers
Coach Katie has been a USA Artistic Swim Federation certified coach since 2019 and was a competitive artistic swimmer for a local team for 6yrs. Coach Katie has coached at local, regional, state, national and Int'l competitions for athletes with disabilities. By dedicating herself to coaching, she found a way to be involved in the sport she loves while pursuing her education. Coach Katie is passionate about providing individualized support and skill training to young athletes with developmental and physical disabilities. Coach Katie is an English major and a Human Rights minor at UC Berkeley. She loves to choreograph routines, finding joy in working with new artistic swimmers on the creativity and musicality of the sport. Coach Katie continues to provide a calm and safe space where athletes with disabilities are accommodated, and their abilities are valued. Coach Katie is committed to compassion and the understanding of the challenges which athletes with disabilities face and has the experience as a coach with an impairment herself, to pass on to athletes so they can excel in their endeavors for this sport and in their daily lives.
VOLUNTEER COACHING STAFF
Coach Adriana
Tier1 Program Coach
Coach Brandi
Coaching Assistant
Coach Anya
Coaching Assistant
Coach Lia
Coaching Assistant
VOLUNTEER REMOTE COACHING STAFF
Coach Claire
Skills Instructor
Coach Jade
Skills Instructor
Coach Hannah
Skills Instructor
F.A.Q
Do we need disability verfication from our medical provider?
Yes, our enrollment agreement mandates it. This confidential documentation is necessary for participation in parasports categories and competitions. Moreover, it helps us identify any required accommodations for your swimmer while they are part of our team.
Does your team offer grants, scholarships or bingo to pay for training?
Our team's training expenses are traditionally less than those of many other swim teams offering comparable programs for athletes with disabilities. Although there are numerous grants and scholarships available for swimmers with physical or cognitive disabilities, these are individual awards that the swimmer must apply for and secure to cover our training program costs. Regrettably, we do not have any team grants or scholarships available for new swimmers.
How come you do not accept non-disabled swimmers?
Our organization, Artistic Swim AWD, supports our team, (Bay Area Artistic Swimming), as part of the mission/goals to offer sports opportunities to swimmers with disabilities and to broaden the reach of artistic swimming to athletes with disabilities who aspire to compete at higher levels. While we do not turn away non-disabled swim applicants, our priority is to enroll swimmers with disabilities. If we have openings, we will consider non-disabled athletes who meet our assessment criteria and can commit to competing in mixed abilities duet/trio/team categories along with athletes with disabilities (AWD) on our team.
Given the small size of our swim team, non-disabled athletes—and even those with disabilities—might find more opportunities with other local teams with AWD training programs or mainstream artistic swim teams, especially if we have no openings.
Given the small size of our swim team, non-disabled athletes—and even those with disabilities—might find more opportunities with other local teams with AWD training programs or mainstream artistic swim teams, especially if we have no openings.
If I am accepted to the Team, do I get to chose who coaches me?
Our team offers trained and seasoned coaches for every level. We boast a roster of dedicated coaches and coaching assistants experienced with a diverse range of swimmers. Given our team's intimate size, coaches occasionally rotate among the Tiers, allowing all team swimmers the opportunity to become acquainted with and learn from our entire coaching staff.
Can't I just join your team for recreational swimming?
Our program provides recreational swimming for beginners (Tiers 1 and 2), with a primary focus on competitive swimming. We are dedicated to the long-term development of athletes in our sport and other aquatic disciplines, especially for swimmers with disabilities who are looking to engage in the sport or physical activities for life. For individuals seeking non-competitive training, many local artistic swim teams offer recreational, seasonal, and summer programs. For additional details, please visit www.californiaartisticswimming.com
When are the training sessions each month & how much is it?
We recognize that some of our swimmers may have commitments to other activities, such as band practice, sports, or community service. However, we expect full dedication to our part-time training program. The monthly fee is a flat rate covering pool usage and administrative expenses. All our coaches are volunteers; we do not have any paid staff. The flat rate for each program is designed to allow for maximum training time. Our training program includes the first 3 Saturdays (1pm-3:45pm) each month, October through May, Weds (up to) 1hr Facetime sessions, and once a month Sunday 1hr gym sessions. Monthly costs are not prorated for missed practices or late arrivals, except in cases of verified medical issues relating to an impairment, where we do provide credit for the days missed. Cost for each program varies and changes every season based on our pool rental/admin costs. Please email us for the program you are interested in. We are currently operating for the 2025 season, which ends on August 31st, 2025. Our 2026 season begins in October 2025. Open enrollment begins in late August and ends on Nov 1st. Swimmers transferring from other artistic swim teams accepted at any time during our season if we have an opening.
When & where are the practices held?
We hold our practices on SAT afternoons (1pm-3:45pm) at a local community center pool west of downtown San Jose. We have once a month local gym/pool training (2pm-4pm) in Santa Clara for advanced novice Tiers & up. We also include a twice a month evening weekly weds online facetime training with the entire team. We also offer private or semi-private sessions for athletes desiring more instruction during the athlete's and coaches availability. Athletes must provide their own local pool for private sessions. If you are an aspiring swimmer for our team, you must pass the free assessment which requires an rsvp once you complete and submit a team try it form.
F.A.Q
Upcoming 2025 Events
Great fun with costumed artistic swim routines! Solos, Duets, Trios and Teams. Also includes a Masters event! This competition will occur on Feb 8th SAT and Feb 9th SUN. More details/schedule of events to be posted on Feb 1st, 2025! FREE admission & snack bar on site!
This inaugural event is the culmination of 10yrs of advocacy by the Artistic Swim AWD Organization to advocate for AWD Organizations globally to hold a World Championship during the Olympic/Paralympic break. This competition is for the Intl Olympic committee to experience the abilities global athletes with disabilities in artistic swimming worthy of recognition of the sport to be on future Paralympic Rosters. SPECIAL THANKS to everyone at the Nat'Handi Artistique Organization (France) for putting this event together and hosting this amazing competition! For additional information about this international competition, your support and any information you need, please contact: nathandiartistique@gmail.com
The State Games of America is an Olympic style grass roots event which involves over 20 sports including Artistic Swimming at venues across San Diego. The events are kicked off with an opening ceremony at the Pechanga Stadium in San Diego on Friday, July 19th from 6pm to 830pm. Please visit the California State Games website for additional information and tickets. For the Artistic swim competition, there will be competitors from across the USA. The competition will begin at 9:30am and end with an awards ceremony at 4pm. This competition includes novice, age groups, parasports Tiers and Masters. NO tickets are required for attendance at the Artistic Swim Competition. Please visit the California State Games website at: https://www.calstategames.org/opencer
This is the final local competition of the season. ALL teams with Novice and Intermediate swimmers who will compete in their final meet of the season with figures (technical) and full routines.
JOIN us for a FUNraising event which includes sponsoring a swimmer (or 2) for our ArtSwim-A-Thon, which is a unique aquathon with synchronized swim elements. Also, swimmers will do their routines with a costumed exhibition to music. We will have a fantastic silent auction and great raffle prizes. All of this with Free admission! If you want special treatment, then purchase one of our limited VIP tickets, which is front row seating includes cold bottle of water, and an optional photo opportunity with your camera of our costumed swimmers with you, along with our special guest Mermaid. All for just $15. Seats are limited and advanced RSVP is required. Spectators in wheelchairs will have a specific viewing area at no additional cost. Bleacher seating is free, first come, first served. Those arriving late or no more seating available are encouraged to bring their own folding chair just in case. Otherwise it is standing only during the duration of the event. Aquathon sponsorship pledges for swimmers start at $5 per lap and up. The silent auction and raffle concludes at 3pm. The event concludes at 3:15pm, and door closes to the public at 3:30pm. For RSVP or addl information, please email Coach Tina at: artisticswimawd@gmail.com
Regionals Competition involves all northern California teams with competitions amongst age groups and advanced swimmers, including parasport categories (Tiers).
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BAY AREA ARTISTIC SWIM TEAM FACEBOOK & INSTAGRAM PAGE
Will be adding the social media links soon
ARTISTIC SWIM AWD FACEBOOK & INSTAGRAM PAGE
will be adding the social media links soon.
BAY TEAM MEMBER APP (Current Coaches/Swimmers/Staff Only)
Contact
- San Jose, California, United States
We do not have online enrollment. ALL free try it sessions, enrollment requests, and other questions are processed via the email above through our organization, Artistic Swim AWD for the Team.
