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Roxane Pomeroy’s artistic swimming journey began in 2009—not as an athlete, but as a dedicated parent. “My daughter, Paige, started swimming with a club in Alberta,” she recalls. “When we moved to Kelowna, she was like, ‘I don’t care where we’re moving, but they need to have a Synchro club.’”
Luckily, Kelowna had the Dolphins, and Paige was able to continue swimming. As a supportive parent, Roxane got involved with the club’s board, helping with fundraising and grants. That’s when she unexpectedly found herself in the water. “One year, somebody mentioned that the City of Kelowna had a Masters grant available for teams with Masters programs. Our then-president said, ‘Hey, you and I should start a Masters team.’ I said, ‘No, no, I don’t swim!’ But she convinced me, and from there, it just took off.”
Now, five years later, she’s still in the water as part of Kelowna Dolphins’ Masters artistic swimming team. “For us, the best part is the camaraderie,” she says. “It’s getting a little bit of exercise, pushing yourself more than you thought you could—and really, the giggles. We try things, sometimes they work, sometimes they don’t, but we always laugh.”
This season, Roxane and her teammates are taking their routines to the next level. “We’ve worked on the basics for the past couple of years. This year, our routine is really about taking it to that next level,” she shares. “Each practice has that ‘Whoa, we didn’t have to do this before’ moment. It’s like…you want us upside down in the water doing what?” she laughs.
A highlight was winning their category at Mabel Moran. “It was like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is real. This is happening. Holy smokes. We just went out there and swam, and we did a great job, and it was reflected.’”
Beyond the pool, artistic swimming has had a lasting impact. “It was really the catalyst to make me start thinking about my overall health more,” Roxane says. “Knowing that I could do synchronized swimming really pushed me to try other things—now I do spin class on a regular basis as well.”
For those hesitant to try the sport, her advice is simple: just do it. “We had someone join us in our third season who was unsure. I said, ‘Just come out, no expectations, and give it a try.’ She went from saying, ‘I can’t put my head under the water’ to doing back hangs in one session—and she loves it.”
From watching on the sidelines to becoming an athlete, Roxane’s journey proves it’s never too late to push past limits—especially with a team that lifts you up.
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