About OCS
We are a non-profit organization, founded from the merger of Ohio Synchro Swim Club and Columbus Coralinas. We are a member of USA Artistic Swimming and follow all of their rules and regulations. Each swimmer in our club is a member of USA Artistic Swimming, which entitles them to enter USA Artistic Swimming-sanctioned events and receive insurance coverage.
Founded as the Columbus Coralinas in 1955, we are the oldest continuously run Artistic Swimming club in the country. We have placed swimmers in finals at every National Junior Olympics since 2014 and have been on the podium frequently, with a National Championship title in 2023. In addition to our Junior Olympic successes, we have been represented in finals and on the podium at the US Opens, FINA World Cup Series, Pan Am Aquatic Championship, and Senior Nationals.
Our mission is to promote the sport of synchronized swimming by teaching our athletes the technical skills of the sport: building their personal character through teamwork, self-discipline, and enhancing their self-esteem and confidence.
We offer programs year-round for swimmers ages 5 and older, from learn to swim classes through nationally competitive team programs. In our Competitive Programs, swimmers are grouped into teams based on their age and swimming ability. Competition begins at the Novice level and proceeds to swimmers who compete at national meets.
Every swimmer will swim in a Team or Combo routine consisting of 4-10 swimmers - as long as there are enough swimmers to fill out a team at an appropriate competition level for the swimmer. Otherwise, the swimmer will be assigned to a "Small Routine", a routine consisting of one to three swimmers (solo, duet, trio).
Our Vision
We believe that participation in sports can be a transformational experience and one that should be open to all. Our coaching is focused on developing a growth mindset. A growth mindset is the idea that through hard work and teamwork, athletes can thrive and become the best version of themselves. The focus becomes more on what is best for the team rather than who is more or less talented. Great teams are rooted in chemistry and trust, which creates a supportive team atmosphere.
Research has shown that having a growth mindset is a great predictor of young people (and people in general) being more likely to achieve both performance and learning goals (such as learning new skills). A growth mindset allows people to embrace challenges and learn from their mistakes. It enables them to see themselves as capable of learning and growing, no matter their age or experience level.
Sports can help kids thrive, but this outcome is not guaranteed—especially in a youth sports culture that over-values specialization, social comparison, and winning from an early age. Only 38% of kids ages 6-12 played team or individual sports on a regular basis in 2018, down from 45% in 2008. Kids are burning out—and parents report that coaches can be the highest source of pressure. Much like a teacher inside a classroom, a coach plays a vital role in a child’s experience. Research demonstrates that adults significantly influence children’s social and emotional development. Young people who identify at least one supportive adult within their social networks achieve better outcomes across a range of academic, behavioral, and health indicators. For kids who play sports, a good coach can be a transformational figure, and for our team and coaching staff, this is our primary goal.
It is our goal to provide the opportunity for a developing athlete of any age to discover the benefits of an environment that promotes excellence at all levels – no matter what the goals of the swimmer maybe when they enter into our program. Not every athlete will become an Olympian, but everyone can learn what it takes to achieve such excellence. We believe that every swimmer can learn to pursue the highest level of performance possible for the level of dedication that they have chosen to commit to in synchronized swimming. We want each swimmer to experience an exciting, fun, educational, and – yes- a challenging environment where they can learn important values such as teamwork, sportsmanship, work ethic, dedication, discipline, and responsibility as they strive to achieve their dreams in this sport.
Anna Farmer
OCS Head Coach