She has been in the Battlefords for 17 years and has coached synchronized swimming since she arrived, but for the first time as a member of the North Battleford Water Doves, Sheila Parker, competed in a competition herself.
Parker hasn't competed in 25 years, but with nationals being hosted in Regina she saw this as the perfect opportunity to make a splash and compete.
The coach of the Water Doves has 17 members in the club this season and spends nine and half hours a week coaching while still finding more time to jump in the pool and work on her own routine two to four hours a week.
One of the biggest reasons she was able to compete and train this season is because she said has free time. Her youngest child is now in school and she was able to start working at the swimming pool as well.
Parker's comeback competition was the Sadie Caulder Knight Provincial Stream Synchronized Swimming Provincial Competition April 21 and 22 in Saskatoon. She competed in the masters division and placed first, helping her qualify for nationals in Regina last weekend. Parker was a member of Team Saskatchewan, as they captured four gold, two silver and a bronze medal. Parker was first in the masters 40 to 49 solo event. Her championship mark was 64.592 - something she says she was really happy with. Parker had the third highest score for all combined solo categories at nationals.
From November through to March, Parker had been training herself. Many of the other national competitors at the masters level had their own coach, but Parker simply had others video tape her practices and critiqued herself. She also had an opportunity to speak with the judges after the provincial competition and was given advice on what she should do to prepare for nationals a week later.
It worked, as Parker returned with a national gold medal and says she plans to compete next season and potentially set her sights on worlds when they are held in Montreal in four years.
Parker admitted to being nervous, but she was well-prepared and ready to hop back into the pool, saying it was fun competing and coaching at one event this season and competing at the second one.
The North Battleford Water Doves have their year-end water show Friday and some of the competitors will swim at the MASY Challenge later this month. That marks the end of the synchronized swimming season. The 2012-13 synchronized swimming season will start in September with the club excited to get into the new Aquatic Centre at the CUPlex.
