Who we are
Mission Statement
The Cygnets of San Antonio (CSA) is a longstanding competitive artistic swimming team creating a safe and supportive environment for all swimmers to grow their skills resulting in individual and team achievement as part of a winning team.
About Us
The Cygnets of San Antonio is a 501(c)3 non-profit competitive artistic swimming team. Our year-round season provides each swimmer with the opportunity to reach their full potential, whether at the novice or national level. Our team currently consists of athletes ranging from 7-18 years old (older athletes are also welcome!) and compete at various age groups and levels.
Many of our swimmers, ages 13 and above, swim at association, regional, Jr & Sr Zone meets as well as at the National and Junior Olympics meets each summer. Our younger athletes, for athletes 12 and under, competes in association and regional meets mostly in the state of Texas. Less experienced athletes of ANY age compete with our Novice and Intermediate teams allowing for growth on an individualized basis. These athletes compete at invitational, association and regional events.
Our Core Values
Our board of directors crafted CSA’s core values to provide our team with a guide for how we plan to achieve our goals. CSA’s core values drive everything we do. Coaches and parents teach the core values to our swimmers throughout the season and these values are exhibited and reinforced during practice, at competitive meets, and even in the time spent away from synchro. Our core values are:
CHARACTER: Respect, Integrity, Determination, Humility, Kindness
PASSION: Engagement, Hard work, Discipline, Fun
GROWTH: Learning/Development, Constructive Feedback, Coach-ability, Confidence, Leadership
ACHIEVEMENT: Do your best - every time, Improvement, Competitive Spirit, Continuity, Expertise
TEAMWORK: Trust, Commitment, Encouragement, Inclusivity, Sportsmanship
HEALTHY HABITS: Emotional, Physical, Nutritional, Balance, Safety
Our team rosters open in June! Sign up below for event reminders.
Fun skill building sessions and camps begin in June. We start organizing teams in August and EVERYONE has a place!
Artistic Swimming requires strength, agility, stamina, grace, and a flair for the dramatic. It is a demanding sport, but one that is incredibly rewarding. For information about how to join our team, visit our How to Join page.
Be sure to sign up for our Cygnet for a Day or Artistic Swimming Camps that take place throughout the year to give Artistic swimming a try! We can’t wait to see you at the pool!
01.
–
There are no bench-warmers in artistic swimming: every swimmer contributes to the success of the team.
02.
–
Competitive artistic swimming is an exciting experience that also contributes to the health and well-being of the athlete.
03.
–
Artistic swimming teaches dedication and commitment, perseverance and determination, goal setting and achievement, and cooperation with others.
04.
–
The Cygnets are proud to build and maintain a swimmer’s lifelong interest in the sport of artistic swimming.
“ The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.”
olympic creed
History
The Cygnets of San Antonio was organized in 1964 when Margaret Swan watched a demonstration of synchronized swimming and came home to teach the sport to girls locally. The name of the team is derived from the term “Cygnet” meaning “little swan.” JoAnn Glauberg Owens, who was a member of the original Cygnets, states that some of the original team members came from The Silver Fins, the first synchronized swimming team in San Antonio formed by Mrs. Joan Bailey at the downtown YWCA.
When Mrs. Swan organized the Cygnets, they quickly became competitive. Over the next fourteen years, the team obtained nine Junior National Championships with the first one earned within two years of the team’s start. In addition, according to Mrs. Owens, the original team placed 6th in the Nationals, the first team to ever place that high outside of the state of California. During the 1970s, the Cygnets regularly performed in many city events. The highlights include swimming in the Fiesta River Parade in the San Antonio River and performing in Hemisfair Lake, also used at the time for water ski events.
Also during the 1970s, future coaches Nancy Doyle, Linda Lampe, Melodie Wallace, and Kara Lindemann swam under the direction of Margaret Swan and the Cygnets earned one of the Junior National Championship honors.
Margaret Swan continued to be a dominant influence in the development of the sport of synchronized swimming. She helped write the criteria for many of the skills that the athletes are judged against. Margaret Swan was elected to the U.S.S.S. Hall Of Fame in 1972 for her contributions to synchronized swimming. In 1978, Margaret Swan married Harry Forbes and disbanded the team to concentrate on family matters. Margaret authored the book, Coaching Synchronized Swimming Effectively in 1984.
In 1986, two former Cygnets, Nancy Doyle and Linda Lampe, reorganized the team. With Nancy's expertise, the new team quickly learned the skills necessary to compete against the established teams in Houston and Dallas. Nancy Doyle left the Team in 1989 and Kara Lindemann became head coach. By 1990, the team was again taking first place awards at the South Zone Championships. In the 1990-1991 season, Linda Lampe became the head coach and the team was on its way to victory again. Melodie Wallace joined the team as a coach in 1998 and the teams have continued to be strong. The Cygnets of San Antonio team has competed at the National Age Group Championships in Solo, Duets, and Trios since 1993. The team has had swimmers nationally ranked in Solo, Duet, and Figure competition. Others will most likely follow in the coming years.
As an interesting side note, the Swan's Landing Apartments on Perrin-Beitel Road is the former location of Margaret Swan’s home. There, she had a full-size pool where all of the Cygnets' practices were held while she was coaching.
Ready to
JOIN?
Contact Us
We’d love to hear from you
You can reach the Cygnets of San Antonio at any time by filling out the form below or by sending us an email to: cygnetsheadcoach@gmail.com. We’re happy to answer any questions you have and we would love for your daughter or son to join our team!