Going for Gold: Olympian Anita Alvarez

GOING FOR GOLD

Meet a New York Olympian: Anita Alvarez, Synchronized Swimming

By Nicole Fields, CPRP, Recreation Coordinator & Youth Bureau Director, Town of Tonawanda Youth, Parks & Recreation

Tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got into your sport. My mom grew up in the Town of Tonawanda and swam for the Aquettes. She went off to do Synchro in college at the University of Arizona and she then became a coach before moving back to Tonawanda (where she still coaches to this day!). So I guess its easy to say… I was basically born into the sport! I would spend a lot of time with my mom on the pool deck and traveling with her to synchro competitions, trying the moves I watched her athletes perform at home in the bathtub or a backyard pool. All of which eventually led to me trying the sport for real in the summer synchro and novice programs provided by the town from ages 5-8. I then joined the competitive travel team from age 9 where I swam until age 16, when I moved across the country to train with the US Junior National team for the Junior World Championships in 2014. From there I continued climbing the ladder up to the Sr National Team and then the Olympic Team in 2016. Since I’ve moved out to California I have competed in four World Championships, two Pan American Games, many World Series events, and one Olympic Games. When did you know you wanted to be an Olympian? The first time I really remember starting to think about the possibility was around the time of the Beijing Olympics in 2008 when I was 11 years old. Those are my first memories of actually watching the Games from our television at home and what sparked my interest and ideas of possibly making it there one day! It may have been talked about in our household before that, but it wasn’t until watching the entire Beijing games that I began to understand what the Olympics were really all about and when I fell in love with the Olympic Dream, Spirit, and Movement.

Were you involved in any town or school sports programs? If so, how did those programs spark your interest in your sport(s) and help develop you into the athlete you are today? Yes, I participated in several town sports growing up. I played tee ball, softball, floor hockey, and soccer, took swimming lessons, and swam on the summer swim team. I also started my synchro career in the town summer synchro programs before joining the Town of Tonawanda Aquettes competitive team. I swam on the JV/ Varsity Girls Swim team at Kenmore West from 7th-11th grades. All of the sports I played growing up taught me the basics and foundations of these sports and how they were important to understand first before being able to excel to any next level. They taught the importance of good sportsmanship, hard work, but most importantly to have fun. I was able to learn how to be a nice and respectful teammate, as well as a coachable athlete who wants to listen, watch and learn. I think being apart of these town and school sports programs is what sparked my love for team sports and working for something more than just my own individual success. Ever since, I have really enjoyed being part of a team and the camaraderie that comes with it.

What advice do you have for young aspiring athletes? I would probably say to always remember to have fun and to keep enjoying what you’re doing and to do it because you love to do it, not because somebody else would love for you to do it. There is so much unnecessary pressure on kids in youth sports these days; already thinking about possible scholarships, championships, signings, medals, etc. Enjoy the privilege of being a beginner in something; With no pressure, expectations or heaviness of being “successful,” but just enjoying that you are learning and growing and having fun every day… simple as that! Take in everything you are learning and experiencing and stay curious in wanting to learn and improve a little bit every day, but don’t make things to heavy and serious for yourself too soon. I also encourage young athletes to try different sports and activities before zoning in on just one. I did many sports growing up and I believe it helped me in several ways; Allowed me to become a diverse and well rounded athlete, but also allowed me to learn and develop different skills and muscles which actually has, in the end, helped me to be better at my main sport now. Also, just playing and exploring different sports as a kid allowed me to try different things and for me to really follow my heart in knowing what I enjoyed the most and was interested in continuing to pressure more seriously. It has left me with no doubts or regrets when people ask me “Do you ever wonder what would happen if you chose a different sport?” or “If you could go back would you have done things differently in choosing your sport.” I know it seems easy to say now with an Olympics under my belt, but you could have asked me years before making the Olympic Team and I would have had the same easy answer of “no. I never wonder or question doing something different.”

EDITOR’S NOTE: This issue of The Voice went to print July 21st, prior to the start of the Summer Olympics. Please watch the NYSRPS website to see how Anita Alvarez did in the competition.