By Nance Ebert, Contributing Writer

(l-r) Kristina Madden, Anjali Tanna, Kaitlyn Madden and Tanvi Tanna are members of the YMCA of Central Massachusetts’ competitive synchronized swim team, the Synchro-Maids. (Photo/Nance Ebert)
Shrewsbury – Ever since the Madden sisters and Tanna sisters started swim lessons at a very young age at the local Boroughs Branch YMCA, they all had one thing in common; their love of swimming.
Kaitlyn Madden, 15, her sister, Kristina, 14, and sisters, Tanvi Tanna, 15 and Anjali, 13, are currently members of the YWCA of Central Massachusetts’ competitive synchronized swim team called the Synchro-Maids.
They recently spent a week in Greensboro, N.C., where they participated in the 2015 U.S. Synchronized Swimming Junior Olympics. They placed 13th out of 20 teams, which was a huge accomplishment; one the girls are extremely proud of.
“We drove for 14 hours in a rented U-Haul van. There were seven of us in the van and we were so excited to go. This was our first year Junior Olympics competition. Because we placed 13th, we got to Pre-Swim in the finals,” Tanvi explained.
“During our down time at the competition, we got to go shopping and out for dinner. It was really fun,” said Kristina.
The girls owe a lot of their team’s success to their coaches, Patty Flanagan and Sheila Cremin. Both are extremely knowledgeable in their craft and help with technique and choreography.
Preparing for this event has been extensive and these girls, as well as the other 24 members of the Synchro-Maids, devote a lot of their time to rigorous workouts and conditioning. This team also competes regionally and nationally including the Bay State Games and U.S. Synchro-sponsored events.
While competing, the girls participate in team, individual and duet performances, if they qualify. Individual routines are called “figures.” The figures showcase the girls’ ability to hold many poses as well as strength and flexibility.
“I think that we did really well on our figures and that can make or break you,” said Tanvi.
The girls each found their way to synchronized swimming in a similar way. They are all athletic and played sports or participated in gymnastics and dance.
“I reached the highest level of swim instruction but didn’t want to go into racing. My mom was a synchronized swimmer so I thought I’d give it a try,” Kaitlyn said. “I truly fell in love with it immediately. It combines dance, swim and gymnastics. My sister also followed as did our close friends and neighbors, Tanvi and Anjali.”
The Madden girls’ mother, Stephanie Madden is happy to see her daughters follow in her footsteps.
“I love seeing my two girls and their friends participate in a sport that I used to do. I am so proud of their accomplishments,” she said.
Added equally proud mom Komel Tanna: “The four girls also used to take Indian dance lessons together so when they were in the pool for free swim, they used to choreograph their own dance routines together. The synchronized swimming was a perfect fit, one they all felt immediately comfortable with.”
The girls have mostly positive things to say about their sport.
“Swimming is a lot of fun but I think more importantly, being a member of this team is empowering and you make friendships that I think will last forever,” said Kaitlyn.
When asked if there was anything they did not like about synchronized swimming, they all agreed on a couple of things: the constant smell of chlorine and adding a gelatin substance to their hair to keep it in place for the competitions.
But those small things don’t compare to the joy it brings.
“Synchronized swimming is so much fun,” Anjali said. “You get to swim to music and have choreographed routines to perform to. Even though we spend a lot of time practicing, our coaches make it fun.”