Synchronized Swimming: An Amazing Therapy For Disabled Children!

Adults With Disabilities (AWD) Synchronized Swim is the first of its kind in the United States. The sport is more than mesmerizing, it is helping people with disabilities take their lives back. Leading the way for this club and garnishing them the attention they need to get on the map is 15-year-old Raquel Boales, who has been a synchronized swimmer for 7 years AND her Mom Tina who is president of the AWD Synchro Swim team. She currently swims for the Santa Clara Aquamaids and is an Int’l Champion for Synchro AWD. Raquel was born with a birth injury which resulted in a disability called Erbs Palsy. She also struggles with ADHD. Raquel used aquatics therapy for healing and found out later at age 9 that synchronized swimming was much more beneficial.

In 2015, she helped to co-found the Synchro AWD Organization after she realized the need for global advocacy, along with her parents from Canada. Raquel has since traveled to Taiwan, Japan (twice) and Spain to help spread awareness and to participate in AWD exhibitions. Raquel will be traveling to Brazil for the Sept. Paralympics week and will swim in a ParaSynchro Exhibition in the solo, duet combo with a Brazilian synchro swimmer-amputee to showcase Athletes with Physical Disabilities. Raquel will also swim in a USA Coaches team category and also participate in the IPC-ICSEMIS conference during the Olympics-Paralympics break. She is also looking forward to attending the Paralympic Opening Ceremonies where she dreams she will be a participant for 2024 Paralympic games.