· Synchro Canada’s 2011 13-15 National Team at the Comen Cup
Synchro Canada’s 2011 13-15 National Team is in Busto Arizo, Italy, this week for the 2011 Comen Cup, the most important annual international competition in this age group. The 10-member squad is led by Synchro Canada’s 2011 13-15 National Team head coach Elena Podolsky (Toronto, ON, Olympium Synchro) with assistant coaches Nathalie Lagrange (Saint-Léonard, QC, Montréal Synchro) and Kara Kalin (Richmond, B.C., Vancouver Pacific Wave). Follow their performance on Synchro Canada’s Website (http://www.synchro.ca/index.php?lang=french) and check out pictures from the team on Synchro Canada’s Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/synchrocanada).  

· Updated rule book
Check out the updated rule book! Changes to rules in the rule book are highlighted in yellow and blue. Also, please note that the overage rule for age group 16-18 for the 2011-2012 season will remain as a rule. Check it out now: http://www.synchro.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&id=55&Itemid=40⟨=english.

· New staff member at Synchro Canada
Synchro Canada is pleased to announce the hiring of a Finance and Administrative Manager: Audrey Frey. Amongst her work experience, Audrey was the general manager of the Rideau Curling Club and the accounting clerk and desktop publisher at Perley-Robertson, Hill & McDougall Law Firm, both in Ottawa. She also has experience in high performance sport as a curler winning four Ontario Scott Tournament of Hearts titles. She was also a two-time National finalist in the Scott Tournament of Hearts and participant in the 1997 Olympic Trials and is a level II Certified Coach. Audrey will be responsible for providing financial and general administrative services to the Association and office staff on a daily basis. She will start Monday, August 8. Welcome aboard!

· Marie-Pierre Gagné: synchronized swimming analyst at the 2012 Olympic Games
Marie-Pierre Gagné, captain of the 2008 Olympic Games synchronized swimming Canadian Team, will be the sport analyst at the 2012 Olympic Games for the French network consortium of the 2012 Olympic Games. She will work with the play-by-play announcer, Claudine Douville. Congratulations Marie-Pierre! Check out the full announcement of the broadcast team for the London 2012 Olympic Games: http://www.bellmediapr.ca/olympics/.

·  2012 Canadian Sport for Life National Summit
The 2012 Canadian Sport for Life National Summit will be held February 1-2, 2012, at the Hilton Lac-Leamy Hotel in Gatineau, QC. More details: http://www.canadiansportforlife.ca/events/canadian-sport-life-national-summit.

·  Updated Website for U.A.N.A.
The U.A.N.A. is inviting you to check out their updated Website, including the synchronized swimming page for new information. The titles on the left side of their page will take you to lots of additional information. Check it out now: http://www.uana-aquatics.org/html/English/Sync.html.  

· Pilot project for “Athlete’s Biological Passport” was approved
At its second meeting in Shanghai (CHN), on July 28, the FINA Bureau approved a pilot project for the creation of an “Athlete’s Biological Passport”, the most advanced tool in the fight against doping in Sport. The “Athlete’s Biological Passport” allows the establishment of a longitudinal study and haematological profile on each athlete, with the aim of detecting if blood manipulations are done in order to carry a higher percentage of oxygen (thus “masking” any intake of forbidden substances). More details: http://www.fina.org/H2O/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2437:pr-45-pilot-project-for-athletes-biological-passport-was-approved-&catid=275:2011&Itemid=246.

·  Deadline for the September Canadian Synchronized Swimming Community Member of the Month: Wednesday, August 31
You have until Wednesday, August 31 at 5 pm (Eastern time), to send the name, a picture and an explanation of a person that you think should be the September Canadian Synchronized Swimming Community Member of the Month. To do so, please send it to patrick@synchro.ca. You can mention a performance or an extraordinary story regarding one of your swimmers or judges or even point out the hard work of one of your volunteers or administrators! Check out the last member of the month: http://www.synchro.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&id=102&Itemid=34⟨=english.

·  Share your best synchronized swimming pictures!
Synchro Canada is inviting you to submit your best synchronized swimming pictures. Each week, a picture will be selected as the synchronized swimming picture of the week on Synchro Canada's Facebook page and Website. Please note that the pictures you send should be free of rights. You can send your pictures to patrick@synchro.ca with an explanation for why your picture should be the picture of the day! Check out this weeks picture: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.231878840157840.69787.100000071780890.

· Prime Minister's Volunteer Awards
In January 2011, the Prime Minister of Canada announced the creation of the Prime Minister’s Volunteer Awards to recognize the enormous contribution volunteers make to Canada. The Prime Minister’s Volunteer Awards program consists of 17 awards in total, 2 at the national level and 15 at the regional level. The Awards highlight best practices in community leadership and encourage partnerships across sectors. If you know a volunteer, innovative not-for-profit organization or a local business that makes a positive impact on your community, you can nominate them today! Nominations are open until September 9, 2011. More details: http://www.pm.gc.ca/eng/feature.asp?featureId=25.

·  Promote your club at the 2011 Sports Day in Canada
The 2nd annual Sports Day in Canada will be held on Saturday, September 17, 2011. The Sports Day in Canada is a national celebration of sport, from grassroots to high-performance levels, in communities across the country. Event registration is now open for Sports Day in Canada; local events, planned for September 17th, and the week prior, can be registered by visiting the website at http://sportsday.cbc.ca/.  Open door, watershow, etc...: organize an activity and promote your club and the sport of synchronized swimming!

· Sport Nutrition Tips of the Month
Check out the Sport Nutrition Tips of the Month from the Coaching Association of Canada: Recharge and Replenish-Recovery Nutrition. More details: http://www.coach.ca/recharge-and-replenish-recovery-nutrition-p143927.  

· News from the members
Do you have any news that you would like to share with other provinces and members? Your news can be on any subject, including about an athletes, coaches, administrators or officials. It can even be about your provincials programs or competitions. Send them to communications@synchro.caand we’ll be more than happy to share it with the other members.

Ontario
Check out the blog from Sheilagh Croxon on the Coaching Association of Canada Website, talking about her trip with eleven of her athletes in China, up to the 2011 FINA World Aquatic Championships. Check it out now: http://www.coach.ca/l-essence-m-me-du-sport--p143923.