Inclusion at the heart of Scarborough’s Remix Artistic Swimming Club

By JESSICA SHACKLETON

Remix Artistic Swimming Club is a Scarborough-based club that aims to keep artistic swimming open and fun for all.

The club serves everyone at every level and age, and is co-ed and for all abilities. Programs range from recreational, regional league, competitive, high- performance, adaptive, and mixed ability.

Jen Koptie is one of the lead coaches, and she emphasized that Remix has a space for everyone.

“We pride ourselves on being responsive to what families and athletes are looking for,” she said.

“We want to make sure it’s open to everyone. We make sure that our facilities are accessible, but also that any athlete who is neurodivergent and wants to be a part of the space, they’re always welcome. We run programs that are the best match for everyone.”

The club has been operating since 2021. Koptie said she wants everyone to know that the sport of artistic swimming is alive and well in Scarborough.
As well as encouraging people to try out artistic swimming, Remix aims to keep athletes in the pool.

“When an athlete is in high school, especially with girls, we see this exit from sport, and so we do a lot of athlete surveys and listening campaigns to hear what kind of programming we can provide for them to make them want to stay in sport,” said Koptie.

According to a 2024 report by Canadian Women & Sport, one in five girls leaves sports during adolescence.

“As they get older, sometimes they’re looking to pull back on hours. Historically, high-performance artistic swimming was you’re in for 22 to 25 hours, or you’re not in. We just adjusted our program as some people want that, and some people don’t, but we want everybody to stay in sport,” she said.

“You can still be competitive and have a great time and do less hours. Do we want to keep these female athletes in sport? We do.”

Swimming supports joint and cardiovascular health, and many Remix recreational programs include learn-to-swim instruction. Artistic swimming also suits athletes transitioning from sports such as gymnastics and dance. The club operates out of Variety Village, SATEC (W. A. Porter Collegiate), Victoria Park Collegiate, and the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre.

To learn more about the Remix club, please go to https://www.remixartswim.ca/page/home