Synchro Canada finalizes its 2015 National Junior Team coaching staff

Toronto, April 27, 2015 – Synchro Canada is pleased to announce the hiring of Kasia Kulesza (Quebec, QC, SynchroElite de Quebec), Elena Podolsky (Toronto, ON, Olympium Synchro) and Manny Wu (Toronto, ON, Aretaic Swimming Alliance) as assistants to the Head Coach of its 2015 Junior National Team, Jenn Tregale.

This Canadian team will represent the country at the 2015 UANA Age Group Championships August 18 – 23 in Calgary, AB.

Kasia Kulesza

A competitive synchronized swimmer from 1986 to 1998, Kasia Kulesza represented Canada at the 1996 Olympic Games where she won a silver medal in the team event and at the 1998 Commonwealth Games where she won a gold medal in duet. At the 1993 FINA World Junior Championships, she won a gold medal in the team event and a silver medal in solo, duet and figures. First coaching at Montréal Synchro club, she started with the Senior National Team in 2005. She was an assistant coach at many international competitions for the Senior National A and B team, including at the 2010 FINA World Cup. Currently High Performance Director at SynchroElite in Quebec City, Kasia is a Level 3 NCCP Coach.

Elena Podolsky

Born in Russia, Elena Podolsky was the synchronized swimming head coach at the School of Sport Excellence in Moscow from 1982 to 1990 where she guided young athletes to junior and senior national teams. She moved to Canada in 1990. Her vast knowledge in synchronized swimming, including an expertise in flexibility, earned her coaching positions on several national teams including with the Canadian national team in preparation for the 2004 Olympics. Elena Podolsky is a staff coach with the Olympium Synchro Club in Etobicoke and is currently completing her level 4 and 5 National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) certification. She was head coach of the 2008 Canadian National Junior Team and an assistant coach with the junior squad in 2004, 2006 and 2014. She was also head coach of the National 13-15 Team in 2007, 2010, 2011 and 2013, and an assistant coach in 2005, 2009 and 2012.

Manny Wu

Many Wu has been involved in the sport of Synchronized swimming for 23 years as an athlete and as a coach. She has competed in many international competitions including the 2003 World Championships and the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. She began coaching in 2005 in China and coached at Granite Synchro from 2009 to 2014 before making the transition to the newly-formed Aretaic Synchronized Swimming Alliance this season. She is currently completing her level 4 N.C.C.P. certification. In 2011, she was Head Coach of the 13-15 Ontario Provincial Team that won gold at the Christmas Prize competition in Prague. She has received numerous coaching awards, including two Ontario 13-15 Coach of the Year awards in 2011 and 2012 and the 2011 Terri Hambrook Trophy as the most promising coach who displays all around coaching abilities in figures, solo, duet and team.

Jenn Tregale

Tregale, Head Coach of the Calgary Aquabelles since 2004, was the Head Coach of Synchro Canada’s 2011, 2012 and 2014 Junior National Teams. Team Canada won a bronze medal in the solo event at the 2012 FINA World Junior Championships and finished in 5th place in the combo event, while placing 6th at last year’s Junior Worlds in Helsinki, Finland.

She was also one of Synchro Canada’s 2010 Junior National Team assistant coaches for the 2010 FINA World Junior Championships Team where Canada won three bronze medals. She has more than 25 years coaching experience in the sport and is currently completing her level 4 NCCP certification. She was the Junior National Team head coach at the Pan Am Junior Championships in 2009, the National B Team Head Coach at the 2008 Swiss Open as well as an assistant coach with the National Junior Team at the 2007 U.S. Open Championships. Jenn Tregale participated as an apprentice coach at the FINA World Junior Championships in 1993 as well as the Commonwealth Games and FINA World Aquatic Championships in 1994.

Synchro Canada’s 2015 Junior National Squad will be selected following the 2015 Shiseido Canadian Open Championships, which will be held April 29-May 3, in Toronto, ON.

About Synchro Canada

Synchro Canada is the national organization governing synchronized swimming in Canada. It represents 10 provincial associations, a territorial association, as well as some 150 clubs and 12,000 members across Canada. A member of FINA, the world’s governing aquatic sports organization, Synchro Canada promotes the quest for excellence by developing the athletes, citizens and ambassadors of the sport of synchronized swimming at every level.

Synchro Canada would like to thank its sponsors:

Program partners: Sport Canada, Own The Podium, the Institut national du sport du Québec

Official Aquatic Supplier: Speedo Canada

Official make up: MAKE UP FOR EVER

Official suppliers: Knox Gelatine, AdUp, National Car Rental

Official hotel: Hilton Hotels Canada

For further information, visit Synchro Canada’s Website at www.synchro.ca or follow Synchro Canada on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

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For information:

Stéphane Côté

Synchro Canada

Communications Coordinator