Red, yellow, blue and seafoam glass blocks filter sunlight that sparkles on the water at the large pool inside the Des Plaines Lattof YMCA. Inside, girls cluster in animated groups or link up in best-friend pairs. The attention of coach Nanette Zack of Mt. Prospect is focused right here, in this hot, humid world whose air seems too thick if you’re not swimming.
Zack is, at the moment, presiding over a dress rehearsal three days before the Aqua Sprites’ end-of-summer synchronized swimming show. She holds a microphone, doesn’t say much, doesn’t miss a thing.
“Our 11-and-under team opens the show,” Zack announces as she reads from a damp script, “with their interpretation of the Disney classic, `Aladdin.’ “
The audiotape rolls.
And stops.
“Uh,” Zack calls out, “where’s that team? Where’s the middle of the pool?”
Adjustments are made. The music resumes. For a moment.
Zack regroups. “Let’s get back out, let’s get our minds on what we’re doing. You’re going to open the show. . . . You better be good.”
The coach is in charge, but gently. She seems concerned, but her smiles are frequent as the 30 Aqua Sprites perform their routines.
This year is the Aqua Sprites’ 25th anniversary. But 1997 is also Zack’s 50th anniversary of her love affair with synchronized swimming.
Today, Zack counts about 50 masters medals in synchronized swimming on a cord so heavy even she can hardly lift it.
“I don’t really have to get any better,” she said with quiet confidence and the wisdom of a 67-year-old who’s been there, done that. “I just want to keep doing what I’m doing, and I’ll be happy. It’s a different drive when you hit the masters level. It’s more keeping up your own skill. If I go to a meet and don’t come in first, it really doesn’t matter, as long as I meet my own scores. There’s no jealousy about who’s winning. It’s a friendly competition at our age.”
But Zack’s national record is decidedly enviable. In 1996, she earned a silver medal for her solo masters performance in the 60-69 age category, a silver in figures and other medals for team and duet events. She considers 1992 her most exciting year as a masters coach and competitor, having taken gold in duet events, one with her daughter Nancy Pucek of Inverness, and having received the Mae McEwan Memorial Award sponsored by Masters US Synchro, which is part of United States Synchronized Swimming. A peer vote determines this achievement; it goes to the competitor who best exhibits fellowship, recreational involvement, physical fitness and health in synchronized swimming.
Zack is planning to compete in solo, duet and team events at the 1997 masters meet, which will be at the end of October at Wheaton College in Norton, Mass.
Marian Kretschmer of Dayton, north zone chairman for United States Synchronized Swimming, was Zack’s competitor and now considers her a friend.
“I think she’s a very strong swimmer,” Kretschmer said. “She makes what she does seem easy; she swims with confidence. One of the most pleasing things I saw was when she and her daughter swam duet together — it’s not often you get to do that. She’s team-oriented, and I think that speaks well of someone because you want to see others do well. As a solo finalist at our national championships, she was, and will always be a grand master.”
Helen Coryell, who started the synchronized swimming program at the Des Plaines YMCA in 1961, calls Zack an excellent swimmer and teacher.
“She’s a very strong masters swimmer in comparison with some others,” Coryell said. “As they get into masters, others kind of lose their edge in terms of strength because of getting older, not being as competitive and not practicing as much. I think Nan still has that competitive spirit and determination it takes to be top-notch.”
For Zack, time has not slowed her down — or made her think of giving up her sport. “I really don’t feel any limitations,” she said. “I’m sure I’m slowing down, but I still swim with the younger gals on the masters team, and it feels good to be able to stay with them.”
The year was 1947, and 17-year-old Nanette Stavoe decided to try the graceful, demanding movements she, and her sister Jeannine, had first gotten a taste of at the family’s summer place.
The sisters first swam synchronized swimming at Steinmetz High School in Chicago. A stint at Wright Junior College in Chicago followed, along with competitive swimming at the now-defunct Lake Shore Athletic Club.
By 1958, Nan was married to Leonard Zack, whose sales and management career took his growing family from the northwest suburbs to Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, New York and back to Mt. Prospect in 1966. Although Nan Zack had kept up with synchronized swimming, it wasn’t until 1968 that she ran into a former Wright chum who raved about the Des Plaines YMCA’s program. Four years later, Zack, then 42, founded and started coaching the Y’s Aqua Sprites competitive team.
In 1975, synchronized swimming’s national governing body, United States Synchronized Swimming, launched a competitive masters program. Shortly thereafter, Zack and two synchronized swimming buddies traveled to California to compete as a trio in the nationals–and returned triumphant with a gold medal.
“At the time, trio was a new event,” she said. “There were three of us, so we decided we’d go try it, and we were like, `Wow, this is easy!’ “
What is it about this sometimes-maligned sport — some have even scoffed at calling it a sport — that has commanded Zack’s attention for the last five decades?
“The variety,” she said after just a moment of thought. “Oh yes, there’s always something to learn — body movements, angles, being creative. It’s a combination of beauty, movement, music. Having to be so well-rounded is what makes the sport challenging. You still have to do your endurance stuff — laps and laps and laps of skills — but synchro is never, ever boring.”
Zack swims 1 to 1 1/2 hours five days a week. She also coaches six hours a week and prepares for an additional 10. She has always loved teaching, having been a substitute junior high, high school and junior college teacher.
“As a coach, I am not loud,” she said. “I expect the kids to do what they’re supposed to be doing.”
That’s generally what happens, but sometimes the younger ones display, well, shorter attention spans, especially with a lot of them in the water at one time.
“Coaching can be frustrating. But,” she quickly amended, “it’s so rewarding. It’s a great thing when kids come in here who won’t speak, then come out confident. It’s the whole development of a child rather than just the sport. I love watching it.”
Kim Zarno, 22, of Mt. Prospect is the Aqua Sprites’ assistant coach. “Coaching with Nan is fun because she’s not super-strict and you know what she expects from you,” she said.
Nancy Pucek admires her mom’s dedication to synchronized swimming. “There’s definitely a passion and a love for it,” Pucek said. “She was my coach since I was little. Probably one of the biggest joys was swimming with her, being able to share that with her, as I got older.”
The Zacks also have three sons: Jeffrey of Wheeling, Jim of Roselle and Garry of Fox River Grove, along with six grandchildren.
“What I admire about Nan is I watch these young ladies coming in and they’re timid, but it isn’t too long before they’re walking like they own the world,” Leonard Zack said of his wife.
The dress rehearsal continues. “Rubber Ducky” blares, gives way to “Blow the Man Down.” An ambitious Polynesian number offers everyone a chance to perform, but the run-through isn’t seamless.
Almost imperceptibly, the mood changes when it’s a soloist’s turn. She is older, controlled. She makes every movement count, commands attention, turns heads. She has learned well, and everyone knows it. Girls stop chatting, the sound guys abandon cables.
Watching in silent pride, Coach Zack is, perhaps, seeing herself 50 years ago.
SWIMMING INTO THE SPOTLIGHT
Nanette Zack shares the spotlight with the members of Aqua Sprites of the Lattof YMCA in Des Plaines.
“The team is quite accomplished,” said Marian Kretschmer of United States Synchronized Swimming. “Nan’s swimmers have been placing in the top 10 in the zone and have qualified for national championships.”
“We’re bringing them into the spotlight,” said Brian Eaton, media relations director of the synchronized swimming group.
As part of the synchronized swimming group, the Aqua Sprites belong to the north zone, which is one of the association’s largest regions.
In 1997, for example, Cathy Cillo, 17, of Mt. Prospect placed 31st out of more than 200 competitors in figures in the 16-17 age group.
For several years, the trio of Cillo, Kate Ellenbaum of Glen Ellyn and Olga Lyandres of Wheeling has qualified for age group nationals, Junior Olympic Nationals, Senior Zone and U.S. Open Championships. They have made the finals several times.
Cillo, who has been involved in synchronized swimming since age 5, said she didn’t start liking it until age 8, when she joined the Aqua Sprites.
“I love creating movement,” she said. “I love the water and dancing. Our coach is almost like a second mom to me because I’ve known her forever. She’s guided me morally as well as in my sport. She’s a lot different than any other coach I’ve had in any other sport because she taught me to take initiative.”
The Aqua Sprites members say synchronized swimming is a lot harder than it looks.
“It does not come naturally,” said Karen Davis, 14, of Park Ridge.
“It’s really hard to be upside down all the time and not topple over,” said Liz Miro, 14, of Mt. Prospect.
“As a team,” said Renee Humbert, 15, of Des Plaines, “we support each other so much. We have to work together to do the whole routine. Sometimes we get mad if someone’s off, but then we get over it and just try harder and help our teammates.”
