Lily is pursuing her artistic swimming dreams.

My name is Lily Wark and I am 17 years old. I have been training in artistic swimming since I was 9 years old. This year, I made the decision to pursue the sport at the highest level I could. This involved moving across the country, joining a new club, working with new coaches, and living away from home. While I wouldn't trade it for the world, it's not without its hardships. Naturally, training at this level requires many hours in the pool, leaving little time for working to raise funds to help pay for the number of routines and the types of experiences that are required to get to the most elite levels in this sport.

Artistic swimming is both a beautiful and extremely rigorous sport that has not yet earned its due in terms of recognition for its difficulty and artistry. It is one of the only sports that is dominated by women at all levels from athletes to coaches and officials. It provides a unique environment for female athletes to thrive and grow not only into strong athletes but strong people. As I continue to grow as an athlete and work towards my goals such as the Canadian national team, It is also a goal of mine to help make high level artistic swimming more accessible in smaller communities, such as my home community of Thunder Bay. The local artistic swimming club there is a wonderful organization full of dedicated coaches and volunteers who love the sport and want to support young athletes in the sport they love.

A word from my coaches:

"Lily moved west to train with our club in September of 2023. Here, we offer a world class training program, combining programming, expert coaches, and international competition opportunities to help our athletes achieve success. Our club currently has four athletes on the Canadian National Team, training out of Montreal, hoping to qualify for the 2024 Olympics. Lily’s team already has a current Junior National Team member on it, and we hope to put more athletes on the Junior National Team soon!

At the 2023 Nationals, our junior program placed 2nd in the technical, free, and acrobatic team routines, 1st and 5th in the junior duet events, and 1st and 3rd in the junior solo events. We hope to be able to repeat this in 2024. We are very excited that Lily joined our team, and she is an integral part in our plans to be successful, make memories and have fun this competitive season!

Lily has dreams of athletic greatness, and we believe she has the talent to back it! We believe that with the right training, we can get her there. To do this, Lily faces many financial hurdles, as the costs of this artistic swimming are very high. There are many costs associated with our sport including training costs, travel expenses and equipment. This is where your generosity and belief in the power of a dream can make a significant impact." - Alison McKenny

"Lily, a dedicated athlete from Thunder Bay, embodies the spirit of perseverance and hard work that every coach dreams of in a player. I've had the privilege of coaching Lily since September only and have witnessed her determination to become a force in her sport. Her commitment is unwavering; always pushing her limits and enjoying the challenges we give her. Lily's resilience shines brightest in the face of adversity.

Now, Lily is poised for a monumental leap in her career. She decided to move from Thunder Bay to Calgary, a strategic decision that speaks volumes about her dedication, allowing her to train with athletes currently on the National Team and participate in international competitions throughout this upcoming season (2023-2024). This transition, however, comes with significant financial implications.

We're reaching out to the community to support Lily in this critical phase of her journey. Your contributions will help cover the costs of relocation, training, competition and living expenses. Let's rally behind Lily and help her soar to new heights!" - Elise Marcotte

Individual, one-on-one training with elite coaches, solos in addition to team training, summer training and travel to overseas competitions are all critical stepping stones towards a coveted spot on our National Team, and there is not a lot of funding available to support parents and athletes to pursue this sport at this level. Training fees and travel expenses for this season (2023-2024) alone look like they will add up to more than $25,000.00. Proceeds from this campaign will go directly towards these fees.

Details of projected fees this campaign will be used to offset.

Projected training fees (coaching & pool) and travel expenses for 2023-2024 season:

Any support you could give is greatly appreciated. Are you interested in following me in the coming months? I will be writing a blog to document my journey and I invite you to check it out!

Lily's Artistic Swimming Blog