If your skater loves synchro, you've probably heard a lot about Synchro9 lately. And if you're a parent, you may also be wondering: What does this mean for my skater?
Should they be on a Synchro9 team? Should their club be creating one? Are they missing an opportunity if they aren't skating 9? Is everyone else already getting ahead?
The short answer is: there is still a lot we don't know.
Synchro9 will be a sport in the 2030 Olympics, but the pathway that will ultimately lead athletes to the Olympic Games is still being developed.
Right now, we're seeing Synchro9 teams begin to form at the junior and senior levels. At the same time, many organizations are continuing to prioritize traditional 16-skater synchro while they watch how Synchro9 develops.
And that's okay.
Not being on a Synchro9 team right now does not mean a skater has missed their Olympic opportunity. And having a Synchro9 team today does not necessarily mean an organization has an advantage in the Olympic selection process.
There are simply too many pieces still being figured out.
A sport being built in real time
One of the interesting things about being part of synchro right now is that we're watching a new discipline develop almost in real time.
The ISU is continuing to work through how Synchro9 will operate. Officials are learning how the new discipline will be judged. Coaches are figuring out how to create choreography that responds to the new judging criteria. And skaters are learning what it actually feels like to perform this new format.
Everyone is learning.
Even the people who will eventually be responsible for selecting, judging, coaching and competing in Synchro9 don't have a four-year playbook sitting on their desk yet.
That means there is no single "correct" path that every skater should be following today.
One club may decide to create a junior or senior Synchro9 team. Another may decide to focus on its traditional 16-skater teams this season and see how Synchro9 develops.
One federation may eventually choose to have one national team. Another may take a different approach that encourages more domestic competition.
Those decisions will become clearer as the pathway develops, and when they do, they should come from the organizations responsible for making them.
Until then, there is a lot of room for things to change, and patience is the name of the game.
Your skater may have very different feelings about Synchro9
It's worth remembering that for some skaters, the news that synchro is going to the Olympics is a dream come true. They may be thinking about the 2030 Olympic Games every time they step on the ice and want to do everything they can to put themselves in a position to be there.
And for others, the Olympic opportunity isn't what motivates them. They may love the team they are on, the style of skating they do and the version of synchro they've grown up with. They may be excited about the future — or they may be worried that the sport they love will change into something they don't enjoy as much.
There isn't one right reaction.
Synchro9 is bringing new opportunities to our sport, but it is also introducing change. It's reasonable for skaters to feel excited about that change, uncertain about it, or both at the same time.
As a parent, you don't have to decide how your skater should feel about it, but you can help them explore it.
So what should parents do right now?
Support your skater in the current moment and help them thrive as an athlete on the team they're on now.
Help them develop their skating skills. Help them build confidence. Help them learn how to be a good teammate. Help them experience the parts of synchro that make them want to come back to the rink each day - because naturally, the more a skater enjoys synchro, the longer they'll stay in it - and the longer they stay in it, the more opportunities they will have.
Most importantly, help them build a relationship with the sport that makes them want to keep learning and improving. Because that's what will matter if an opportunity comes along later.
If a club announces they are forming a junior or senior Synchro9 team, you'll know. Likewise, if a federation establishes a national team structure, you'll know. If there are future selection opportunities for athletes hoping to compete at the Olympic Games, there will be an official process for those opportunities.
Keep an eye open for official information from teams, clubs, federations, and the ISU, and support your skater where ever they currently are in their current synchro journey.
Don't chase something that hasn't been built yet
It's understandable that parents want to make sure their skater doesn't miss out. But right now, there is a risk of becoming so focused on the potential Olympic pathway that we forget the athlete standing in front of us.
There are no guarantees about what any individual skater's pathway to 2030 will look like.
We don't yet know exactly which teams will exist, how national selection will work in every country, how many athletes will ultimately be selected, or how the competitive landscape will evolve over the next few years.
And that's not a problem that parents can solve. The best thing you can do is help your skater be ready.
A skater who loves their sport is more likely to want to keep training. A skater who has strong skating skills has a foundation to build on. A skater who knows how to work within a team can adapt when the team around them changes. A skater who has grown up in a positive sporting environment is more likely to want to keep pushing themselves when things get difficult.
Those things are useful whether their future is in 16-skater synchro, Synchro9, or somewhere else entirely.
Be curious about what's coming
Even if you're not currently on a Synchro9 team this season, you can still learn a lot. Watch it. Ask questions. Learn about the new format. Follow official announcements. Let your skater explore whether it's something they might enjoy.
If they're dreaming about the Olympics, so be it. If they're not, that's okay too. And if they aren't sure yet? That's okay as well.
The next few seasons are going to teach all of us a lot about what Synchro9 can become.
There will be new teams, new competitions, new approaches to choreography and new ideas about what makes this discipline successful. Some things will work. Some things will change. Some things we haven't even thought of yet will probably become important.
Your skater doesn't need to have it all figured out today. They just need to keep skating.
Build the skills. Build the confidence. Build the love for the sport.
And when an opportunity comes along that is right for them, they'll be much better positioned to recognize it - and ready to take it.
If you liked this article, check our our previous Synchro9 articles:
Synchro9 Is Going to the Olympics. What Should Skaters Focus on Right Now? (August 2026)
Synchro9 is Heading to the Olympic Winter Games: What We Know So Far (July 2026)