TAMPA, Fla. — Artistic swimming may look effortless, but it is not for the faint of heart. 

Scarlett Ray says every move is intentional.

“It’s a balance," Ray explained. "Try to fit what your music puts. Are you supposed to be graceful? Are you supposed to be sharp? How sharp do you need to be before it looks robotic?”

 What You Need To Know

  • The Tampa Bay SynchRays are an artistic swim team for all levels

  • Beth Moore founded the program 40 years ago for young women to have more representation in Tampa sports

  • Former Hungarian national champion Sarolta Lukovszky trains with the SynchRays and also coaches

A beautiful performance is what you see when you watch the SynchRays in action. 

But beneath the surface, there’s a lot of athleticism.

Sarolta Lukovszky trains with the SynchRays and also coaches.

“Synchronized swimming requires so many different skill sets," she said. "You have to have different skill sets on land. You have to be flexible. You have to be strong. You have to have muscle power, quick. You have to be able to hold your breath long. So many things that have to go on at the same time.”

She brings a wealth of experience. Lukovszky is a national champion in her home country of Hungary. 

“I was on the Hungarian national team for eight years,"she said. "I went to three World Championships, a couple European games and European championships. I competed and represented my country for eight years.” 

Lukovszky traveled through Europe and Asia to compete. 

She moved to the United States to attend Lindenwood University in Missouri, where she won two national championship titles. 

“It was a great experience and the U.S. really expanded my idea on the sport, and I’m eternally grateful for that,” Lukovszky said.

Now, her home is Tampa Bay as she attends graduate school at the University of Tampa. 

Beth Moore is the head coach and founder of the SynchRays.

“It started 40 years ago as an activity for girls at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Tampa Bay, the Interbay Branch, because when I started working there, I wanted something for girls because it was a very male-dominated organization,” Moore said.

The SynchRays have found high levels of success through the years.

“We’ve had ones who qualified for national teams, we’ve had ones who have grown and done synchronized swimming on cruise ships, swam with Le Reve in Las Vegas," Moore said. "We’ve seen a growth over the years for so many different stages.”

But it’s also about having fun.

“The community, I really like the community a lot,” Ray said. “The coaches and then all the other swimmers, it’s a lot of fun to be around them. It’s a lot of fun to swim with them when I can.”