Our story
Sixty-eight years is a lot of story
The Riverside Aquettes have been in the water since 1958. In that time the club has sent swimmers to the Olympic Games, won national titles, and taught thousands of Riverside kids to love the water — and we are still the only artistic swimming club in the Inland Empire.
Our mission
Move as one
The Riverside Aquette (RAQ) Swim Club, initiated in 1958, is dedicated to the development of community and leadership skills of its members through competition in the sport of artistic (synchronized) swim and competitive swimming.
Emphasizing teamwork, self-discipline, and good sportsmanship, RAQ prepares athletes for diverse challenges, including college, careers, community, and potentially the Olympics.
As a non-profit and non-sectarian club, RAQ nurtures physical fitness, nutritional awareness, and valuable life skills through competition and teamwork.
The early years
The club that put Riverside on the map
The Riverside Aquettes’ (RAQ) artistic swimming program boasts a rich legacy of excellence spanning more than six decades. As the only artistic swimming club in the Inland Empire, RAQ offers a unique artistic experience to the Riverside community.
Under the leadership of internationally acclaimed coach Sue Nesbitt — a native of Riverside, inducted into the Riverside Sports Hall of Fame in 2012 — RAQ won two Junior National Championships and sent four swimmers to represent the United States at the Olympic Games.
Coach Nesbitt left the club to coach at the National level and has now returned to RAQ as an Artistic Swimming Consultant, bringing over fifty years of elite coaching experience, including her roles as the former Head Coach of the Canadian National Team, the Australian National Team, and as an Olympic coach.
1958
Founded · 68 unbroken years in Riverside
4
Aquettes who swam for the United States at the Olympic Games
2
Junior National Championships
200+
Members at the club’s peak, across every age group
Today
Back-to-back state champions
Today, RAQ is led by Head Coach Shannon Kelly Jones, a former Riverside Aquette and nationally competitive artistic swimmer.
Shannon is a respected artistic swimming coach and choreographer whose creative work includes music videos for LL Cool J, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Lady Gaga at Hearst Castle.
Under her leadership, RAQ’s team claimed the 2025 and 2026 California State Games Championship. Most recently, she coached our 13-15 Age Group competitive artistic team who competed at the Junior Olympic Championships in July 2026 and led our team to two consecutive State Championships.
Explore
Meet our coaches
Our head coach, the staff who run our practices, and the coaches who built the program.
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Our programs
Artistic swim, swim team, private lessons and adult Masters.
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Club calendar
Meets, water shows, fundraisers and team events.
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Frequently asked questions
Costs, practice times, placement tests and billing.
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