History

Long before the Sport of Synchronized Swimming was officially born in North America, the seeds of the future Olympic SS Sport were sewn in many parts of the world, including Australia, by such names as Annette Kellerman, an Australian, Esther Williams, early water ballet enthusiasts. The girls loved swimming together to musical rhythms while developing body control and finding new ways to support more of the body above the water surface for more of the time.

The name ‘Synchronized Swimming’ was coined in the US by an early water ballet exponent, D. Curtis, probably little knowing that fifty years hence SS would become an Olympic sport at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games.

Synchronized Swimming became an officially recognised sport in North America during the 50’s when its two competitive sections were established : the compulsory Figures, (then called ‘stunts’ or ‘skills’), and the Routines which are choreographed to music and swum in the Solo, Duet and Team events. In the early 60’s the FINA adopted ‘this extra dimension of SWIMMING. FINA Federations around the world were encouraged to promote and teach SS. Far away from the continual development of SS in the northern hemisphere, the ASU of Australia formed a SS sub-Committee with delegates from newly formed State SS groups. In Victoria, the VASA SS committee headed by Secretary, Mrs. Dot Quinton set to work to promote the sport and build on the already established expertise being enjoyed by Club members of the ‘Melbourne Synchronized Swimming Association”.

The Melbourne SS Club with headquarters at the ‘old’ City Baths had existed from the early 50’s as a part of Nada Marsden’s (Brazel) Victorian SS Association, swimming each Monday 9-10pm @ Four pounds.

Nada had imported SS knowledge/films from the US which formed a foundation for many colourful displays at the Melbourne Richmond indoor pool. The packed 1956 Olympic Stadium viewed a US SS Team Routine and a Melbourne Duet. Narda and her swimmers also took their routines to New Zealand and to the 1962 Commonwealth Games, Perth.

The late Mr./ Les Phillips of the VASA was responsible for bringing the first US SS champion, Beulah Gundling to Melbourne; her theatrical aquatic displays spread the water ballet/SS word and soon swimming club girls were forming SS groups to enjoy the fun of swimming in formation to music and learning ‘aquatic stunts’.

From the early 60’s the VASA SS Committee conducted regular competitions, State C/Ships and contributed swimmers/officials to Australian C/Ships. In addition to Melbourne SS club swimmers, competitors came from swimming clubs at Fawkner, Paco Vale, Brunswick and Surrey Park. Friedel Spacek, a SS swimmer herself who had learned early techniques in Germany started the Altona Pirouette SS club. Friedel’s coaching produced a championship team and one of her swimmers, Kerry Eustace, daughter of Brian, a VASA Board member, became a Victorian and Australian Solo champion. She was later coached by her father and the father/daughter combination, by hard work managed to translate FINA figure descriptions into action. Kerry narrowly missed by 0.35pts. Australian selection for the 1st World Swimming Championships, Belgrade, 1973. Before this the early 70’s social mores were changing, recreation/entertainment moved from the swimming pool.

In 1978 the new indoor pool in Dandenong opened and the Dandee Dolphins SS Club, with the help of the Chisholm family, Loris, Don and daughter Brenda, greatly added to SS enthusiasm and expertise which produced some top Synchro swimmers. This continued until the pool’s wall collapsed and for some years SS was no longer available at this centre.

In the early 70’s Muriel Head from Geelong, member of the Altona Pirouette SS Club, with her young daughter Margaret were becoming Synchro devotees. They visited the Canadian Championships, Toronto, and the Canadian interpretation of the sport – after all, Canada’s Synchro development started in the 1920’s. Later, Muriel herself, was responsible for bringing an international coach from Toronto to help Victorian SS. Mary Jane Ling’s technical expertise and training programs set Victoria on the SS progress road.

When Muriel became the second Secretary of the VASA SS Committee in 1977, she set about developing an effective administrative back-up for the management of Victorian SS. With thoughts of Canada, this involved apportioning specific responsibilities to committee members and the regular conducting of educational clinics for Judging and Coaching; as well, qualification standards for all officials were determined for the efficient conducting of all competitions.

With Muriel’s insistence the Victorian Teachers Course for SS Basics was written and delivered in Melbourne, November, 1977 which resulted in five Teachers being ready to conduct SS learning groups. This followed the attendance by swimmer Brenda Chisholm and coach Roz Keeble at the Ottawa ’77 SS Camp at the Ottawa Carleton University for ‘The Development of a Synchronized Swimmer”. Many experienced Canadian coaches had contributed the contents of the newly published Canadian Star Manual which is a five Star learning program. Since then, the Manual is imported regularly to Victoria and is the practical text book for the Teachers Course. In the early 80’s the Course was adapted to become the Australian Coaching Council’s accredited Level 1 Course, which since 1977 has been conducted frequently in Victoria.

SS training in Victoria usually needs an enclosed pool with a minimum FINA depth of 2.5M, dimensions of 20M x 25M for complete Routine training/competition. From earlier years when appropriate water space became available SS groups took advantage of their use. Muriel Head established the Norlane SS group which produced some national competitors. Fifteen years ago the Synchro section of the Nunawading SC initiated a SS program which now has over 40 registered swimmers. The new Box Hill indoor pool with built in SS sound equipment helped SS in the area progress and a SS program was re-started by Surrey Park at their home pool. The renovated deep pool area at Ringwood affords a golden opportunity for SS training. Synchro swimmers of Coburg Club train at the Latrobe ‘Varsity’ pool and an SS group has spread to the covered pool at Kilsyth. When the SSC replaced the 1956 Olympic Stadium for the training of elite athletes of four disciplines, the Diving pool 18M x 22M with built in high quality sound system for SS was allotted to SS to share with divers and later water polo. This pool is used for SS competitions, minimum training and remains the only possible Routine training/competition area in Melbourne.

With the advent of the Pan Pacific SS Championships in the 70’s, Australia had a greater opportunity for international competition. The numbers of Victorian international SS competitors has risen from one swimming in the Australian Team Routine at the 1979 Christchurch Pan Pac’s to three, four and five at following Pan Pacific C/Ships: 1981 Calgary, 1983 Melbourne Australia, 1985 Honolulu, 1991 Tokyo, and 1993 Calgary. For the first time at the 5th World Swimming Championships, Australia competed in the Team Routine event; four Victorians were included in the team of 8; all were self-funded, except the coach whom Muriel financially supported. At this Madrid competition, Victorian Josie Hopkins, the 1986 Australian Solo Title holder swam the Solo. Josie and her Duet partner Tracey Dunlap, (now Elson) for a number of years were silver medallists for Australia. Similarly for the 6th World Swimming Championships, Perth, four Victorians swam in the Team Routine event, Margaret Hall of Victoria was the Solo pre-swimmer. During 1991 the duet of Margaret Hall and Semon Rohloff of Sydney were ASC Funded to compete in Barcelona and later trained in Toronto.

The Melbourne 1983 Pan Pacifics were a Victorian highlight and financial success with teams visiting from Canada, USA, Japan and New Zealand; Australia earned the Bronze Medal in the Team Routine event (3 teams entered). The Australian Broadcasting Corporation TV crews were astonished at the spectacular international SS; they had transformed the SSC Diving pool area into a colourful scene with long banners floating above the ‘bridge’. Their documentary film not only showed SS to the best advantage, but featured our visitors enjoying Victorian sights and Moomba. The film was acclaimed in Canada as the most enjoyable and factual illustration of SS yet seen. (copy held by SSAI).

Australian SS C/ships firstly were celebrated together with Competitive Swimming C/ships. Later, when held separately, the States which had SS programs – at present there are four, host the national c/ships in rotation on behalf of ASSInc. The 1993 Australian Open and Age Group SS C/ships have just concluded during Easter in Melbourne; a record number of 25 Victorians competed in all sections.

From the beginnings of Victorian SS, the Committee and all involved have been most grateful for the guidance and financial assistance from the VASA, now Swimming Victoria Inc. Over 21/2 years ago, Liya Suo from Beijing, the Chinese Olympic SS coach for 1988 arrived in Melbourne. Her unique coaching expertise has resulted in SS progress both nationally and particularly within Victoria. Again, with assistance from S.V Inc. for Liya, she established age group training squads for routine swimming development. This resulted this year (’93) in Victoria earning the Australian title for 12/under yrs. Team Routine, the first routine score for the 15/16/17 yrs. Team of 8 + 2 alternates, and the 13/14 yrs. Duet. The open Team Routine event has for several years been won by Victoria, including for 1993. Coach, Tracy Elson of the Open squad team was wholly responsible for the choreography and coaching of this team of 7 members. The international flavour of the Victorian winning teams demonstrated to the ASC representative, Mr. Allan McKinnon, what SS is all about.

Victorian SS looks forward to continued progress both in increasing numbers of swimmers and excellence in performance. At the same time with the anticipated resignation of our long time Secretary. Muriel Head, a new era will arrive and all will need to build on the SS structures which Muriel has put in place. We will miss her and all wish her well with happiness within her family, and please not to forget us.