What follows here is a very short summary of some of the  early days of university synchronized swimming in Canada.  We are pleased that Geraldine Dubrule who has been actively involved with synchronized swimming at McGill for many years has agreed to expand on our summary and we look forward to this in the future.

    The history of synchronized swimming at the university level in Canada dates back to the post World War II years.  The WIAU(Women's Intercollegiate Athletic Union) which was composed of Ontario and Quebec universities held a swimming meet at the the University of Toronto in 1946.  The swimming championship was divided into three parts: speed races, diving and the third part was the forerunner of synchronized swimming competitions today.  Included was "ornamental" solo routine and style swimming with or without music.  Amazingly the four competitors at the meet: McGill University,Queen's University, University of Toronto and the University of Western Ontario are still competing - in the brand new CUSSL/LUCNS League in 2001-2 over 55 years later!

    Several excerpts taken from the History of Synchronized Swimming in Canada - " A rule book was published in 1950, edited by Winifred Baxter of the University of Toronto, Joan Christie of McMaster University, Jean Ramsay of University of Western Ontario, Marion Ross of Queen's University and McGill's Gladys Bean."  The rules covered evaluation of the routines and the requirement that all entrants had to enter both the figures events and the routine events which were solo, duet or trio routines.  The universities had a great influence on the early years of the sport because it was before there were the many synchro clubs that exist today and often a swimmer would be introduced to synchronized swimming at the university level. "Many girls became interested in the sport at university, some entered competition at the provincial level, some at the local level.  Many swam in Water Shows, organized shows and competitions, learned to judge and coach.  When the first Canada Games were held in 1967, several provinces relied on Physical Education graduates in their province to produce a team, although synchronized swimming was only a neophyte sport at the time."

    From the OUA 2000 directory the university  league champions are listed from 1971 and on.  The championship teams were from McMaster, Queen's, York, McGill and Western.   Other participating universities over the years have been the University of Ottawa, Trent and Guelph.

    One of the most difficult moments in University Synchro was in May 2001 when the OUA took away competitive status from synchronized swimming because the number of competitive teams had dropped to five. The minimum required was 6 teams.  Many  university synchro swimmers were not willing to give up the sport and so in the fall of 2001 a new League - Canadian University Synchro Swim League/Ligue Universitaire de Nage Synchronisée (CUSSL/LUCNS) was  incorporated under the Federal Laws of Canada.  The member teams were Queen's, Brock, Western, U of Toronto, McGill and as a recreational member the University of Guelph.
   What has happened since then is amazing.  At its first league championship meet  at Queen's on Feb 10, 2002 there were 5 universities with a total of 49 swimmers participating.  Forward to the fall of 2006 when we had 13 university groups register with the league for a total of 187 swimmers. In 2009-2010 year we have had 223 swimmers register from 14 universities.
 

 Bibliography: History of Synchronized Swimming In Canada
   - Edited by Gladys Bean, Historians : Joyce Coffin, D. Earle Coffin and Geraldine Dubrule