History of the Durham Artistic Swimming Club

The Durham Artistic Swimming Club traces its origins to the early 1970s in Oshawa, Ontario. It was founded by Norma Douglas, a distinguished synchronized swimmer, who represented Canada and earned a silver medal at the 1955 Pan American Games. With support from the local Kiwanis service club, Norma established the Oshawa Kiwanis Synchronized Swimming Club.

​​

Over the decades, the club evolved in name and scope to reflect the growth of the sport and its expanding regional presence:

● 1970s: Oshawa Kiwanis Synchronized Swimming Club

● 1987: Renamed to Oshawa Synchronized Swimming Club

● 1993: Became the Durham Synchro Club, marking its transition to serving the broader Durham Region

● 2022: Adopted its current name, Durham Artistic Swimming Club, aligning with the sport’s international rebranding

​

Guiding the club through its history has been a series of dedicated head coaches, each leaving their own imprint on the program. Below is a timeline of the club’s head coaches and their eras of leadership:

- Norma Douglas (Founder & first head coach in the early 1970s)

- Michael Jack (Late 1970s)

- Barbara Gobel (Until 1986)

- Denise Julian (Until the late 1980s)

- Linda Lyons (Early 1990s)

- Debbie Sands (Mid 1990s)

- Deana Inglis-Shaw (Late 1990s)

- Holley Lundmark (2000s to present)

​