The Ohio State University Synchronized Swimming Program, 1928-1995
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The Ohio State University Synchronized Swimming Program, 1928-1995: “The People. The Tradition. The Excellence.” Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Allison Leigh Housman Logan, M.A. Graduate Program in Education The Ohio State University 2012 Dissertation Committee: Professor Sarah K. Fields, Advisor Professor Melvin L. Adelman Professor Brian A. Turner Copyright by Allison Leigh Housman Logan 2012 Abstract The detailed study of everyday events and experiences that has been a hallmark of women‟s sport history has included very little about the institutional histories and sport experiences of women who engage in sports organized exclusively for women (i.e., those that have no male counterpart at any level), such as synchronized swimming. Clearly, not all women have the same institutional histories or sporting experiences, nor do they have the same opportunity to share their voice, individually or collectively. Importantly, however, the histories, traditions and experiences of women who partake in female dominate sports often vary markedly from those who participate and compete in traditionally male sporting activities, especially at the collegiate level. By investigating the institutional history and sporting experiences of the synchronized swimmers at Ohio State from 1928-1995 and incorporating those experiences into historical context, I attempted to discover and reveal the depth, variety, and complexities of these female sporting experience in a sport, organized solely for women. I examined the institutional history of this program from a variety of historical perspectives to better understand the significance the sport has had at Ohio State and in the lives of these collegiate women. I researched the following questions: ii Why is it important to document the institutional history of the synchronized swimming program at Ohio State? What is the significance of these sporting experiences to the larger body of Ohio State and women‟s sport history scholarship? Who were the pioneering women (and men) responsible for creating, developing, and maintaining one of the most extraordinary women‟s collegiate sports program in the country? How and why did these women get involved in the sport of synchronized swimming at Ohio State? How and why has Ohio State become such a powerhouse in the sport? These and other questions were designed to reveal and gain insight into a female sport that, for the most part, has been largely ignored. The purpose of this dissertation is to document the institutional history of this unique sport by supplementing Ohio State archival materials with information and personal stories provided by the participants and coaches of this remarkable program through surveys and interviews. This project will begin to allow synchronized swimmers at Ohio State to find their voices, to tell their stories, and to assert themselves as historical subjects, not only in Ohio State athletic history, but also in the larger milieu of women‟s sport history. The athletes who participated in the early years of the program did so because it was one of the few athletic programs offered for women; in the 1970‟s, this began to change, as more athletic opportunities became available for women. Women were then iii attracted to the sport for its increasing level of competition, and the administrative and coaching staffs were a large part of that improvement. The institution of Title IX and the forming of the AIAW were also instrumental in the sport‟s growth at Ohio State; these were two important factors, along with staff efforts to develop and maintain the program that led to the „powerhouse‟ we now see. The program‟s leaders also exposed them to life lessons that they likely would have not experienced otherwise; surprising was the athletes‟ appreciation for the historical significance of the program. iv Dedication This project is dedicated to my lovely wife Kelsey Logan. Without her love, support, patience, and guidance I would not have finished; To my dad, Alfred Edward Housman, and my mom, Diana Lee Housman, for all of their love and support in my academic pursuits; And, to all of the remarkable women who participated in the Ohio State synchronized swimming program. v Acknowledgements I want to express my sincere gratitude to the many people who helped me complete this project. First and foremost, I would like to thank my advisor, Dr. Sarah Fields, for providing me with invaluable feedback, guidance, patience and moral support throughout this whole process. Without her encouragement and support I would still be working on chapter one. I would also like to thank Dr. Melvin Adelman for believing in me and telling me that it is, indeed, possible to pursue a doctoral degree while also working full-time. I must also extend a special thank you to Dr. Brian Turner who agreed to serve as a committee member on this project on fairly short notice. I am also eternally grateful for all of the help given to me by Bertha Ignat in the Ohio State Archives and to all the former Ohio State synchronized swimmers who completed my survey and spent time telling me about their unique experiences as members of this remarkable sport program. Go Bucks! vi Vita 1990...............................................................................Cincinnati Country Day School Cincinnati, Ohio 1994...............................................................................B.A. International Studies, The Ohio State University 1996 ..............................................................................M.A. International Affairs American University 1996-1998 ....................................................................Business Coordinator, Admissions American University 1998-1999 ....................................................................Athletic Academic Counselor University of South Alabama 1999-2003 ....................................................................Coordinator, Student-Athletes Support Program American University 2003-Present .................................................................Athletic Academic Counselor The Ohio State University Fields of Study Major Field: Education Sport Humanities vii Table of Contents Abstract ..................................................................................................................................ii Dedication ..............................................................................................................................v Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................vi Vita .........................................................................................................................................vii Chapter 1: Decades of Excellence .........................................................................................1 Chapter 2: The Origins of Synchronized Swimming to 1969................................................17 Chapter 3: The Making of a Sport Dynasty, 1970-1979 ........................................................53 Chapter 4: The Fight to Preserve a Sport Dynasty, 1980-1995 .............................................90 Chapter 5: “The People. The Tradition. The Excellence.” ....................................................126 Work Cited .............................................................................................................................146 Appendix A: Survey Consent Form .......................................................................................158 Appendix B: Ohio State Synchronized Swimming Survey ...................................................159 Appendix C: Survey Respondents by Season of Competition ...............................................168 Appendix D: Follow-Up Telephone and In Person Interview Questions ..............................173 Appendix E: Interview Respondents by Season of Competition ...........................................175 Appendix F: Ohio State Synchronized Swimming Survey Responses Samples ...................178 viii Chapter 1: Decades of Excellence Few intercollegiate institutions can boast the overall history of athletic success that The Ohio State University Buckeyes have achieved over the past century. Each year, Ohio State varsity athletic teams claim numerous Big Ten championships, compete in various National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) tournaments and vie for a number of national titles while producing countless individual, conference and national champions (Media Guide, 2007). In fact, some of the greatest athletes and teams in college sport history have donned the coveted Scarlet and Gray. Yet many Buckeye sport enthusiasts would be stunned to learn that the most decorated team in Ohio State athletic history is not the beloved football or basketball teams, nor a male varsity sports program for that matter. This distinction instead belongs to the women‟s synchronized swimming program which has won an unprecedented twenty-seven national championship titles in its thirty-five year history as a collegiate varsity sport (Media Guide, 2012). Mary Jo Ruggieri, the head coach of Ohio State‟s synchronized swimming team from 1970 to 1995 (in addition to her successor Linda Lichter-Witter, 1995 to 2012, who is not covered in the scope of this dissertation), managed to piece together one of the most impressive dynasties