How do you invent an Olympic sport? For Katharine Whitney Curtis, it took the right idea, great talent, some good timing, and the determination to make it happen. The originator of synchronized swimming as we know it today, she even wrote the first book on the subject in 1936. But there was much more to her life and career. After the start of World War II, Curtis became a recreational director in the American Red Cross and followed the troops wherever the course of war took them, serving under Generals Patton and Eisenhower, before becoming a director of travel for the U.S. Army in Europe during the Cold War. Unbound by fear or the narrow expectations of society, this was a woman who lived ahead of her time, making things happen along the way. As her first biography, this book generously features Curtis's own words, selected from more than 2,000 pages of letters, and contextualized by her surviving friends and family members.

Do you have a daughter who loves swimming? Is she the child you can't get out of the pool to have lunch or put more lotion on? Does she also like to dance, listen to music, or play dress up? If any of these things apply, you might have a "Water Ballerina" or "Synchronized Swimmer" on your hands!This book tells the story of how author, Diane Garcia (Wendy Willow), first learned synchronized swimming when she was11 years old, at a swim club in Staten Island, NY. It is beautifully illustrated in watercolor by one of her former coaches, Ida Noelle Calumpang, a former member of the Philippine National Synchronized Swimming Team.It includes pictures of figures and patterns performed in synchronized swimming, and follows Diane's (Wendy's) journeyfrom a NERVOUS first-time synchronized swimmer to a truly SELF-CONFIDENT ONE!The book is appropriate for children ages 4-8.The forward of the book is a letter to parents explaining the benefits of this sport and includes a website to find synchronized swimming classes anywhere in the U.S. There is also an email address on the last page where parents andchildren can write to Diane and chat about "Synchro"!Diane Garcia, a NYC elementary school teacher, wrote this book to increase awareness of this BEAUTIFUL/FUN sport! Synchronized Swimming has given her JOY and LIFELONG FRIENDSHIPS, as well as, SWIMMING, the BEST FORM OFEXERCISE THERE IS!She was compelled to write this book to share with young children the FUN she was having, and to plant a seed ofinterest in their minds.Synchronized Swimming has kept up with the times and now uses all types of music, including pop and hip hop.There are regional and national competitions for people ages 10-90 in the U.S. and internationally. The internationalcompetitions have also begun to include male synchronized swimmers!SYNCHRONIZED SWIMMING ISN'T JUST FOR OLYMPIC SWIMMERS, IT'S FOR EVERYONE!

A manual with a vast variety of possibilities to have fun in the water after you have learned to swim.

Games and exercises for swimmers of all levels.

Take a dip into pools from a new perspective. In Pools From Above, aerial photographer Brad Walls captures the unexpected beauty, curves, hues, and textures of unique aquatic architecture from around the world. Produced over a span of three years in four countries, this photo collection is the culmination of Walls’ long journey to discover the beauty in commonplace landscapes seen from unexpected vantages.

From novelty tricks in swim classes, through the Aquacades and movies, to the highly complex Olympic competitions--this history of synchronized swimming tells how the sport grew, examines the role the United States has played in its worldwide development, and describes the status of synchronized swimming in world sporting events today. Among the topics covered are competition development, development around the United States, rules and technical changes, and leadership (from volunteers to a National Office). Four appendices list major award winners, U.S. National Champions, the results of major international competitions, and U.S. participation in international events. The work boasts photographs from the first trial national competition in 1942 to the World Championships of 2003, as well as a full bibliography.