Santa Clara Aquamaids

Santa Clara Aquamaids is a synchronized swimming team located in Santa Clara, California. The ages of the athletes stretch from age six to twenty six. Their mission is to "To champion the pursuit of excellence in the international sport of synchronized swimming." The club, a non-profit, member supported team creates nationally ranked synchronized swimmers of all ages. The Aquamaids have produced over 60% of all Olympic Synchronized Swimmers representing the United States since the sport became an Olympic event in 1984.

In 1964, the club was founded by Wilbur Luick. He hired Kay Vilen as the first head coach. She was praised for her expertise and knowledge on the sport. She had the big ideas and interesting techniques that make the Aquamaids famous today. The Aquamaids were able to attract transfers from other established clubs, including the Howel Swim Club of Walnut Creek, the Athens Club of Oakland, CA, and the Riverside AQuettes. They soon became a leading contender, taking the titles of Solo Champions, Duet Champions, and Team Champions at the Senior and Junior National levels on numerous occasions. After Vilen's death in 1976, the two top swimmers at the time, Gail Johnson and Pam Albin Edwards took over as head coaches, and the club continued to thrive.

In 1984, Chris Carver was appointed head coach. Even with no history of participating in the actual sport, her innovative choreography and her great attention to detail is what makes the Aquamaids national champions. This statement is not excactly true. In an interview with the much honored Olympic Coach, she revealed that she had been introduced to synchronized swimming by her swim club coach when she was in junior high school in Palo Alto, California. Then she took part in competitions for the Palo Alto High School District. This was in the early 1950s when the sport was in its infancy and was being made popular by the Hollywood water extravanganza movies of the athlete and movie star Esther Williams. Miss Williams became her inspiration in her choregraphy development and aqua presentations. In addition, Mrs. Carver had joined the Aquamaids on a part-time basis in 1980, coaching the ten-and-under team for four years. Plus, she had come out of retirement the year before from coaching at her local cabana club. For twelve consecutive summers she had coached the Cloverdale Cabana Dolphinettes water ballet team, presenting to the public spectacular performances each year. It was working with this community where Mrs. Carver developed her attention to detail and imaginative water choreography and swimming routines that have been the backbone of her success with the Aquamaids. She owes much of that success to the Cloverdale Cabana swimmers and their families , she said. Chris had a history major diploma from San Jose State and also had a classical music background, for she had played the violin with the Junior Symphony. There is now a pictorial album and written record of Mrs. Carver's early career in synchronized swimming that can be seen upon request at the California Room of the San Jose State University Library. There, one can see her coaching success of starting with only eleven girls in her shows to casts of over forty swimmers, creating and perfecting her talent of musical aqua performances. Her expertise developed as she created routines for well known musical productions such as PETER PAN, THE WIZARD OF OZ, AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS, SLEEPING BEAUTY, AND THE NUTCRACTER. Check it out. She certainly had had twelve years of experience in coaching young swimmers participate in the sport in creations of beauty on the water.

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