Diana Duerkop

Builder (1994)

Synchronized Swimming

Diana Duerkop was born in Kingston, Ontario, in 1941. She was active in high school basketball, track, volleyball and badminton programs and YWCA programs. She attended Queen's University for four years, swimming and playing intercollegiate basketball for four years.

Diana came to Saskatoon in 1963 at a time when the University of Saskatchewan was designing its aquatic programs to suit the new pool. She ran swimming programs and coached the university's synchronized swimming teams for five years. She returned to University as a student, graduated in education and became a teacher at Nutana where she coached senior girls' basketball, twice winning provincial titles.

She led the revival of synchronized swimming in Saskatchewan and became president of the Canadian association for a three-year term, starting in 1978.

Diana was named women's team manager for Canada at the Pan-American Games in Venezuela in 1983; assistant chef d'mission for the Pan-American Games in Indianapolis in 1987; and chef d'mission for the Pan-American Games in Havana, Cuba, in 1991.

She enjoyed an eight-year term on the Canadian Olympic Association's executive committee and has just completed a 12-year term as a water sports director for the Canadian Olympic Association.