Joanne Wright is responsible for creating the foundation of excellence that synchronized swimming program at Canisius College stands on today.  After only one year at the club level, Wright brought the synchro team to the varsity level.  During her 12 years as head coach, her teams finished first in the Eastern Regionals and ECAC's every year, and no lower than sixth in the National Collegiate competition.  Joanne's daughter, Jill, is the current head coach at Canisius, and she continues to mold young talent with the Tonawanda Aquettes.

Russ Burton: Do you remember getting the call from Dr. Dan Starr that the program was moving to the varsity level?
Joanne Wright: I remember feeling completely elated.  It was a huge step, because now we would get funding and scholarship money, and grow our team from the two girls we already had on board.

RB: During your coaching career you had 10 girls reach All-American status?  Are there any that stand out to you?
JW: Not really, they were all so dedicated, committed and talented.  It was an outstanding accomplishment, especially when we had the five girls get it at once.  I couldn't have been more proud.

RB: You had six third-place finishes at Nationals, finishing behind Stanford and Ohio State each time.  Which team do you have more feelings of frustration for?
JW: I couldn't pick one.  I learned a lot from both programs.  Seeing how they operate being so much bigger and having so much more funding was really educational for me.  I was a little jealous of Santa Clara though.  They had such an easy time recruiting and their talent was all Olympic level.

RB: Do you have a favorite moment from your coaching career?
JW: It would probably be seeing the five girls getting named All-American at the same time.  Seeing them standing up with the national champions made me extremely proud.  Besides that, I really appreciated the simple things.  Gathering before the meets with Father Dugan, joining in a circle and holding hands, or hearing the “Go Griffs” cheers from the fans grow louder every year, or just seeing the support from everyone at the school.  It all meant a lot.

RB: Listed among your top influences, the one that stands out to me, is head softball coach Mike Rappl.  Why did he have such an affect on you?
JW: I always went to him for advice.  I admired his strength and commitment, and his record was always impressive.  There's nothing like talking to another coach.

RB: What was your favorite routine to put together?
JW: I couldn't name one in particular, but I always enjoyed the team routines.  There are so many different individuals and ideas.  It's rewarding to see it come together.  A lot of my favorite memories and laughs came from them.

RB: How were you able to combine all of the individuals to make a solid team?
JW: It's easy because the girls come to you developed and talented.  We all listened and learned from each other.  The biggest key was repetition.  The girls will tell you my main quote was “One more time!”

RB: Besides “One more time,” a quote you are known for is “You get what you give.”  What did you give to your team?
JW: I think I made it fun.  I tried to teach life skills as well as athletics.

RB: Was it harder or easier coaching your daughter, Jill?
JW: I'd say it was harder.  It was tough being a coach and not a mom.  There were times when I would have liked to just sit on a bench and watch, but I did get to be with her all the time when most parents wouldn't get the chance.

RB: What's the most obnoxious question you've been asked about synchronized swimming?
JW: “How can you call that a sport?”

RB: And what is your response to them?
JW: Try it!  The sport and the girls are so much more athletic than most people remember.  Once people see it or try it, their tune changes pretty quickly.

RB: How do you feel about the fact that most of your athletes have become coaches themselves?
JW: It's the greatest accomplishment of a coach.  It means that I instilled something in them that made them enjoy it enough for them to want to pass it on to other swimmers.

RB: What are your feelings about being inducted into the Canisius Sports Hall of Fame?
JW: I've been blessed with a job that I've always loved.  I've been surrounded athletes and coached I admire.  I am really flattered, because this means that they thought I did a pretty good job.

Russ Burton is currently the Morning Show Producer/Buffalo Bills Gameday Producer for WGRF-97 Rock in Buffalo. He graduated from Canisius in 1998 and is working toward his master's degree in sport administration at the College.