For 22 years in Manitoba, Gail Adamson and synchronized swimming were synonymous. Adamson was the ultimate volunteer whose dedication to her sport went above and beyond on the national and provincial synchronized swimming scenes.

Adamson made Winnipeg her home for most of her life except for brief stays in Montreal and Edmonton. She and her husband John had six children - four daughters and two sons - who eventually were responsible for drawing her into the sport she held so dear. Each of her daughters became involved in synchronized swimming. In 1974 she became the first Vice-President of Synchro Manitoba and became a Level I coach the next year before taking on the association’s presidency in 1976-77. She served as the Past President for the next two years and in 1980-81 joined the Manitoba Sports Federation Board of Directors chairing and sitting on numerous committees over the next decade.

Her involvement at the national level began in 1976 when she was a member of the national Board of Directors. In 1978, Adamson became the Vice-President of Development for Synchro Canada. She served as the national President in 1981-83 and the Past-President in 1983-85. It was at that time in 1985 that her personnel management skills came to the forefront as she was named Personnel Chair of Synchro Canada. For the next 12 years, she volunteered 35-40 hours a week to the national body’s human resource management.

In 1989-90 she led a steering committee in Synchro Canada’s extensive Human Resource Audit and then took the leadership role in initiating and implementing the audit’s findings. The result was a more efficient and streamlined national association where employees’ roles are clearly defined and which ultimately lifted morale.